An altercation during an independent baseball league game ended with an umpire getting ejected and a camera getting removed due to allegations of cheating.
In the first inning of Sunday’s Frontier League game between the New York Boulders and Tri-City ValleyCats, umpire Warren Nicholson ejected Boulders player Tucker Nathans. Immediately after the ejection, the two continued jawing at one another.
As Nicholson began walking away, Nathans appeared to say something to reignite the argument. Nicholson immediately turned around and struck Nathans in the midsection. The broadcast then showed Nicholson exiting the field.
According to a report from Sports Illustrated, umpire Lou DeLuise was called to replace him. DeLuise lives near the stadium.
What started altercation, Boulders president Shawn Reilly said, was Nicholson asking the team to remove a tablet from their dugout. ValleyCats manager and former MLB player Pete Incaviglia first brought it to the umpires’ attention.
The tablet, as the report continued, is approved by the league. The Boulders were furious by the umpire’s decision to take the tablet, leading to the back-and-forth between Nathans and Nicholson.
Additionally, one of the TV cameras was removed when Incaviglia accused the Boulders of using it to steal their the pitcher’s signs.
As a result of the wait for the replacement umpire and the removal of the camera, the delay lasted an hour.
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