OK, over on the "General" board, there is a WCB/Rut pi$$ing contest that appears to have started over the question of upper-level officials being "allowed" to wear beards and mustaches. I am posting a topic here to ask a question, and because some of the folks I'd like to hear from have indicated that they avoid the WCB/Rut festivities due to lack of entertainment or educational value.

Here goes:

I have been "reliably" informed that College-level umpires in my part of the country [Virginia/ DC area] are not allowed [by the assignors] to wear beards. I also recall reading something from the NCAA a while ago to the same effect. The WCB/Rut exchange seems to indicate that this is not so nationwide. Thus my question(s):

[for HHH & others in my general area]: is there an accepted/ acknowledged policy on this subject for our area; and if so, what is it?

[for all]: What if any policy exists on the college level in your area?

As y'all might guess, I have an interest in the matter as a bearded [HS/ Legion/ youth] umpire.

Thanks,
--CARTER

For the record, my comment was not about baseball. What is allowed in baseball is not the same as what is allowed in basketball or football. For example it is not allowed for the officials in those two sports to wear one kind of uniform and your partners to wear another. In baseball, one guy can wear a jacket and another guy might not wear one. So the expectations are different. I know I have seen guys at the NCAA level wear facial hair in baseball much more than the sports I was referring to. As a matter of fact I know a couple of D1 umpires that have a mustache. It might be a conference or assignor thing more than what the NCAA mandates. I do not know of any other sport that mandates the wearing of facial hair or not. It is the assignors and the culture of that sport that dictates that behavior.

Peace

OK,
 

First an exact answer:

I have worked college baseball in five states, in seven groups ranging from NAIA to D1. NONE of those conferences or assigning groups allow beards. Neatly trimmed mustache yes, beards no.

HOWEVER,

Garth B, who posts here regularly, has a beard (I remember a rat comment to him once, "eat a $hit sandwhich Santa Claus")and works pretty high college ball in his area.

Tee

I agree about the beard stuff, its pretty silly I think. This brings to something I was wondering, what is the uniform policies for crews workin in a 2, 3, & 4 man system. (aka jackets, and the members all matching. I have heard a lot of different things, was wondering what the true policy or feeling is) Thanks

I shave my beard the day before my first game, and grow it back the day after my last one each season for several reasons. It makes it harder for the irate coaches to recognize me in the off-season. Any my wife doesn't suffer razor burns. Being better looking either way has nothing to do with it. :)

Just like with beards, the "true policy" is whatever your assigner says it is.

Because I have heard with 4 & 6 man crews, the plate wears whatever he wants and the other three or five must match. There is no understood "rule" in regards to this, or to a 2-man or 3-man crew? Just curious...thanks

I work in four different D-I conferences and never had anyone discuss facial hair not being allowed. With that said, I don't think I have umpired with anyone who had a beard.

As for umpires dress, we have a specific base jacket that is required and all base umpires in 2,3 & 4 man games must match. The plate guy can wear either a plate coat, base jacket (same style), long or short sleeve shirt.

beards and uniforms
 

"If you have facial hair you will not officiate playoffs in the state of Arkansas." - Aug 04, Exec Director AR Officials Association State Meeting

That said, I know of a number one referee specifically that refereed a football playoff game this year and is widely regarded as one of the top 10% crews in the state.

Baseball - for HS, Legion - you can have facial hair, but failing to remove it will probably have a negative impact on your assignments.

Uniforms - when cold, stay warm. Uniforms will match. However, coat vs no coat match is not required, nor is matching color/style required. When working 3 man crew, all BU must match uniforms. Different jackets are allowed between BU.

Having a beard or a moustache does not seem to me like it should be a problem. If a guy makes good calls, knows how to manage a game and has a consistent strike zone who the heck cares if he has facial hair??

Sounds like grounds for a discrimination lawsuit to me if a certain umpire could prove he was singled out and discriminated against just because he had facial hair. Is there any particular reason for this decision? Thanks.

Counselor,
I posted that thread over on the General Board because it seemed so absurd, I didn't know how many people would respond. I have worked with umpires across the country and have encountered every shape, size, color and folicle coverage. Some of the best in D-1 sport goatees and moustaches, but I've encountered only a handful with full beards. I've seen dozens at the high schol level, where conformity and appearance often takes a back seat to availability.

The point I tried to make was that there are many officials across the country that have facial hair. Although many assignors construe this as inappropriate or unprofessional, we often comply just because we want the games. I have seen officials work professional games in blue jeans, college guys in warm up and high school umpires in red dazzle cloth shirts. All of them looked silly, but they got the job done. I could care less if my partner looks like Grizzly Adams or Pee Wee Herman. I have a feeling that most of the coaches we encounter feel the same way.

I took issue with the assertion that only black people sport facial hair in the upper officiating circles. We know that is not true.

Thanks, Peter, and to all who responded substantively.

You confirmed what I believed the situation to be.

As much as I'd like it to be different, I long ago accepted that being "follically enhanced" does not make me part of a protected class, so "discrimination" is not a cry which will get me anywhere, even if I was disposed to bleat it.

Anyway, it's not like my face-fur is all that is keeping me from doing College ball. Time committment/ availability, willingness to travel, and a disinclination to kiss up to the necessary parties are at least as big a factor; and that doesn't even consider the question of whether I am actually good enough to work higher levels than I do already. In fact, a couple college umps in my local Assn. periodically get on me to lose the beard [for HS/Legion]: I tell 'em that the day I am told that the beard is ONLY thing between me and a college schedule is the day I shave it off.

