Six-Time MLB All-Star Lance Berkman Chucks Hat Into Stands After Being Ejected In Angry Tirade As College Head Coach
Lance Berkman did not get to finish Saturday's game after being ejected. While that sentence being written in the year 2023 may come as a surprise to many, the six-time MLB All-Star is not still playing professionally.
Berkman is in his second year as the head baseball coach at Houston Christian University, formerly known as Houston Baptist. He was tossed from a game against Seton Hall, which also marked his team's sixth-straight loss to begin the season.
At 47 years old, Berkman is 10 years removed from his 15-year career with the Astros, Yankees, Cardinals and Rangers. His coaching career began at his alma mater, Rice, before getting his first head coaching job at a local Houston high school in 2015.
He and pitching coach Andy Pettitte led Second Baptist high school to a Tapps State Title. In 2020, Berkman returned to the college baseball ranks as the assistant head coach at St. Thomas.
On May 31, 2021, he was named head baseball coach of Houston Baptist. HBU changed its name to Houston Christian in September.
Now that you're all caught up, let's dive into Lance Berkman's tirade on Saturday.
The Huskies were playing the Pirates as part of a the Sugar Land Classic at Constellation Field, the home of Astros Triple-A affiliate. Late in the game, a call was made at second base for which Berkman did not agree.
Wearing one of the best uniforms in college baseball, he proceeded to let the umpiring crew have a piece of his mind. That, in turn, got him tossed!
It did not stop him from stating his case.
Berkman was yelling at everyone within earshot about the call and got up in the faces of the first base and home plate umps. Eventually, he was escorted off of the diamond toward the dugout.
And that's when he lost it. Berkman hurled his hat toward the first base stands in anger before getting in one last word and storming off.
Everything about the rampage was pure entertainment— all of the way down to 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' casually playing in the background.
In most instances, the umpire is always right. Even if he is wrong.
In this instance, if a should-be MLB Hall of Famer is that mad, he was probably wrong.