Uniform Requirements

[Thomas Mullaney]

I'm curious what regulations and stipulations you all have in your respective associations about what you can and cannot wear, what is recommend and so forth.

As a side note, if you have a specific piece of your uniform that you absolutely swear by, e.g. Oh man, my New Balance Mid base shoes are the absolute best. I'll never buy another different pair of base shoes again.

Let me know!

[noumpere]

volump asked me to request that this be moved to the equipment forum. 

[Kevin_K]

1 hour ago, Thomas Mullaney said:

if you have a specific piece of your uniform that you absolutely swear by,

Let me know!

Nutty Buddy, Nutty Buddy, Nutty Buddy!!!

[Mudisfun]

For our HS association... look and act professional. No outlandish colors and make sure you are wearing your patch...

For the most part my personal belief is look the part but more importantly... ACT the part. The umpires I see who show on time, look good and just act like they are in charge almost automatically start the game with a high level of respect which transitions into the appearance of good game management. The guys who look like a slob, want to be buddies with everyone on the field and are not serious seem to be the ones with little respect and who have issues almost from first pitch.

So what must I have? Respect for what I am there for which will hopefully translate into respect from the participants.

[Stan W.]

PIAA - Pennsylvania HS- Navy jersey-Charcoal pants (my chapter), black belt, shoes and socks. PIAA Cap.

2 summer associations

#1 Navy jersey is default standard. But other colors permitted if partners match. Charcoal pants black belt, shoes with white ok.  Association Cap 

#2 Light Blue jersey is default standard. But other colors permitted if partners match. Charcoal pants black belt, shoes with white ok.  Association Cap 

[Scotty_Ump]

On 6/27/2017 at 2:53 PM, Thomas Mullaney said:

As a side note, if you have a specific piece of your uniform that you absolutely swear by, e.g. Oh man, my New Balance Mid base shoes are the absolute best. I'll never buy another different pair of base shoes again.

My New Balance high-cut plate shoes. Most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever worn in my life. 

But if ever forced to choose between umpiring a game with NB plate shoes or my Nutty Buddy, you'll find me behind the dish in flip flops... 

[Tksjewelry]

I don't think there is anything we can't wear in Nebraska, look professional and match and you're good to go. I doubt outlandish colors would go over well with the coaches though. Missouri, all I've seen is Navy with shorts (not joking) or Heather Grey.

I swear by my boomba turf shoes. I own several pairs of their athletic shoes and every one fits exactly the same, super comfortable even after 5 game days and they are super cheap to buy.

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[umpstu]

52 minutes ago, Tksjewelry said:

I don't think there is anything we can't wear in Nebraska, look professional and match and you're good to go. I doubt outlandish colors would go over well with the coaches though. Missouri, all I've seen is Navy with shorts (not joking) or Heather Grey.

I swear by my boomba turf shoes. I own several pairs of their athletic shoes and every one fits exactly the same, super comfortable even after 5 game days and they are super cheap to buy.

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I really liked the Boombaugh turf shoes as well, but they're not wide enough.

[Aging_Arbiter]

On ‎6‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 11:50 PM, umpstu said:

I really liked the Boombaugh turf shoes as well, but they're not wide enough.

echoing @umpstu, when D width is all they offer, my EEEE feet doesn't bode to well as far as comfort.

[umpstu]

6 hours ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

echoing @umpstu, when D width is all they offer, my EEEE feet doesn't bode to well as far as comfort.

The sales rep for Boombaugh assured me over the phone that the wider models were actually wide. So I ordered them and thankfully I had a fellow umpire who bought them from me because they wouldn't let me return them even though all I had done was try them on in my living room.  By the way the wide models weren't wide.

[MadMax]

Wisconsin: Traditional Navy shirts, Traditional Navy jackets w/ red shoulder stripes (perpetuating the myth that Wisconsin is always cold), WIAA "blob w/ thumb" logo hat. Charcoal pants encouraged, but Heather Grey is acceptable. No standards as to age / condition of said items.

