An apparently drunk baseball umpire was escorted from the field by police during a Mexican Pacific League (LMP) game in Sinaloa on Sunday night.
Humberto “Lobito” Saiz was taken off midway through the game between the Mazatlán Deer and the Navojoa Mayos at the Teodoro Mariscal Stadium in Mazatlán.
In a video filmed by a fan, Saiz is seen being ejected from the diamond by three men, at least one of whom was a police officer, by the scruff of his neck with his arms behind his back, to cheers from fans.
Before his ejection, some social media users spotted Saiz’s erratic behavior and commented that he was having a party at third base, where he was umpiring.
Saiz gave a middle finger salute several times, looked unsteady on his feet and had altercations with his fellow officials, managers, players and fans during the game, the television channel TV Pacífico reported.
Saiz later said in a statement that he was ashamed of his actions and apologized to his wife, children, fans, umpires, journalists and directors. “Not only did I commit an undignified act for myself, but that also undeservedly transmits to my colleagues in the profession and the Mexican Pacific League which has always put its trust in me,” he said.
The LMP confirmed Saiz had been suspended.
The match was the third in the series between the teams. The Mayos beat the Deer 10-8, bringing them closer to the playoffs: the Mayos are in first place in the league, while the Deer are second last in the 10-team division.
With reports from Albat, Medio Tiempo and Yahoo News
