Maybe none of you do early morning games, but here in San Diego if I'm doing a 9am game it might start out at 45 degrees and end at 80. On the bases I wear a jacket with regular umpire shirt under it. What's the big deal in take off the jacket between innings?

it looks unprofessional to some

Depending on the temperature, and what position I will be on the field, I use a SS shirt, a LS shirt, or a Jacket, with various undershirts. I have never used a regular mesh shirt under a jacket, and I have never taken a jacket off between innings. I have finished a few games too hot or too cool because the weather changed more than I thought it would but in these cases I just tough it out.
I also wear gloves when it is really cold and I have also used ear muffs (the kind that wrap around).

What's more "unprofessional", taking off a jacket, or sweating like a pig with a jacket on when it's 80 degrees? I'll suffer the indignation of removing the jacket.

I work games right on the coast line. The temperature changes very quickly, in both directions. It makes no sense to suffer. If you're that worried about how others will think about how it looks(really, how cares? coaches?) you might be a tad paraniod. No one, other an other umpire nerds, care if you're taking off a jacket between innings.

Honest.

I can not envision a situation where I start with a jacket and the temperature rises to 80 by the end of the game. If it happened I could not remove my jacket because my SS shirt is in my car and I would be working with just a tee shirt on, so I would tough it out.

I guess you'll have to trust me that morning games in my neck of the woods have that sort of temperature swing. A forty degree swing during a game is not unheard of around my parts.

If it's taboo, for some of you, to remove a jacket during a game, is it also verbodden to don one? Just curious. I've never heard of such protocol.

40 degree swings are unheard of in my area. If I lived where you do I would take off, put on, or whatever else is necessary to remain comfortable.

DG,

Along the Calif. coast line or the high desert it's very common at certain times of the year to have 30 to 40 degree temp swings. Feb & March can be that way but June is normally the worst.

I have had plenty of days in Feb where a short sleeve shirt was fine for the afternoon game & had ice on the car after the night game.

March games
 

Im sure we all have had cold games....I showed up at a HS game in March at a ballfield perched on a hill in W. PA. It couldnt have been any higher than 40 degrees with snow flurries and the temp dropping as the afternoon wore on...all with a stiff wind....

I had on every piece of uniform clothing I owned.....
Navy Underarmor shirt
2 Navy T-shirts
Navy Long sleeve Jersey
Navy PIAA Jacket

My long black plate socks and short socks and gloves.....this was the game that made me add long underwear to my game bag!! Never been so cold in my life....If I would have had more gear with me, I would have had it all on.......

Stan

[Edited by piaa_ump on Jan 4th, 2006 at 10:39 AM]

Re: March games
 

There is no shame on putting on everything you have. I worked a college game in northern Illinois 2 seasons ago where the field was on top of a hill, completely unprotected. I put on everything I could under my jacket and as I was walking for the field changed my mind and ran back to the car for my plate coat.

I used to wear my plate coat on the bases a few times each spring. Heavy gloves, too, whatever I could grab. Now, with UA Cold Gear, I'm usually quite warm with the CG and the jacket alone, along with gloves and once in a great while an UnderArmour hood under my hat.

learned my lesson
 

This was the game I decided that Tee was right.....up until that day I had always just put in my vehicle the gear and uniform I thought I might need for that day....

Now I carry everything I own with me.....When the season starts, I load up the car with my umpire gear. Uniforms,gear, the whole works.....if I can possibly need it I got it in the car....

Now if My car ever gets stolen,.....then man, Im screwed......

Stan

Re: learned my lesson
 

didnt this happen to lance cokalinski once? i think he missed out on like 83 games in the three weeks he didnt have equipment

By the Rulebook
 

Would you let a fielder play without his socks?

Not wearing a shirt equates to not wearing your uniform.

Wear your uniform and shine your shoes.


If you need a jacket, wear a jacket.

Show me a rule that say's a player has to wear socks.

Tim.

You asked
 

MLB 1.11 (3) No player whose uniform does not conform to that of his teammates shall be permitted to participate in a game.

Also, under FED rules, a player cannot wear a jacket over his shirt while on defense.