WUA, the subset Umpires association governing umpires in (at least) SE Wisconsin, tiers their umpire classifications, and has a "Level 5 Master Umpire" (whatever the hell that means) who is allowed to wear black. Hmm. I was never a part of WUA, so guess what I wore 80% of the time for games in Wisconsin?... Black.

Arizona: 2010 Vertical Stripe Black shirt (it's not truly black, but white, dyed black) silkscreened with AIA "NASCAR" logo, black ballcap w/ AIA "NASCAR" logo embroidered. Charcoal pants. The AIA Black shirt and ballcap must be worn for all Varsity games. Sub-varsity games may be officiated while wearing any other color, provided partners match.

Here in Arizona, we don't have associations as you might think them to be. We are considered to be independent contractors. There is an association (AZBOA), but its uniform standards are no different than what an independent umpire-of-quality would maintain... that being...

• Well-maintained, level-appropriate protective gear (mask, CP, shinguards, personal protector, plate shoes).
• Clean uniform shirt; partner matching
• Hat, ballbags match or complement trim color (Black, Navy)
• Pants appropriate to role; Charcoal most preferred

[ofhs93]

On 7/3/2017 at 10:04 PM, MadMax said:

Arizona: 2010 Vertical Stripe Black shirt (it's not truly black, but white, dyed black) silkscreened with AIA "NASCAR" logo, black ballcap w/ AIA "NASCAR" logo embroidered. Charcoal pants. The AIA Black shirt and ballcap must be worn for all Varsity games. Sub-varsity games may be officiated while wearing any other color, provided partners match.

Here in Arizona, we don't have associations as you might think them to be. We are considered to be independent contractors. There is an association (AZBOA), but its uniform standards are no different than what an independent umpire-of-quality would maintain... that being...

• Well-maintained, level-appropriate protective gear (mask, CP, shinguards, personal protector, plate shoes).
• Clean uniform shirt; partner matching
• Hat, ballbags match or complement trim color (Black, Navy)
• Pants appropriate to role; Charcoal most preferred

Because it's really not already hot enough in Arizona for their umpires...so they have them wear BLACK....smh.

[MadMax]

4 hours ago, ofhs93 said:

Because it's really not already hot enough in Arizona for their umpires...so they have them wear BLACK....smh.

It really isn't that bad, considering that the HS season is February thru April, and the temperatures aren't that obscene (yet). What's more oppressive is the racket regarding the shirts. 

The AIA "NASCAR" logo must be silkscreened, meaning that to properly register the royal blue, red, yellow and white, the base color of the shirt must be white, then the black is dye-applied to it. It doesn't breathe nor hold up as well as a "real" umpire shirt, and the $49 price tag is tough to chew on when equal or better shirts can be bought for half that. A better solution would be for an arrangement to be established with a local / regional embroiderer, who would then embroider on the logo on the shirt you supply. But the cartel must get their cut.

As it is, Honig's used to supply the shirts, but currently, it's Smitty. To my relief, I was given a Honig's version from @KenBAZ – what a gift.

This silkscreened -specific shirt squeeze still pales in comparison to Ohio (do you like my alliteration?). Ohio not only still mandates use of Navy shirts, but changes the embroidered logo every year so that umpires must buy a new shirt to remain current!!!

[scrounge]

5 hours ago, MadMax said:

-specific shirt squeeze still pales in comparison to Ohio (do you like my alliteration?). Ohio not only still mandates use of Navy shirts, but changes the embroidered logo every year so that umpires must buy a new shirt to remain current!!!

Um...not exactly. It changed to the current design about 6 yrs ago but hasn't changed since. Now, other sports have gone to logo shirts vs blank shirts (football and basketball namely), but baseball has been pretty much the same for 6 years now, and there was an ample 2 year period to switch over when both were acceptable. We don't have to buy a new shirt every year by any means. 

It's pretty straightforward - navy shirt with embroidered state logo, obtainable from 4 or 5 suppliers, grey pants (in all my games, I've seen heather grey exactly once), navy hat with state logo. Sure it's a bit of a racket, but it doesn't add that much more to the cost, about $10 to the shirt and a little less for the hat.

