KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Local little leagues say a recent baseball brawl and fights like it are contributing to an umpire shortage.
Late last week in Crossville, two kids were hurt in a fight between parents at a tee-ball game.
Four adults are now banned from the park.
Punches flew last week at a Colorado little league game umpired by a 13-year-old after parents got too heated.
Five people received citations.
The 7-year-old players ran from the fight.
"Just like everybody else, you're horrified," West Knox Little League president Ken Carter, speaking about the recent baseball brawls.
West Knox Little League president Ken Carter said situations like that discourage people from becoming umpires.
"We have seen a shortage of umpires, and we've had a hard time retaining umpires who have agreed to do it," Carter said.
Carter said just about everyone at the park is a volunteer -- except umpires.
He said some people just can't handle the stress.
"Parents see their children out here," Carter said. "The team...they're winning, they're losing, and they lose perspective a little bit."
He said he's seen it happen plenty of times in his 12 years of umpiring.
"I always remind parents before we get to a situation where police have to be called or something like that," Carter said. "To think about how their children would like for that to be seen by them. See if they really want that to be a memory their child wants to have. And that seems to have a great impact to diffusing the situation."
He said he often sees parents disrespect younger umpires when they shouldn't.
"As we get further and the games have more stakes in them, we tend to use fewer of those umpires and more adults and more experienced people and that seems to make a big difference," Carter said.
If you are interested in becoming an umpire, there are many opportunities.
The West Knox County Little League offers training classes after you sign up.