Stan W.

Nowadays we have gear "made for Umpires"..........and for the most part, its a great thing.....products for our function have taken gear/clothing to new levels......The market speaks....if they develop something for umpires that works we will buy it.....( and if they develop something that is crap, we will pan it...aka "the mask hook")............. I think how far I have come...my first set of umpire gear, only the CP, the ball bag, brush, indicator and the old Elbeco were Umpire gear...........( actually I think the elbeco was mainly US post office shirts....)........everything else was just adapted player gear... t-shirts, socks, ..standard cotton Kmart gear.....catcher shins, base shoes were just trainers......and the cup was just the old BIKE brand I wore as a catcher......my point is that there were still a lot of good umpires who wore that gear....but now its great to have gear just for us.....adapted technology, heat gear, better padding.......you name it.......get the best you can.... but don't sweat the small stuff...........socks.......no matter how nice they are now....are small stuff....Jocko was being sarcastic.... Who? uh.......sorry Jax!

Last year I was all set to go.............My daughter was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, MO and I was going to couple the clinic and a visit to see her and the grandson in one trip! But I had a business trip come up to Brazil that got precedence.....so it was out for last year....... So I was set to go this year...... Until daughter was transferred to Fort Belvoir, Va. in May.............. I'm still planning on making it one day, this clinic is one of my must attends......I will make it .. it will just have to be a dedicated trip........

Nowadays we have gear "made for Umpires"..........and for the most part, its a great thing.....products for our function have taken gear/clothing to new levels......The market speaks....if they develop something for umpires that works we will buy it.....( and if they develop something that is crap, we will pan it...aka "the mask hook")............. I think how far I have come...my first set of umpire gear, only the CP, the ball bag, brush, indicator and the old Elbeco were Umpire gear...........( actually I think the elbeco was mainly US post office shirts....)........everything else was just adapted player gear... t-shirts, socks, ..standard cotton Kmart gear.....catcher shins, base shoes were just trainers......and the cup was just the old BIKE brand I wore as a catcher......my point is that there were still a lot of good umpires who wore that gear....but now its great to have gear just for us.....adapted technology, heat gear, better padding.......you name it.......get the best you can.... but don't sweat the small stuff...........socks.......no matter how nice they are now....are small stuff....Jocko was being sarcastic....

Get a regular umpire jacket (used) and some Tectron water repellant spray.......its used on tents, backpacks and other outdoor gear that is exposed to the weather......its supposed to be very good.....

Also remember that the rule book, despite its old style language and odd order of rules, is still very complete.......If the rule book does not expressly prohibit it.......how can it be illegal?

no, it was fine..........

Was the batters box drawn in accordance with the rules?...................In summer ball I rarely see a correct spec batters box drawn......if at all.........

Great transaction with the_umpire..... NIke gel pads........exactly as described..., great communications, and fast shipping........Thanks!

it was the norm when I started out 20+ years ago....and it was why I bought my own gear.........i took over the plate and was handed a soaking wet balloon and a reeking wet mask to do my game.....ahhhhh never again....

very well written!........another good job by you........heed the advice from Ted Barrett....and then go full force at it...........I'm pulling for you.

been there....done that

I have 2 of these masks and I love them............one I switched the new pads out with the doeskin pads from my last +POS mask....and one with TW..........

I'M not unhappy to see it, but I think the comment that may be in some peoples minds might be that what our MLB brothers can get away with might not be considered professional at our levels......plus i cant dance as good as Laz!

looked that way to me.......but im biased.........the Pirates are my team..........but, no way I end a game like this...they have IR, use it.... I know this is a crew chief review situation, make the call to NY....

welcome to the site!..........

sorry rich didnt see your answer first..... +1

4.06 (a) 3 No Manager, player, substitute, coach, trainer, shall at any time: 3. commmit any act while the ball is alive and in play for the obvious purpose of trying to make the pitcher balk.....(condensed by me) the rule book is oddly worded and ill organized but surprizingly complete........ you made an incorrect call......live and learn......

@maven you find out the location of the next Cokalinski Combine and we are there!

I second......Michael S. Taylor....... MLB guys.....Gerry Davis / Dan Iassonga/Jim Joyce

painful lessons indeed..... But I believe lesson 1 was brought on by number 2........15 games in 3 days....you got tired, your game slipped and you let slip something I believe you never would have said had it been a normal schedule. I know its tourney time and there are lots of games to cover but 15 19U ball games is too much for one umpire to do well.........something is going to slip up.......on some umpires it may be the zone, or hustle or the legs, or patience......but its going to happen to all Umpires who do that many games in one day......its to what extent it happens is the only deciding factor... .

IMHO.....I wouldnt do it..... much for the same reason as MIdAMUmp states...if the play goes bad and if you have any further runner responsibilitioes you could find yourself behnd the play trying to recover from the one knee position .... and further..... I think of this much the same as I do about the one knee stance for calling balls and strikes......If you get the call right or have a good zone , no one will care if you went down on one knee.......If you get it wrong or have strike zone isues, you will just be accused of being lazy by coaches and fans...... and further..... Im too short to work the knee at any decent level of baseball and too OCD about my PW's to get them dirty on purpose........

We could only hope..... and I would be happy to admit being taken in by Hook, line and sinker....... I got turned off of using the the "big ol' strike 3 mechanic" many years ago........I cringe today when I see an umpire breaking his back hallion style at a kid game......everybody knows the kid struck out, the kid knows it, his mom knows it, his teammates know it, heck, even the hot dog vendor knows it..........I've never thought it necesarry to overly rub salt in the wound and make myself look foolish in the process...... just my .02.......

And in PIAA dont expect the navy or light blue shirt to ever be eliminated as the mandatory PIAA patch is blue/gold......

PIAA says just "Grey"......but the default is charcoal grey........dont buy heather although its still partially acceptable to some to be worn......Our chapter edict is that if you still presently wear heather that when you replace the pants that they are to be charcoal in color. Of course this is one of my pet peeves..... we have still have guys in the HS chapter that think their heather grey, (faded to purple), Fecheimers that they bought in 1985 are still ok to wear.........

He's welcome to his own opinion and I appreciate that.....maybe he is right that "everybody" is ok with it..........but I'd equate it to having a pet rattlesnake......eventually you are going to get bit....In the adult baseball work I am around, everyone would NOT be appreciative of the act......... On a personal note, I work too hard on my game to find this acceptable.......we all fight negative umpire stereotypes every game......and to be considered like that entertaining funny umpire who runs around making up funny statements just doesnt work for me......