Mlb back to Navy blue???

[SJA]

That's what's "nice" (?) about doing some LL . . . I can wear any color combination I damn well please! 

:-)

[HuskerUmp22]

HS spring here in Nebraska it was either black or navy. I wore black 95% of the time. Summer ball is mainly black, polo blue (light blue with black collar), and cream. 

[Tksjewelry]

I was "that partner" as a rookie that only had Navy and powder, now my back seat is a hanging rack rainbow of colors. I've even started picking up extra shirts in all the colors for when I have "that partner".  Having a few extra saved me from wearing Navy three times in the last week. (it's been a long long week ) 

I think navy should be relegated to the box that says "break glass in cases of emergency only" 

 

 

[ShotKaller]

This thread is amazing. I am an umpire in the San Fracisco Bay Area. I carry a two navy blue shirts at all times. One large for bases one XL for the plate. They have been vacuum packed in plastic for four long years now. I travel all over Northern CA to umpire and I am yet to run into an umpire that only has Navy (knock on wood). I vacuum pack all my rarely used jackets and shirts. The only ones that stay on hangers are Pro Black, Pro Blue, convertible jacket and cream. I have at least 300 HS baseball games and almost as many HS softball games on my resume over the last five years and never once have I even seen high school umpires wear navy. The only time I see Navy shirts is when they are given to umpires by a league. They are usually youth umpires or adult volunteers. It was always my understanding that my partner and I decide what color we are going to wear. I am going to have to go check this out in the state book now. I never even thought about it. I just did two HS games on a Saturday in April. It was hotter than Satans balls that day so my partner and I broke out the white shirts with red and blue trim for the second game. It was only the second time I wore mine, and my partners was still in the Smitty package. No one even mentioned it. I wish a HS coach would tell me I was wearing the wrong color. I'd have his ass in a helmet with double ear flaps for the next three games every time he stepped on the field. Any other CA umpires enjoying the benefits of the mandatory helmet rule for the base coaches? I think the rest of you will get to join in soon!

[Majordave]

This thread is amazing........ The only time I see Navy shirts is when they are given to umpires by a league. They are usually youth umpires or adult volunteers............I wish a HS coach would tell me I was wearing the wrong color. I'd have his ass in a helmet with double ear flaps for the next three games every time he stepped on the field.

This post had me nodding my head with the first part-nothing says parks and rec umpire like a navy shirt in my book. And the "have his ass in a helmet with double ear flaps" comment has me chuckling still. 

I've never heard anything negative about our dress from a coach. But I've never really had to work with "Joe SH*# The Ragman". Sometimes the coaches comment about all the different colors of shirts we wear in tournaments when we switch each game and work 5 or 6 games a day. Several comment on the black and how much they and the kids like it. They actually have said that black makes them feel like we are more formal.  (More professional looking?)

But remember that your calls dictate what quality level of umpire you are, not your uniform.

 

Edited June 18, 2015 by Majordave
Clean up my poor English grammar and lack of proper punctuation.

[jkumpire]

In Ohio it is Navy blue only with the state association logo required on hats and shirts. Charcoal for BB pants in tournaments, heather for SB. In regular season games either pant color is permissible.

OHSAA has said multiple times that the reason why they mandated navy was to save umpires the cost of buying different colored shirts, and having the crews look alike. Also it helps those who both do Baseball and Softball. The logo stuff is to the point where they sew it the shirts and print it on the hats that you can only buy their approved logo stuff and not transfer the logo to another shirt. The logo is attached to the hat in such a way that they only have one or two styles of hat, all of them flex fit, and only four stitch and six stitch. I passionately hate it, I hate flex fit hats, and I've used only eight stitch hats for years. I look like a tool wearing such an embarrassing brim on a baseball field.  

It is interesting that sometimes cost for umpires matter, but then the upcharge for logo shirts and hats is a lot of money over a plain shirt. I would gladly pay an upcharge to have a good eight stitch hat, but that will never happen either. 

 

Note: Honigs says the now sell OHSAA hats win wool or mesh and have eight stitch hats. Will see if they are any good or not.

Edited June 17, 2015 by jkumpire

[grayhawk]

If you are serious about umpiring, and schools deserve to only have umpires that are serious working their games, then you won't mind investing a little to have black and pro blue at a minimum.  I bet some of these states that mandate navy (because they don't want umpires to have to buy more than one shirt) also mandate logos on caps and shirts, and possibly even numbers on shirts (now THAT's a waste of money).

Based on the pictures I have seen on FB posts showing playoff crews, there are a bunch of states that require navy.  Ugh.  The last time I wore Navy was in 2012 at CDP because they made us wear their navy shirts for playoff games.  I'm sure I have a navy shirt somewhere, but it might be hanging in the local Goodwill and not in my closet.

