[greymule]

In NJ the NJSIAA patch signifies that you have met qualificiations, passed tests, and so on, such that you can do varsity baseball and/or softball games. Many umps do sub-varsity only and don't get patches to wear, though they are certainly "legal" as far as the NJSIAA is concerned. Umps at varsity games do not have to display a patch, but most do.

A few years ago, at the meeting where the patches were passed out, the association gave me four (I did baseball and softball), but somebody—had to be one of our own guys—stole them when I wasn't looking.