Coach banned after reportedly punching umpire

SILOAM SPRINGS — A youth baseball coach was banned from the league and issued a misdemeanor citation Tuesday after reportedly striking a 16-year-old umpire in the face.

Siloam Springs police were called to James Butts Baseball Complex on Tuesday evening when the incident happened.

Brandon Duncan, 34, of Colcord, Okla., was cited in connection with abuse of athletic contest official, a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of $2,500.

“There’s two sides to every story,” Duncan said Friday. “Just like this deal, I’ve got kids too, and it’s a bad deal. I’m sorry that it is what it is now. There’s more to the story.

“I had no idea this kid was a kid to start out with. Just like I’ve been on the phone with the baseball league this morning. He approached me with a bad attitude, there’s more to this deal than just what’s at hand right now. This kid has a bad, bad attitude, and people witnessed his bad attitude.

“I just don’t want to be run into the ground,” Duncan said. “I’m not a bad guy.”

Duncan, who served as head coach, said he pushed the umpire away with the palm of his hand.

“I was frustrated with somebody talking to me like you’re a nobody,” Duncan said.

According to a preliminary report from Police Chief Jim Wilmeth, Duncan was upset about runners leading off the bases and began to complain to the home plate umpire about the issue. The game was in the 9- and 10-year-old league. The league’s rules require runners to remain on their base until the pitched baseball reaches the batter.

As Duncan walked back toward the dugout, near the first base line, he complained to the field umpire about the runners leading off the bases, according to the report.

Duncan said Friday he told the umpires they had to watch the base runners.

The report states after a brief verbal exchange, Duncan poked the umpire in the chest, which resulted in the umpire ejecting Duncan.

Duncan then punched the teen in the mouth, causing what appeared to be a minor abrasion under the umpire’s chin and redness to the right side of his face, the report states.

Witnesses said Duncan also threw a clipboard in the teen’s face, before being tackled by one of the opposing coaches to restrain him.

Duncan left before police arrived, but later went to the Police Department, where he was questioned, then issued a citation.

“This is the most specific charge related to this type of crime,” Wilmeth’s report states. “He was issued a citation because, with very few exceptions, officers are not authorized under Arkansas law to make an arrest for a misdemeanor crime that does not occur in their presence. This specific statute does not authorize a physical arrest if it does not occur in the officer’s presence. If the event had been directly observed by the officers, a physical arrest could have been made.

Duncan said he’s contacted a lawyer, whom he said told him he can beat the charge.

“The victim’s father was notified and came to the scene. Both the victim and father wanted to press charges. The victim did not recall the suspect throwing a clipboard at him,” Wilmeth’s report states.

The league banned Duncan from the property and will not be allowed to coach again, according to officials.

“SSYB is governed by a code of conduct that all parents, coaches, players, board members, and fans must abide by at all times while participating in any activity that is run by SSYB,” said Mike Williamson, league president.

“Unfortunately we had an incident at the fields last Tuesday that required us to use the disciplinary portion of that code of conduct. Our mission is to provide a safe, fun and learning experience for every child that signs up. Our coaches are expected to be a role model on and off the fields, and when that does not happen, the board members that are on duty each night, including myself, will take appropriate action.

“Actions that happened last Tuesday will not be tolerated,” Williamson said, “and we will continue to do our best to provide kids in and around Siloam Springs with a place to enjoy the great game of baseball.”

Duncan said he is “Not at all trying to justify it. That is not who I am and … I hate it that it’s got to be something negative because that is not who I am. It is what it is.

“Now I’ve got to face the deal,” Duncan said. “What I did was wrong.”

“There’s two sides to every story. Just like this deal, I’ve got kids too, and it’s a bad deal. I’m sorry that it is what it is now. There’s more to the story.”

— Brandon Duncan, youth baseball coach