[spiritump]

@kevin_k. Our interpreter has been fighting black at the state level for years.  When I was part of the UANJ, it was the 4th year in a row that it was put on the agenda and bullied down by this individual.  He bullied the SUA board into not allowing the black.  His logic..."no one should be forced to buy more than one color".

He actually said that at one of our board meetings.

That is why the SUA is the joke of New Jersey umpire associations. How many years did they fight to keep heather gray pants.

 

[Mr Ump]

HS spring here in Nebraska it was either black or navy. I wore black 95% of the time. Summer ball is mainly black, polo blue (light blue with black collar), and cream. 

​Same way here in Illinois except must wear Navy in the playoffs.

[DVA7130]

I am kind of new to the navy color hate, but mainly because navy/powder is the standard mostly everywhere in GA. From high school to rec.

GHSA only allows navy or powder (with mandatory patch of course..)

I do however were black-trimmed (black/pro) (and even cream once in a while) exclusively working tournament ball.

[grayhawk]

I am kind of new to the navy color hate, but mainly because navy/powder is the standard mostly everywhere in GA. From high school to rec.

GHSA only allows navy or powder (with mandatory patch of course..)

I do however were black-trimmed (black/pro) (and even cream once in a while) exclusively working tournament ball.

​Do people wear powder in baseball?  I thought that was specifically for softball.

[DVA7130]

​Do people wear powder in baseball?  I thought that was specifically for softball.

​All the time here, like I said it is required to have for GHSA.

[ZebraStripes]

Around here, the predominant color is Navy, followed occasionally by (softball) Powder (with the navy stripe). Most umpires who are "certified" for High School ball also do softball, so they have both. It turns out that the use of Navy here also carries a connotation of your "level", because (from what I'm told) only "Master" umpires, working high-end Varsity games, can wear Black.

Uhhh-huhhhhh. I see.

Guess which color I'm known for wearing around here? Yup, I even roll up to the park with AC/DC's Back in Black blaring.

You know you're going to be working with a good partner – fun, cooperative, takes this umpiring thing seriously – when you get on the phone together or meet up in the parking lot, and hear, "Yeah, I've got every color... Which do you want to wear?" You've got your navy-trim colors... Navy, Powder, Red and White. Then, you've got your black-trim colors... Black, Polo Blue (AKA Columbia or Collegiate Light blue w/ black collar), Grey, Cream. I even have Red w/ black trim.

My favorite, and the favorite of most of the guys who are "with it" in this region, is the modern MLB style, in Black and Sky. I've even gone so far as to get long-sleeved versions of both (thanks Honig's!), and am getting this style in Gold, Maroon, and Burnt Orange (way to be Official's Choice!).

You know guys, I'm all for supporting local businesses, but there's this thing called "the Internet"...

​After some of the colors I saw at CDP last week, I will never, EVER, be able to say I have all colors.  Maroon, Olive, Orange... I just don't see some of those happening.  I bought the cream, black and red because of CDP.  Last year I only had a light blue and navy because that is "all you will need."  Now I know better.  

I want to add a couple of different light blues and a mlb black along with gray and white.  But I will also have to buy some GHSA branded navy and powder as well.

[ZebraStripes]

​Do people wear powder in baseball?  I thought that was specifically for softball.

​This weekend, we are going powder and cream with the temps around 95.

[grayhawk]

​This weekend, we are going powder and cream with the temps around 95.

​Just to clarify, when I say powder, I mean the one with blue collar with white stripe.  We wear what we call "pro blue" which is light blue with the black collar.  It's a good choice when it's hot and sunny.  Here are the shirts we wear in SoCal:

Honigs Black, Majestic (MLB style) Black, Honigs Pro Blue, Majestic Blue, Cream.  By "Honigs" I mean the style.  People wear that style but made by other manufacturers.

I have a grey shirt that I will occasionally wear when working solo.  You will see guys wearing pink on days like Mother's Day or breast cancer awareness day, etc.  I've seen guys wear white, but not in HS or college ball - only in USSSA or AAU type tournaments.  You will only see navy worn by LL volunteers in local leagues - never in the district tournaments or above.  Red is strictly a softball color here, as is powder blue.

[kylehutson]

Kansas high school says Navy unless both umpires agree on black. Playoffs are all navy.

Sub-varsity it doesn't matter as long as both match, but on warm days, powder blue seems to be popular (probably because a lot do both softball and baseball).

[renegadewolf]

Man... I dislike the navy, but damn there is some outright animosity towards it in this thread...  Fortunately here in Ontario we can wear navy, powder, black, cream and red.  MOST upper level umpires here prefer black and powder with a few having cream (great for those hot sun shiny days).  I've worn navy once in the last 5 years and it was because I was covering a game in an association I don't normally work for any they only offer the navy to their umpires and I was with a younger kid so I knew he wasn't spending any money on additional jerseys

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[lawump]

South Carolina does not care, as long as we (1) match and (2) don't wear any crazy colors.  Number 2 arose last years when a crew wore Camouflage shirts. 

