News story

Pplayer Hits Umpire in Reno Tournament -- Team Ejected, Player Banned

Sept. 1, 2003 – Senior Softball-USA

SPARKS, Nevada ˆ In a display of anger and violence that shocked scores of on-looking senior softball players and their families, a California player struck an umpire in the jaw, knocking him to the ground, after being ejected from a game here on June 1.

The Solano Enforcers were at bat, playing the Prime Time 55s on a bright Sunday morning at the Shadow Mountain Softball Complex here.

The Enforcers sent in Essy Hoapili of San Jose as a courtesy runner and Hoapili advanced to third base during the next few plays.

Then the umpire called Hoapili out for leaving third base too early on a pop fly.

According to a number of witnesses, Hoapili ran over to the umpire as soon as the call was made and "chested" him while arguing the call.

The umpire, 25-year-old Jacob Korpela, said he immediately ejected Hoapili for making physical contact with an official.

Korpela said that as he made the signal to eject Hoapili ˆ and while he was looking the other way ˆ Hoapili punched him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground, chipping at least one tooth and driving other teeth through his tongue.

As Korpela fell to the ground, players rushed onto the field and restrained Hoapili and the game was stopped. And the Sparks police were called. Police handcuffed and arrested Hoapili, charging him with misdemeanor battery.

"We ejected the Solano Enforcers from the tournament for not being able to control their player and the game was forfeit," said Terry Hennessy, chief executive officer of Senior Softball-USA.

"This is a sad, sad day for our sport. The whole premise of senior softball is camaraderie and sportsmanlike competition," he said. "We pride ourselves in not having the kind of violent incidents you sometimes see with younger players."

Hoapili was banned for life from Senior Softball-USA, has been fined an undisclosed amount by the City of Sparks for the battery and faces a civil lawsuit from Korpela.

In the letter banning Hoapili, Hennessy wrote:"There is zero tolerance in Senior Softball-USA for physical assaults of any type ˆ especially against an official.

"You have disgraced the game and your fellow players. You are hereby banned for life from any and all Senior Softball-USA events. In addition, we are sending a copy of this letter to all other national softball organizations ˆ and NCSSA (Northern California Senior Softball Association) ˆ with the recommendation that you not be allowed to play softball again."

Hoapili declined to appeal the ban, but wrote:

"I have no problem with your decision. I sent a letter to my teammates apologizing for my action and resigning myself from participation with the sport. . .

"I am sorry for my reaction to the situation, but I cannot reverse the past," he wrote.