[Blu_IN]

Irish,

I am pretty sure they already don't expect the base umpire to be wearing patent leather plate shoes in order to match the plate umpire.

You say that this brings attention to the umpire whom isn't wearing patent leather by coaches and players. I would guess more often than not, the coaches and the players have no idea what the umpires are or are not wearing.

Most coaches have a hard enough time getting simple rules straight in their own minds, let alone sit there and discuss with their assistant the difference between belt styles worn by the base and plate umpire or that the base umpire really should be wearing patent leather base shoes if the plate umpire is wearing patent leather plate shoes.