[WhatWuzThatBlue]

Yeah, but they get FREE Mizuno and SSK gear!

I worked with one guy a few years ago (I won't say which tourney, sorry Bob) who was from Japan. After the series he wanted to trade gear. He offered to swap his shirt, shin guards and chest protector for mine. I declined since I'm a few sizes bigger than he. He kept saying that it was tradition and that he didn't mind if my West Vest was bigger than what he could comfortably wear. I countered that I couldn't possibly wear his and he laughed. We traded a couple shirts and I gave him a patent leather belt and +POS ball bags. Another partner traded chest protectors with him. I found out later that he gets his gear free from Mizuno and sells the stuff he trades for to his bigger buddies in Korea and Japan! His shirt is hanging in my office on a coat rack with a few more that I bartered for over the years. I smile each time I see it and think about how I almost gave away a $200 protector for something that I couldn't give away here. Ahhhh, capitalism...