Do YOU enforce this?

[JJ]

All of the rules codes say (loosely quoted) "a pitcher's glove shall be uniform in color, but neither white nor gray". With the plethora (good word, huh?) of multicolored gloves out there, how tightly is this enforced? I have seen brown gloves with red webbing, black gloves with brown fingers, red gloves with black webbing - but no umpire on any level I have worked (FED, NCAA, Pro) has called the pitcher on it. The only time I have ever seen an issue made of this at all is a pitcher that had a glove with light GRAY webbing. He was not allowed to use it as a pitcher.

Is this an issue? Do the rules need to be changed? What do YOU do if it's called to your attention?

[Ump20]

Originally posted by JJ
All of the rules codes say (loosely quoted) "a pitcher's glove shall be uniform in color, but neither white nor gray". With the plethora (good word, huh?) of multicolored gloves out there, how tightly is this enforced? I have seen brown gloves with red webbing, black gloves with brown fingers, red gloves with black webbing - but no umpire on any level I have worked (FED, NCAA, Pro) has called the pitcher on it. The only time I have ever seen an issue made of this at all is a pitcher that had a glove with light GRAY webbing. He was not allowed to use it as a pitcher.

Is this an issue? Do the rules need to be changed? What do YOU do if it's called to your attention?

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For the most part I don't worry about the glove unless the lack of uniformity is too harsh on the eyes. If it is called to your attention and it is clearly in violation you've got to get rid of it.

One rule I do enforce that I do think involves distracting the batter is the pitcher's undersleeves being white or gray. I realize that the rules differ slightly between the various codes in that PRO does not specifically address it and FED clearly includes Gray. Now if it is 18 degrees and the pitcher doesen't shave I might have him pull up his sleeve on the pitvching hand rather than see his mother charge out of her car or the pitcher end up with frostbite. Besides if it's that cold I don't need any extra delay. Jim Simms/NYC

[umpyre007]

Originally posted by JJ
All of the rules codes say (loosely quoted) "a pitcher's glove shall be uniform in color, but neither white nor gray". With the plethora (good word, huh?) of multicolored gloves out there, how tightly is this enforced? I have seen brown gloves with red webbing, black gloves with brown fingers, red gloves with black webbing - but no umpire on any level I have worked (FED, NCAA, Pro) has called the pitcher on it. The only time I have ever seen an issue made of this at all is a pitcher that had a glove with light GRAY webbing. He was not allowed to use it as a pitcher.

Is this an issue? Do the rules need to be changed? What do YOU do if it's called to your attention?

A funny thing happened on the way to the sandlot baseball game; someone lost the rule book. The pitchers had white undershirts, gray or multi-colored gloves, wrist bands, jerseys with ball shapes, Band Aids on their pitching hand, and yes, even white batting gloves under their fielder's glove. Know what? NOBODY complained and all in attendence had a great time! Ever umpired a game like this where no one EVER cared about distracting petty issues? I have and it was actually quite a lot of fun.