[Tru_in_Blu]

The reason I brought this up is because a few weeks ago my partner and I were being evaluated for an NFHS game. He did the plate and had this hockey-style mask w/ little shock absorbers where the cage part meets the helmet part. Our evaluator referred to it as "helmet-cam".

In any case, he got dinged for putting the thing on the ground whenever he had to make an entry on lineup cards. We were told that the umpire's helmet should be under an arm while taking care of these tasks. No way with the "helmet-cam".

Regarding having a hat handy, I can only imagine what it would look like after a game or so. I don't have one, but can't see myself removing the thing, doing SOMETHING with it, putting on a hat from somewhere, recording whatever, putting the hat away, and getting the thing back on.

Seems like more trouble than it's worth, perhaps both in cost and usability.

One guy wore the old-style umpire cap - almost brimless - underneath it. Problem was the hat didn't have the ASA logo on it. I don't know if that would have warranted a demerit at some levels.