Sportsmanship Codes

[zoops]

Most Legion and Babe Ruth tournament games start with a code of sportsmanship that is read by an announcer and recited by the players with their hats off.  Some of the umpires I work with do the same thing as the players but it feels kind of awkward to me since the codes pretty much just concern the players.  Do you just stand there or do you recite it?  

[Jocko]

I would not recite it. Nor would I remove my cover during its recitation.

[StrikeDavis]

For American Legion (in our area at least) the plate umpire recites the code and the players repeat the recited lines.  The umpires stand about half way between the mound and home plate (facing home plate) with the teams lined up on their respective foul lines (facing the umpires).  The umpires and teams remove their hats during the code.  Most of the umpires start with something like "Gentlemen, hats off and repeat after me the code of sportsmanship".  I worked a tournament where an announcer read the american legion code and as umpires we stood at home plate facing the field with our hats off.  The only line we repeated was the first line of "I will keep the rules".  I am not familiar with the Babe Ruth code.    

[UMP45]

All this reciting of codes of ethics is a joke. Once the game starts you'll be saying to yourself "not my monkeys not my circus"!