Blount County little league coach arrested for attacking umpire

Blount County little league coach arrested for attacking umpire

By JOSH AULT
6 News Reporter

HARROGATE (WATE) - A Blount County little league coach was arrested for attacking an umpire in an incident earlier in July.

Michael Maples, of Maryville, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault after deputies say he attacked an umpire.

The alleged attack happened at an all-star game in Harrogate. It was at a ball field on Washington Avenue.

The all-star game was between 11 and 12-year-old boys with Harrogate Little League and Eagleton Little League, which is based in Alcoa.

Before the incident happened, things had already gotten a little out of control at the ball game. "At one point, we had the law come and a couple of people were asked to leave," said Harrogate Little League President Freddie Chumley.

Chumley, who's worked in little league for 23 years, says this was the first time he had to call the authorities to remove people from the crowd.

In the final inning of the game, things escalated, and the head coach for Eagleton was ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Still, what happened next was very unexpected.

"It got down to the last inning. It was tied. One of Harrogate's players stole home. The umpire called him safe. At that point it ended the ball game, and when he turned around to give the official score. He was attacked from behind," Chumley explained.

"It pushed me into a fencing at the backstop and I fell to the ground," said Douglas White, the umpire who was assaulted. "(It) dislocated my right shoulder."

White also received a concussion, and had to have immediate surgery to fix his shoulder.

After the confrontation, Maples left the ball field, and was later arrested.

"It's not indicative as Eagleton as a whole," Chumley said. "It was a small group of people who egged it on and caused it."

Chumley says many of the Eagleton fans apologized for what happened, and have called him to check on White.

"It's just physical injuries to me," said White. "(It's) not something kids need to witness at a ball game."

Maples has been removed from coaching by Eagleton Little League officials. He had been a coach with the league for more than five years.

White, who's a volunteer umpire, is also a full-time registered nurse. He'll be out of work for more than a month.

6 News tried to contact Michael Maples for comment. We were told to contact his lawyer, Joe Costner, but he was unavailable.

Maples posted a $10,000 bond and was released. His first court appearance is July 22.
http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=12819956

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