[MadMax]

5 hours ago, scrounge said:

Um...not exactly. It changed to the current design about 6 yrs ago but hasn't changed since. Now, other sports have gone to logo shirts vs blank shirts (football and basketball namely), but baseball has been pretty much the same for 6 years now, and there was an ample 2 year period to switch over when both were acceptable. We don't have to buy a new shirt every year by any means. 

It's pretty straightforward - navy shirt with embroidered state logo, obtainable from 4 or 5 suppliers, grey pants (in all my games, I've seen heather grey exactly once), navy hat with state logo. Sure it's a bit of a racket, but it doesn't add that much more to the cost, about $10 to the shirt and a little less for the hat.

Oh. I could have sworn there were at least three shirt variants in as many years, namely pre-2013, 2014, and then 2015. This action was parallel to the eastern US states' propensity to mandate navy shirts, but ran counter to the argument that continued use of the navy shirt was to take a purchasing burden off long-tenured members...

... which Wisconsin does. Putzes.

Thanks for your input, @scrounge.

[KenBAZ]

My challenge with the silk-screened shirts we have now is that the collars have no body to them and they look lousy after you've washed them a few times. I have purchased multiple shirts every year since we went to them. Working just about every day during the HS season I need them. I prefer to spend more if I have to in order to get better quality. However, to pay top dollar for a shirt that doesn't hold up is irksome. I guess if that's all I have to complain about I'm in good shape.

 

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[maineump]

In Maine - we finally went to Black for default and playoffs. That is shirt jackets and hats. We still have the option for Navy and Powder, but a navy or black hat still with that, and the Navy jacket with red stripes is still ok (must match partner). Charcoal gray is the pant color.

The shirts and jackets must have state patch on it, and the hats have the local board's initials on it (there are 6 boards in the state). This is basically so all of the groups match, so when the umpires are mixed and matched for playoffs, then the only difference is the logo on the hat.

All items can be ordered through 1 supplier - and all logos are put on for us. This is a step up for us to actually have a state-wide system.

[JSam21]

My association works in two states, MO and IL. It is still the collegiate style shirts in navy for the most part during the high school season. Anything outside of high school it is a free for all and I wish we could standardize it. I would love to see us go with the vertical stripe shirts with black jackets and coats. 

[lawump]

In South Carolina, for our high school association, the only shirt you are required to have is the collegiate style (original MLB) black shirt (with the two pin stripes at the end of the sleeve and on the collar).  If you want to wear any of the other black shirts (including with the vertical white stripe or the gray panel), you can...as long as you match your partner.  You also can wear any of the "light blue" shirts.  Finally, you can also wear navy.  We don't allow red shirts (red is dead!) and the state high school league will not allow camouflage (they had to actually announce a "no camo rule" because two guys (who were not in my association) wore camouflage in a high school game last year).  

We have some guys who have every style of black, navy and light blue shirt ever made.  And they can wear any of those...as long as they match their partner.  If they work with an umpire who says "I only have the mandatory black shirt," then that crew is going to work wear the collegiate style black shirt.  Basically, our rule is a compromise between the guys who want to be able to wear different shirts, and those guys who can't afford to have a sporting goods store in the back of their car.  

Likewise, the only jacket one has to have is the one that @maineump posted.  If guys want to get another black jacket that has been worn at some point by MLB...that's fine as long as they match.  But, again, you only must purchase the one that @maineumphas posted.

Also, we have no "patches" on our shirts or jackets.  Rather, we just have an embroidered hat.  Our guys wanted to be able to wear their shirts/jackets for all the different leagues that they umpire.  With shirts being more expensive than hats, they voted to have our association's logo on our hats while leaving the shirts plain.  So, we wear the embroidered hat for our high school games and plain black hats for all of their other youth level games.  (Of course, college guys have to buy other stuff...but that's a whole other post. LOL)

(Oh yeah, we wear the dark (charcoal) gray pants, too.)