Hot time at the ball park

A call just came over the scanner (as I write this) for police units to go to a youth ballfield where "some parents are getting a little heated," as the dispatcher said.

I'm hearing more calls of this nature than in past years, and it's still early in baseball/softball season. Are people angrier this season or what?

Parents are supposed to be examples of sportsmanship -- but so are umps, who ideally should make fair and competent calls, and coaches, who should be fair and stay cool under pressure.

My first thought is "it's only a game" -- but those games take on strong meanings to players and parents.

All of us can relate to mistreatment due to bias or incompetency, and/or feeling like our side's not being heard. And showing displeasure at officials' calls is part of the American way -- up to a point.

But there are lines which shouldn't be crossed -- and anger to the point of having to call in the cops at kids' sports events is one of those lines.