California is still behind the times, and requires Navy pullover shirts in all high school games.

But you're right, umpires rarely refer to themselves as "the blue." I don't like the term, myself. When addressed as "Hey, Blue," I normally don't answer until about the 3rd or 4th yell. Then I ask if they are talking to me. Most get the hint, but some don't.

I think you're wrong about that - many of the posters here and elsewhere have "blue" in their names. As an umpire, I consider it a sign of respect. They don't know my name and they certainly don't call me "Mr. Umpire". If you want people to call you something in particular, it's YOUR job to tell THEM and not be some smarta$$ asking if they're talking to you. You're an umpire, not a person on a pedestal, so don't act like it. Just remember one thing - THEY ARE YOUR CUSTOMER - not the other way around.

In Orange County California we can wear any color as long as we match. The only umpires that wear navy blue are the newbies.

Hawaiian shirts OK, if its the same pattern?

Wow.

If you think "Blue" is a term of respect or endearmenet you haven't been around long.

At the plate conference I exchange names along with the line-ups. I am not a color. I'm Garth, or ump, or Mr. Umpire.

I am an independent contractor providing a service for a league, not for a player or a coach. I do my job professionally and exect to be treated professionally. Calling me a color is not professional.

I can call myself Blue if I so choose (I don't), but a coach can't. They do, and I mostly ignore it, especially if it is conversational. But hollering, "hey, Blue," is a rude, ignorant thing to do. Those that use that term usually do not even realize that it is a slur derived from, "hey, you blew the call." You blew, you blew, hey Blue. That is the origin of calling the umpire blue. When umpires wore black suits and bow ties, I don't believe they addressed umpires as, "Hey, Black."

Coaches and players are certainly not my "customers." That's a pretty weird way of looking at them. When I work a game, I'm in charge. It's more like being a prison guard than it is being a retail clerk. I want to be addressed with a modicum of respect, and "Blue" is not respectful.

I try to educate coaches by telling them privately that umpires don't really like being called "Blue." They usually are surprised to hear this, and say that they call umpires Blue because that's what they heard other people doing. I tell them that "Ump" or "Mr. Umpire" or my first name are preferable to "Blue," and I tell them why many umpires don't like being called Blue.

I've been around long enough to know that umpires were referred to as "blue" over 40 years ago. Until they know your name they will refer to you as "blue". And as I said, if you don't want to be called that, it is UP TO YOU AND YOU ALONE to tell them. You might be an independent contractor providing a service to a league but everybody in that league is still your customer whether you want to believe it or not.

The company you work for has customers - each and every one of their employees is also your customer as well, so if you treat one of them badly, that will reflect badly for your entire company.

In all my years I have never once heard an umpire complain about being called "blue". But if you don't like it, that's certainly within your rights.

Well, if you were in my association, you would know that the majority of the seasoned umpires there absolutely hate being referred to as Blue, and find it demeaning and derogatory. Call any of these umpires Blue, and you will be ignored.

I really don't see how "hey, ump" is perceived as superior to "hey, blue."

I think it's pretty disrespectful to start any sentence with "Hey," no matter what follows.

Times change - the meaning of "blue" now is not what it was then. If you take offense to it it's because YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO and not because of the way it was intended in today's culture. I would venture to say there isn't a more than one coach in a thousand and even less players who would even know that, so unless you educate them, it will continue.

Makes no sense at all to me - you go to MLB and what do fans holler - come on Blue etc.,

If an umpire don't want to be called blue then he's simply being a jerk IMO.

I simply call it tradition ... and I like tradition.

thanks
David

Hey, You just won the lottery!

I don't think that is disrespectful. LOL

I'll make an exception in that case!:D

"hey blue" doesn't bother me...