Huntington Beach : Man Pleads No Contest in Umpire Assault Case

A man who allegedly punched a young umpire at a Little League baseball game pleaded no contest to assault charges Wednesday and faces sentencing next month.

Robert Foster, 40, of Garden Grove entered the plea to the misdemeanor charges in West Orange County Municipal Court. The no-contest plea does not indicate guilt but means that Foster “doesn’t want to fight it anymore,” Deputy Public Defender Frank Ospino said.

Sentencing is set for April 22. In the meantime, the county Probation Department will prepare a report on Foster that will be used in his sentencing, Ospino said. The defense lawyer declined any further comment because the case is still open.

Sixteen-year-old umpire C.J. Ellson filed a complaint with Huntington Beach police in June, 1986, alleging that Foster ran onto the field after some calls went against his son’s Little League team. After some verbal exchanges between Ellson and Foster and his wife, Diane, the older man allegedly punched the umpire several times before other spectators intervened.

Foster alleged in court documents that Ellson had told him to “shut up” several times when he was cheering on the team. He said he went onto the field after Ellson made some rude remarks about his wife’s Spanish heritage.

Ellson said he asked the couple to quiet down after they harassed him over some controversial calls. Foster was at first banned from further Seaview Little League games but sued and won the right to attend after promising to deport himself properly.