Umpire with beards

[CS-Blue]

How do you all feel about umpires with beards? I have one (big and burly in the off season, nice and even cut one during the season). I have had many umpires say it's a no-no while others don't seem to have an opinion. No one (coaches or other umps in my association) have had anything bad to say about mine. Most of them consider it a way to pick me out of a crowd (kind of like a signature look.) 

[JaxRolo]

Some Assignors are dumb and will hold it against you

[Umpire in Chief]

In society facial hair is more acceptable. Assigners will come around. I would just recommend keeping it neatly groomed and not going out looking like Duck Dynasty.

[VAUmp]

I keep a nicely trimmed goatee.  I have psoriasis, and it keeps my skin condition covered.  If an assignor told me I had to shave it to get games, I'd tell him to go F*c) himself.  Seriously, its absolutely stupid to have no facial hair rules. 

[spiritump]

the higher up you work D-3 and up a beard could be a problem.

[Rulekeep]

There's a really cute guy in our association who has a goatee and stache. Most facial hair out of all the umpires and he's the worst rated. Meanwhile the cleanshaven college kid is raking in praise...superstitution thing here but IMO nobody should be giving you grief for it.

[Magic]

High school Associations usually dont say anything. But above that they tend to frown on full beards. They much prefer the clean shaven approach

[ricka56]

Facial hair is an issue ?

 

[Mudisfun]

As luck would have it I could not grow a beard, goatee or any other facial hair if my life depended on it! I am literally one of those people who could name their facial hairs and keep track of them... and at 40 that is saying something.

[MikeSafari]

I wear a beard pretty much throughout the winter but keep a nicely trimmed goatee during the summer. Haven't had anybody tell me it's a problem and it doesn't seem to be a sticking point for anyone I've yet run into.

[Stan W.]

If Michael S Taylor were here he would say that his beard did not make him a better or worse umpire........he was proud of that grey beard..... but he would admit that facial hair was an issue to some.......However, I personally shaved off a mustache I had for years at the "suggestion" that it was limiting me........

 

Not much of a problem, It was cheezy and I was tired of it anyway.......was it limiting?......never know....

Edited December 9, 2014 by Stan W.
clarity

[Majordave]

@Stan W.

Cheesy? Like a pornstache? Like Magnum PI?

Or a molester mustache?

Hahaha. I can't grow a good one so I poke fun. More power to ya.

[Stan W.]

cheezy like 80's fu manchu.!.........grew it in college to look older/tougher..........woke up years later...............just older............

 

the "suggestion" just sealed the deal.......

[Magic]

Now a decision to make. I just picked up a DH next Saturday for the JC Assignor's Xmas tournament. I am debating whether to shave the beard. Probably should just in case he drops by.

[johnnyg08]

Read exactly what I wrote and don't jump to conclusions about where I personally stand on the issue.

The perception about beards is that you're not as trustworthy...which is why you do not see any bearded politicians (insert joke about the trust of politicians here)

The higher the level you work, the less acceptable it becomes. Plain and simple.

We can all dislike it, but that's the reality.

In some parts of the country, it can negatively affect the number of assignments you receive.

Perception is everything...just like being overweight...no matter how good your eyesight and judgment, you can be perceived as not being in position to see what you need to see.

[Rulekeep]

I never saw beards as a sign of untrustworthiness...unkempt beards, yes. Actual beards that are maintained, no.

Besides Jim Joyce is pretty trustworthy even while sporting The Lorax Look.

[johnnyg08]

I never saw beards as a sign of untrustworthiness...unkempt beards, yes. Actual beards that are maintained, no.

Besides Jim Joyce is pretty trustworthy even while sporting The Lorax Look.

He is an anomaly. It's a perceptive bias that we're probably not even aware of.

[Rulekeep]

I never saw beards as a sign of untrustworthiness...unkempt beards, yes. Actual beards that are maintained, no.

Besides Jim Joyce is pretty trustworthy even while sporting The Lorax Look.

He is an anomaly. It's a perceptive bias that we're probably not even aware of.I'm very aware that I don't have it. Same with people that have tattoos and piercings. If they can do their job than it should really not matter at all. Of course, I'm a weird teenager SJW and I realize that the world is much more biased than me and I figure I'll just have to deal with the unfair treatment of those who have hair on their face

li ke hair on t he fA C E

because that's a TOTALLY fair way of judging someone.

Ah well. Guess you can't stop people from judging.

[MidAmUmp]

I think most people don't have a problem with a nicely trimmed mustache or goatee.

 

Full beards, unkept facial hair, or anything flamboyant are fairly unacceptable at any level above HS.

 

Going 2-3 days without shaving is becoming more acceptable.

 

As johnny said, politicians tend to shy away from facial hair due to the public perception of not being trustworthy. For those running national campaigns they have consultants who study these exact things.

 

The higher up you work the more your overall appearance is crucial.  We wear at least business casual attire to the field, some wear suits (with or without ties). We even have to be aware of our appearance off the field on our own time. You never know who's going to see you and your partner(s) at a restaurant/bar. 

[johnnyg08]

I never saw beards as a sign of untrustworthiness...unkempt beards, yes. Actual beards that are maintained, no.

Besides Jim Joyce is pretty trustworthy even while sporting The Lorax Look.

He is an anomaly. It's a perceptive bias that we're probably not even aware of.

I'm very aware that I don't have it. Same with people that have tattoos and piercings. If they can do their job than it should really not matter at all. Of course, I'm a weird teenager SJW and I realize that the world is much more biased than me and I figure I'll just have to deal with the unfair treatment of those who have hair on their face

li ke hair on t he fA C E

because that's a TOTALLY fair way of judging someone.

Ah well. Guess you can't stop people from judging.

There's nothing wrong w/ having bias. Attempting to explain why one doesn't have any bias is a bit of an issue that you'll understand at some point. We all have bias for or against certain things. How one responds to a known or unknown bias is when it could become a concern.

[Rulekeep]

I never saw beards as a sign of untrustworthiness...unkempt beards, yes. Actual beards that are maintained, no.

Besides Jim Joyce is pretty trustworthy even while sporting The Lorax Look.

He is an anomaly. It's a perceptive bias that we're probably not even aware of.I'm very aware that I don't have it. Same with people that have tattoos and piercings. If they can do their job than it should really not matter at all. Of course, I'm a weird teenager SJW and I realize that the world is much more biased than me and I figure I'll just have to deal with the unfair treatment of those who have hair on their face

li ke hair on t he fA C E

because that's a TOTALLY fair way of judging someone.

Ah well. Guess you can't stop people from judging. There's nothing wrong w/ having bias. Attempting to explain why one doesn't have any bias is a bit of an issue that you'll understand at some point. We all have bias for or against certain things. How one responds to a known or unknown bias is when it could become a concern. I didn't say I was completely unbiased. I said I wasn't biased towards guys with facial hair.

[johnnyg08]

I said I wasn't biased towards guys with facial hair.

How do you know?

[Rulekeep]

 

I said I wasn't biased towards guys with facial hair.

How do you know?

 

1.) Because I have never judged a guy with a well-kept beard for his beard.

2.) Because I am a teenage female and we teenage females usually like some type of facial hair. True fact. 

3.) Because I know what my biases are and beards is certainly not one of them.