Coaches in uniform

[Umpire in Chief]

There are 2-3 private school districts/conferences in my area. One of these conferences in particular is very bad about some of the little things which have been in the points of emphasis the past few years. For example I had a game last week (the first time I’d worked this conference) where prior to the game a coach asked us about an injured player being able to occupy the 1st base coaches box. We told him as long as he was in uniform and wore a helmet then all was fine. The coach immediately sent the player to get in uniform. My partner and I continue to get ready. We get to the plate conference and the visiting coach comes wearing jeans and a polo shirt. We proceeded with the plate conference and when it ends I walk back to the dug out with the visiting coach and quietly explained to him that I need to have him in uniform so he will be restricted to the dugout. He looked at me as if I had cussed at his mother. He went on calmly about having never heard that before and he didn’t have a uniform with him. Well he does take the first base coaches box wearing jeans and a Jersey he took from their scorekeeper (who was in full uniform). I confer with my partner and we decide to let it slide because apparently this conference didn’t care.

What would you have done?

[Myamidan]

I Would Have Restricted The Coach To The Bench And Told Him That Anyone In Full Uniform Could Coach A Base. But Remember If It Is A Player Or Youth Coaching They Have To Wear A Helmet.

[LMSANS]

While I would have liked to do as DTR said, I probably would have done the same as you. The coaches around here are pretty good about the full uniform for baseball, Softball tends to get a little looser. that's at all the Fed levels.

[blue bomber]

Where were the umpires the first time it happened? And the second? Why was this the first he heard about this rule? It is fairly common, and it's right there in the section about coaches and conduct which is the section they should at least look at if they don't look anywhere else in the book.

Unless he got really full of attitude I would have let him go the way he ended up, but if would have made a bigger deal of it...

[strike3scott]

Most of the Privates where I call have unies but some do not. We as a rule do not require that because most of the time these schools don't have the extra funding or are relying on parents to coach. If the school does not have the uniform we usually tell them before the season that khakis and school logo polo shirt is the minimum allowed. I fully understand this is a rule but there are circumstances where a little understanding of the intent versus the hard line of the lettering needs to be applied. I know the intent is to be able to readily identify who is in charge. I have never had an opposing coach complain at all in the coaches meeting about other coach uniforms.

[Umpire in Chief]

I spoke with our commish he said according their district person we need to be making them aware this season of these things, then the goal is to have them on board over the next season or two.