Windy: thanks for your response in this thread. As usual when you are not being obsessed with Rut, your input was substantive and reasonable.

--Carter

Shaving off your beard because you are told to and not because you want to could be considered "kissing up". Everyone has to define what priorities they have.

Re: OK,
 

Same in our area. This also applies to our HS association.

Thanks
David

So if someone told you to loss 10-15 pounds, would that be kissing up if you did it?

If an assignor tells you to do something in order to work for them, you do it if you want to work that conference, level or whatever game they might have for you. I know if I want a job and they say to do something in order for me to get hired, I will do that if I want that job bad enough.

Peace

[/B][/QUOTE]

So if someone told you to loss 10-15 pounds, would that be kissing up if you did it?

If an assignor tells you to do something in order to work for them, you do it if you want to work that conference, level or whatever game they might have for you. I know if I want a job and they say to do something in order for me to get hired, I will do that if I want that job bad enough.

Peace [/B][/QUOTE]

Sure it would, if you were doing it only to get some reward from the person who told you to do it. If your doctor told you to, then you are gettin the reward, not the doctor. Everyone has priorities and if getting an assignment is higher than having a beard then you will do what you got to do.

If your doctor told you to, then you are gettin the reward, not the doctor. . [/B][/QUOTE]

Hmmm...my doctor gets my money. That's his reward. I get more physically fit. That's my reward. I shave my beard, I get games. That's my reward. My assignor gets his job done (filling a schedule). That's his reward. Win-win. It all boils down to one's definition of "reward". I don't look at getting games as a "reward". I look at it as getting an opportunity to use my job skills. Much like getting a job in the real world - and if I do well, I get a promotion. Bigger cubicle. Higher level games. More opportunity. Or do you say reward? ;)

I simply defined kissing up, I made no value judgement. If you want to shave your beard because your boss says it's necessary to get a larger cubicle that's your business. I know I have accepted medical advice from a doctor with a beard in my time.

[Edited by DG on Nov 24th, 2004 at 10:58 PM]

Oh well.
 

I got into officiating to work. I did not get into officating to sit at home and not work. I guess if I want to work, I need to do a lot of things that is asked of me. Like buy a certain uniform. Like show up at a specific time before the game. Or wear facial hair or not wear facial hair. It matters in basketball a lot. It does not matter in baseball that much for some reason. If I work a D1 basketball game, I have a chance of making over $1000 plus expenses as compared to $52 for that HS game or $125 for a JUCO or D3 game. I do not know about you, but I would shave off the beard to make $900+ to work the same time I would for a HS or lower level college game. If you call that kissing up, I guess you have a right to that opinion. I call it doing what it takes to work games, which is why I started officiating in the first place.

Peace

I have had a stache/goat for many years now, and it hasn't prevented me from calling big games or playoff FED ball, or Legion. That being said, in the past we've heard rumblings from the state that "X doesn't like facial hair, so if you have it, forget about him assigning you to a final." However, all that we ask our local association to do is to make sure they are trim and neat when they work - beard or no beard.

Full beards are discouraged, but not a deterent to get you assignments. I keep my goat short and neat, and it has never been a problem.

With all due respect, how would you know if you were being denied assignments because of facial hair? Many assignors aren't going to admit to a bias. As a member of a minority group, I'm sure that I've been discriminated against, but I never can prove it. It's always too subtle and the person can always come up with other reasons for his actions.

You said it yourself, "Full beards are discouraged." If they are discouraged, you can bet that someone is acting on that bias. Just because you aren't aware of it, doesn't mean that no one is acting on that bias.

My beard is neat and trimmed and I've had it for over 20 years so I'm not shaving. If you can do a consistent job and can show respect for your profession I would think worrying about a beard with be the least of their concerns. If not then more power to them!!

As I stated earlier, my comments and this discussion was not about baseball. I have seen many people wear facial hair in baseball (white umpires to be specific) and almost never see anyone other than African-Americans wear a mustache in football and basketball ranks.

Danny Crawford (African-American) of the NBA spoke at the IHSA Convention this past summer. He said that it was hard for him to get rid of his beard (or goatee) when he was moving up. It was clear he was not going to work that level if he did not do so. Well he obviously does not have a beard anymore, he just has a mustache.

Appearance on your face is not much different than what your body type looks like. It is clear that the NBA for example is not hiring officials that have beer bellies. Even if you look at the NFL or many D1 Football conferences, they are not hiring guys that are excessively overweight. They might hire someone that is naturally big, but that is about as far as it goes. I do not know that I would care if someone were to offer me a 6 figure income to officiate a sport and keeping facial hair just for principled reasons.

Peace

I know there is not a bias because I am on the board, which approves the assignments. The main reason we discourage full beards is because the state guy, who assigns the state semifinals and finals, does. As a local association, we really don't care, as long as it is neat and trimmed.

[Edited by Peruvian on Nov 29th, 2004 at 07:16 PM]

Like I said earlier, "everyone has priorities and if getting an assignment is higher than having a beard then you will do what you got to do." If I had a beard for 20 years and liked it I would not shave it to get an assignment. For a six figure salary I might shave my whole body if I were unemployed or if that amount was significantly more than I was making already. My priorities would change, and yes, I would be kissing up to do it.

I guess everything to you is about kissing up if you want to live up to standards set by a profession or hobby in which you would like to accomplish things. So I guess wearing the proper uniform is kissing up too, if you liked the old powder blue and decided that was what you wanted to wear?

Peace

Maybe he doesn't like bread or he would. The good ole' days