As a result, in implementing South Carolina's wishes our association adopted the following rules:

(1)  A member is only required to have black shirts. You are not required to buy any other color.  Thus, if you are working with someone and want to wear polo (MLB) blue, but your partner only has black...you will wear black. 

(2)  However, you may wear colors other than black if you and your partner(s) match.  Other colors that are allowed are:  polo (MLB) blue, powder blue & Navy.

(3)  Red, cream, pink, green, gray/silver, camouflage, etc. are "crazy" and not allowed in high school games.  Yes, red is "crazy".  Red is dead.

[ZebraStripes]

​Just to clarify, when I say powder, I mean the one with blue collar with white stripe.  We wear what we call "pro blue" which is light blue with the black collar.  It's a good choice when it's hot and sunny.  Here are the shirts we wear in SoCal:

Honigs Black, Majestic (MLB style) Black, Honigs Pro Blue, Majestic Blue, Cream.  By "Honigs" I mean the style.  People wear that style but made by other manufacturers.

I have a grey shirt that I will occasionally wear when working solo.  You will see guys wearing pink on days like Mother's Day or breast cancer awareness day, etc.  I've seen guys wear white, but not in HS or college ball - only in USSSA or AAU type tournaments.  You will only see navy worn by LL volunteers in local leagues - never in the district tournaments or above.  Red is strictly a softball color here, as is powder blue.

​I have one light blue with the red, white and blue trim.  I then got one with the black collar.  I still need to get the other one with the white striped blue collar.  I have worn navy 3 times not counting CDP last week this year.  All were my partner's choice for one reason or another.

[LMSANS]

When I had to wear a suit to work.  I had 4 suits (navy pin stripe, charcoal pin stripe,navy solid, charcoal solid) and 23 shirts (21 white, 2 blue).  It was all very simple.

 

All this talk of the need for different colors drives me crazy 

[Majordave]

@grayhawk

When I first started in KY we wore navy and the sky/powder/light blue with navy and white stripes just like softball umpires wear now. Except back then the softball umpires had the sky/powder/light with red/white/navy piping. And their numbers were navy on white on red. 3". Actually looked pretty good. I got that for legion ball. Then in my 2nd year the KHSAA allowed black for baseball and we jumped on it. For summer we also found The Official's Choice and monsters were born. Gray, cream, red (not me-ever), white with black collar and pro or polo blue with black collar. Still have almost all of them. My first navy was shiny or kind of a metallic dazzle mesh that ump-attire sold back then. I "sparkled" when I made my calls!  Hahaha!  There was also a dazzle cloth made by Dalco that was also very sparkly. Ha!  We are all a bunch of fashion queens.  

I I will say this about the navy though. One of the places I regularly worked high school and summer ball in Lexington, Kentucky-Tates Creek HS has a very nice raised scorekeeper/coaches office/umpire dressing room/downstairs concession stand /viewing deck-porch adjacent to the first base (home) dugout. The umpire dressing room has room for 4 umpires with lockers for each, chairs, footstools. It also has framed photos on the wall that feature umpires. Several are of senior distinguished members of the local high school association and local pro/former pro baseball umpires. But one is of an MLB plate umpirein navy, mask in hand with letters MLB, not N or NL on his hat straddling the third base line lining up a Mark McGwire homerun line drive from his now infamous record breaking season. I don't know who the umpire is but his uniform fits him impeccably, his guns are HUGE and the look of intensity on his face and in his eyes in that photo made me want to look like that on any call I got to make. I still try to emulate that look on balls hit down the lines. Even though it was a now unliked navy shirt with red/white trim he still looked fantastic. And remember the navy was a step up in appearance for most umpires from the "mailman" Elbecos that some of us now covet. Crazy fashion. 

Edited June 18, 2015 by Majordave
Add MLB navy shirt story.

[grayhawk]

@Majordave, cool story bro.  

Seriously though, it's a good reminder that trends change (by definition, I suppose), and we may look back 10 years from now and wonder why we used to wear certain items of apparel that we do now.  But 10 years from now, I will still dislike navy shirts.  

 

[Tksjewelry]

@Majordave I just had a partner with one of those shiny navy shirts! It was the only shirt he owned. I nixed that real quick and we wore two of mine. 

[ShotKaller]

@grayhawk

I don't know who the umpire is but his uniform fits him impeccably, his guns are HUGE and the look of intensity on his face and in his eyes in that photo made me want to look like that on any call I got to make. I still try to emulate that look on balls hit down the lines. 

​Damn Majordave........ I think I'm aroused. Tell us about your second favorite picture of an umpire.

[Cav]

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding about ourselves. 

- Someone much smarter than me