Batman Bellino and Officiating T-Shirt Traditions

[Lindsay]

Is Dan Bellino secretly Batman? Spotted wearing a Batman logo t-shirt underneath his black umpire uniform polo in Houston this week, Bellino's potential superhero allegiance adds another wrinkle to the age-old question of what to wear underneath an officiating uniform shirt. Look closely: Dan...

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[dumbdumb]

2 hours ago, Gil said:

Is Dan Bellino secretly Batman? Spotted wearing a Batman logo t-shirt underneath his black umpire uniform polo in Houston this week, Bellino's potential superhero allegiance adds another wrinkle to the age-old question of what to wear underneath an officiating uniform shirt. Look closely: Dan...

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at least he wasn't wearing this type of t-shirt previously worn one day in the past in another venue, either by itself, or underneath, but easily seen through a regular shirt.

http://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/22/Pacific-Coast-League-President-William-Cutler-has-announced-he/4099456724800/

[lawump]

5 hours ago, dumbdumb said:

at least he wasn't wearing this type of t-shirt previously worn one day in the past in another venue, either by itself, or underneath, but easily seen through a regular shirt.

http://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/22/Pacific-Coast-League-President-William-Cutler-has-announced-he/4099456724800/

Screw the part about the umps wearing shirts advertising the local bar, I want to know how a PCL umpire gets fined for letting an "extra and unqualified" umpire work a AAA game???  I had to read it twice; the story just casually mentions it.

I mean, was a PCL crew chief drunk one day when he turned to his two crew mates and said, "you know what would be funny as f^*k?  Let's go to the local little league and get Smitty and see if he can make it through tonight's game without causing a sh!thouse!"  

I mean, someone has to do some research on this!  I have never come across this story.  It is probably hilarious as hell.

[Richvee]

1 hour ago, lawump said:

Screw the part about the umps wearing shirts advertising the local bar, I want to know how a PCL umpire gets fined for letting an "extra and unqualified" umpire work a AAA game???  I had to read it twice; the story just casually mentions it.

I mean, was a PCL crew chief drunk one day when he turned to his two crew mates and said, "you know what would be funny as f^*k?  Let's go to the local little league and get Smitty and see if he can make it through tonight's game without causing a sh!thouse!"  

I mean, someone has to do some research on this!  I have never come across this story.  It is probably hilarious as hell.

I've been told this story by someone who knew one of the umpires involved. The crew evidently ran up an enormous bill at said establishment and didn't have the funds to cover the tab. The Bar shirts, and the "unqualified" umpire(s) was "payment" for the tab ran up the night before. The way the story was told to me, it was the only 5 man crew in PCL history. The version I heard had 2 "unqualified"umpires (apparently 2 bar employees). They were stationed on the RF and LF lines, thereby making it the only 5 man crew ever. 

I can't begin to tell the story as well as it was told to me. I was at a clinic and a group of us, including some instructors went out for dinner and a beverage when one of the instructors told the story. One of the funniest stories I've ever heard.

And Cutler finding out by hearing the game on the radio and the announcers mentioning there was a LF and RF umpire, and his reaction added to the story. 

[dumbdumb]

7 hours ago, lawump said:

Screw the part about the umps wearing shirts advertising the local bar, I want to know how a PCL umpire gets fined for letting an "extra and unqualified" umpire work a AAA game???  I had to read it twice; the story just casually mentions it.

I mean, was a PCL crew chief drunk one day when he turned to his two crew mates and said, "you know what would be funny as f^*k?  Let's go to the local little league and get Smitty and see if he can make it through tonight's game without causing a sh!thouse!"  

I mean, someone has to do some research on this!  I have never come across this story.  It is probably hilarious as hell.

you can take a little well needed R&R (and a little working vacation thrown in) with a little plane flight and go to the black and blue umpire camp and get the story from the 'horse's mouth', i believe is the term. See if it matches Richvee's story from the friend, which it probably will and maybe? even more. And get the night before stories that were told and the game day stories.

2 umpires on the crew to MLBU and a CWS umpire. not a bad umpiring career for all 3.

Did they get to keep the shirts?? Or, did they have to give them up along with the fine? And the name of the bar and is the bar still there. That is the question(s).

[dumbdumb]

On 7/19/2017 at 11:13 PM, lawump said:

Screw the part about the umps wearing shirts advertising the local bar, I want to know how a PCL umpire gets fined for letting an "extra and unqualified" umpire work a AAA game???  I had to read it twice; the story just casually mentions it.

I mean, was a PCL crew chief drunk one day when he turned to his two crew mates and said, "you know what would be funny as f^*k?  Let's go to the local little league and get Smitty and see if he can make it through tonight's game without causing a sh!thouse!"  

I mean, someone has to do some research on this!  I have never come across this story.  It is probably hilarious as hell.

just to pick on you some more.

I believe you could go to Holly Springs on one of your scouting trips, and ask a famous preacher from the movies about this incident, as he was the General Manager of the club at the time, and should know something about the details, provided some history I have been googling is correct concerning the year of the incident and the years of being a General Manager of said AAA team.

He knows things from the umpiring perspective, as he chose not to go to AA as an umpire, and instead began his career as an advanced long A ball, team General Manager, which led him to a promotion to the PCL team of interest.

Next time you see him, see what you can find out. Inquiring minds would love to hear the story, counselor, just as you mentioned in your comment.

It is sad that both he and his wife slipped on the ice and were both injured in their fall, him first and then her as she tried to help.

But, at this point in his life, hopefully he could provide you with all the details and a good chuckle. Maybe even over your favorite brew. Get back with us on the story, if possible.