Okay maybe it's just us. We at WebBall expected more from this survey simply because we have either witnessed or heard from reliable sources about some of the worst possible incidents - two players on the same team in a dugout fight... a parent behind the wheel trying to run down an umpire... young players actually threatening an adult umpire. Anyhow here's what the voters thought and said...

Most common conflicts... Most common outcome... What's the worst you've seen? How bad was the worst? Best results... Avoidance techniques...

We have established a new rule this year for coaches/managers. If there is a confrontation and inappropriate language or actions take place, the coach will be brought before the board and both parties will explain what happened. At that point a decision will be made. If the coach acted inappropriately, the minimum penality is: cannot participate in the next physically played game and the stiffest penatly is removal of position. - Rhonda Beatty

I umpired a game and was assaulted by a manager. He later apologized and was suspended (big deal) but he still thinks he is right to this day. I am also president of a softball league. Our policy is expulsion from the team and league if a manager or coach exhibits violent or disrespectful behavior before, during, or after a game. There is no place for it. - Martin Lombardi

This has worked for me in the past... I simply say to the instigator where no one else can hear that I would be glad to discuss whatever problem we are having after the game one on one. They may have some valid and legitimate points to make, however they may not have said it correctly or are now too embarassed to calm down. This one on one approach gives them the 'off the hook' they may be looking for. I never confront anyone verbally. I have yet to have this explode into a physical confrontation. Am I lucky, probably. - Joe Martin
WebBall has removed any specific reference to location or league and we have chosen not to publish the name of the writer...

     I had a conflict with an umpire that was never resolved. We were playing in a [state] tournament, 14 yr olds, and we were beating a team from [city in the state], the score at the time was 4-0 in the bottom of the 3rd of a 6 inning game. The plate umpire called me to the plate to tell me that from now on the strike zone for my team would be from the top of the head to the toes, and a foot inside and outside the plate. When I protested, he told me he didn't like the way I played, beating someone 20 to nothing, bunting, stealing, and the like, and told me I was bad for baseball, and he was going to teach me a lesson.
      When I explained to him that the score was only 4-0, and that the other team was not even keeping a book, (the other head coach was the one telling him the score), he said he didn't care and didn't like me, or the way I played the game. When I protested that it didn't matter whether he liked me or not, he should call the game by the rules, he told me 'too bad.'
      I voiced my complant to the tournament director, who went up to talk to the other team's head coach, and to my suprise, that coach had his kids pack up and leave. In 25 years of coaching, I had never had a team or umpire display that kind of conduct.
      The next day we were getting ready to play in the championship game when the same umpire shows up to be one of the field umpires. When I protested to him that I didn't feel he could call a fair game with the attitude he had towards me, he told me to f--- off. Things got pretty heated then, a lot of shouting between the two of us. The other teams head coach came over and got between the two of us and got both of us to just walk away. It was a good thing he did, because the umpire was about to get physical, and he would have killed me, young strong guy - umpire, old weak guy - me.
      We played the game, we won, and to the umpire's credit, he did a great job. After the game I went out to the parking lot to talk to the umpire. When I approached him I told him I would like to talk to him in a civil manner, make things right, and at least depart shaking hands. He told me he didn't want to talk to me and to get away from him, he didn't like people like me. So I said, OK - I tried, and walked away. No resolution, and the worst attitude from an umpire I had ever seen. - [name withheld]