Eye Black

[Mick]

High School game, FED rules.  My partner, without consulting me, approached one team and ordered them to remove eye black that he deemed excessive.  When he told me about it, I said I don't care for excessive eye black either, but it's not a rule.  Oh yes, said said, it's in there.  It says no more than "a single stripe".  Later, I checked the book, found nothing on it, and wrote to our assignor.  He says it's a rule or Point of Emphasis.  I then check Points of Emphasis.  Nothing.

I called out League Interpreter, and he's on it.  I believe he's going to do a through investigation on interpretations, and get back to our assignor.

Have any of you folks had to deal with this?  The last thing I want to do as an official is to be part of an umpiring team where one ump enforces a rule that doesn't exist.

[BuckeyeMike]

I know that my state association (Iowa) has made the rule that eye black will be "a single stripe" and not go down the face like a WWE wrestler.  Maybe your state has adopted something similar.

[Umpire in Chief]

It may be a state by state thing. In NC it is limited.

[maven]

The restriction is in the FED football book, but not baseball (yet). Apparently, some state offices have extended it to baseball. Mine (Ohio) has not done so.

[umpstu]

Let's find something else to knit pick.  I don't think it should be an issue unless it's some type of gang thing, such as the old area code.  Kids want to look like the MLB players.

 

[VAUmp]

FOOTBALL .. not baseball .. The players can come out if full clown make-up if they want (unless you as the umpire find it distracting)

[Stan W.]

PIAA....one stripe under each eye.....no ultimate warrior makeup.......

[noumpere]

I think it might also be a SB rule, so maybe that' where your partner picked up on it.

[Kevin_K]

NJ has a one stripe limitation. No war paint allowed.

[Senor Azul]

I found the following rule interpretation from the NFHS website in the 2013 archives:

SITUATION 13:  The visiting first baseman comes to the batter's box with eye black painted on his face from under his eyes extending to his jaw looking like inverted "bat wings." Is this legal?  RULING:  Unless the extensive eye black is deemed to be profane, intimidating or taunting intended to embarrass, ridicule or demean, the face paint is legal. 3-3-1g-2

[TheRockawayKid]

Why would you waste good eye black like that? 

On a side note, I really wish that it were permissible for umpires to wear eye black. I completely forgot how much I miss wearing it. 

[VAUmp]

Why would you waste good eye black like that? 

On a side note, I really wish that it were permissible for umpires to wear eye black. I completely forgot how much I miss wearing it. 

​I don't think there is a rule that prohibits umpires from wearing it.  You should paint up next game, and take pics!

 

[Jimurray]

Side note. Does your area allow noisemakers? Is it a venue rule?

[Mick]

I found the following rule interpretation from the NFHS website in the 2013 archives:

SITUATION 13:  The visiting first baseman comes to the batter's box with eye black painted on his face from under his eyes extending to his jaw looking like inverted "bat wings." Is this legal?  RULING:  Unless the extensive eye black is deemed to be profane, intimidating or taunting intended to embarrass, ridicule or demean, the face paint is legal. 3-3-1g-2

​That's the one our interpreter quoted me.  I'm never raising the eye black issue.  I hope I never get partnered again with this rodeo clown who had to make a big deal out of it.  All he needs is for a coach to ask him where the rule is, and you wind up with a totally unnecessary conflict before the game even starts.  And even with this ruling above that hardly anyone knows, how do you determine if inverted bat wings are intended to ridicule, embarrass or demean?  I say, until it's in the NFHS rule book, ignore this issue and play ball.