Black Pants???

[Umpire in Chief]

I was talking to my wife over the weekend telling her I was anticipating spending a little more than usual to get me started for next year. As we were chatting she mentioned she really didn't care for our grey pants. I then let her know that no associations I work for use the old heather gray anymore and that that all my pants were now the darker charcoal gray. She said those were better, but said why don't you guys just wear black pants? They look better and match all uniform colors I have. 

This got me thinking why not black? The only reasons I could come up with is that it would show dirt very much more, but that's it. 

Would you wear black pants it it were an option?

[gnhbua93]

No. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[Replacematt]

I see several issues with black...I don't know how they would fade over time, the aforementioned dirt issue, and the additional matching issue of trying to get a shirt, ballbags, and pants all the same shade (close looks worse than contrasting colors.)

If we could solve those, I'd prefer black pants over any other color.

[Richvee]

Black shirt, black pants, Grey ball bags? That might take some getting used to. The dirt issue seems like it could be an issue. 

[Majordave]

I think khaki slacks would be a great option. I had my HS level Legion players umpiring LL and 13/14 year old games a few years back in khakis and the navy shirts (when MLB umpires also wore them) and they looked great. Didn't show dust as much since the pants are virtually the same color as most fields (except the red brick dust/red clay fields that we did not have at the league we had-just plain old tan Kentucky dirt)

Plus, they also come in FLAT FRONT. I F*#King hate pleated pants. Makes medium build and athletic guys look pudgy and pudgy guys look obese. Only the slimmest of the slim look good in pleats in my humble opinion. 

AND, khaki goes with any color shirt better than charcoal gray in my opinion. 

[kylejt]

I'm wondering how we got to thinking wearing wool slacks on an athletic field was any sort of a good idea.

On the golf course, I like to wear Adidas Climacool pants. Great material, vented in several places, and made for playing golf. Now my Honig's do have double knees, and a reinforced seat, but the material is anything but athletic. But there really is no alternative for us, right now.

Black goes with nearly every thing. But more importantly, I'd like something more athletic in the construction and material. We need to move away from dress slacks on the sports field. We need a new norm. I know when I work the bases, I'm running more than any player on the field, yet I'm bound with being saddled with something that looks like I'm wearing something from sale rack at JC Penney's. Our whole uniform needs to be rethought.

 

Edited January 4, 2016 by kylejt

[Hawkman]

I'm wondering how we got to thinking wearing wool slacks on an athletic field was any sort of a good idea.

On the golf course, I like to wear Adidas Climacool pants. Great material, vented in several places, and made for playing golf. Now my Honig's do have double knees, and a reinforced seat, but the material is anything but athletic. But there really no alternative for us, right now.

Black goes with nearly every thing. But more importantly, I'd like something more athletic in the construction and material. We need to move away from dress slacks on the sports field. We need a new norm. I know when I work the bases, I'm running more than any player on the field, yet I'm bound with being saddled with something that looks like I'm wearing something from sale rack at JC Penney's. Our whole uniform needs to be rethought.

 

I know I'm a little late on this discussion but this is a great post. I don't understand the thinking behind our uniforms. I know guys umpire some games in cold weather but I think for most of us the bulk of our games are in warm or downright hot weather. Under Armour, Nike, Reebok etc make clothes for athletes for these conditions why don't they make good dri fit umpire uniforms? They make dri fit basketball ref shirts now and they're fantastic. Vented dri fit pants and shirts are what we should be wearing. As for black pants no thanks. I don't want to wear black on a 90 degree day, plus it would show dust and dirt too well. Although I don't do softball, not that many years ago Iowa high school umpires had to wear black pants with white shirts. I think they shifted over to grey 7 or 8 years ago.

[Richvee]

I know I'm a little late on this discussion but this is a great post. I don't understand the thinking behind our uniforms. I know guys umpire some games in cold weather but I think for most of us the bulk of our games are in warm or downright hot weather. Under Armour, Nike, Reebok etc make clothes for athletes for these conditions why don't they make good dri fit umpire uniforms? They make dri fit basketball ref shirts now and they're fantastic. Vented dri fit pants and shirts are what we should be wearing. As for black pants no thanks. I don't want to wear black on a 90 degree day, plus it would show dust and dirt too well. Although I don't do softball, not that many years ago Iowa high school umpires had to wear black pants with white shirts. I think they shifted over to grey 7 or 8 years ago.

Hey, we're not that far removed from button down shirts and bow ties......Baby steps

[Welpe]

I would be on-board with wearing a performance material type pant. The black pants with white stripes on the sides like we wear in football might not be bad. Those are pretty easy to run in. Although I think the shirts would need to be something other than we wear now otherwise that's too much of one color IMO.

We still wear slacks in basketball though the material isn't wool and we do a lot more running in that than in baseball.

[Richvee]

I know it's an older thread, but when I saw this picture I couldn't help but think about this discussion on alternative color pants... 

Never knew they ever had white pants for umpires...Must have been a short lived thing. I don't think I've ever even seen a pitcture before...

Great shot here. Such a cool photo had to share. 

[clasonater]

I actually really like the color of PW charcoals.  I don't know why, but it might be that I started when the local assoc. phased out the heathers.  I'm glad too, because heather is a joke.

[gnhbua93]

4 hours ago, Richvee said:

I know it's an older thread, but when I saw this picture I couldn't help but think about this discussion on alternative color pants... 

Never knew they ever had white pants for umpires...Must have been a short lived thing. I don't think I've ever even seen a pitcture before...

Great shot here. Such a cool photo had to share. 

Great positioning to take the play.

[Kevin_K]

4 hours ago, Richvee said:

I know it's an older thread, but when I saw this picture I couldn't help but think about this discussion on alternative color pants... 

Never knew they ever had white pants for umpires...Must have been a short lived thing. I don't think I've ever even seen a pitcture before...

Great shot here. Such a cool photo had to share. 

Look at all the possibilities for spectator interference!

Reminds me of Old Yankee Stadium (pre 1976) when you could walk on the field to get to the monuments in center field and exit the ballpark via the bullpen by walking across the field, through the right-center bullpen to catch the subway. 

[gnhbua93]

37 minutes ago, Kevin_K said:

Look at all the possibilities for spectator interference!

Reminds me of Old Yankee Stadium (pre 1976) when you could walk on the field to get to the monuments in center field and exit the ballpark via the bullpen by walking across the field, through the right-center bullpen to catch the subway. 

God Bless Steinbrenner