Is this Legal?

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by justanotherblue

Can't say for others.. however around my parts... we would be told were looking for trouble

I had a catcher try to wear a combo like this in my second vafrsity game this past season. I informed him and his coach that it was not legal equipment and would not be worn.

Miraculously, he came back in about 30 seconds with a HSM.

Never be afraid of enforcing safety rules.

[TussAgee11]

Just curious (because I'm a younger umpire) - how long as this restriction of combo mask been in place?

P.S. - watch Fed make umpires wear the HSM within 3 years...

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Just curious (because I'm a younger umpire) - how long as this restriction of combo mask been in place?

Eight or nine years maybe........? I know that around the time I started umpiring the helmet/masks were becoming very common and there was even a time where the rules did not specifically say the helmet/masks were legal.

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

P.S. - watch Fed make umpires wear the HSM within 3 years...

We have had this conversation before, but that is not going to happen anytime soon. The reason the rule is in place for players is because the players are not adults. You do not see a rule requiring coaches to wear a helmet while coaching on the bases, do you? That particular rule has been around a lot longer requiring helmets on players that are outside the dugout and bench area than the rule on what kind of helmet the players must wear. In other words the catcher's helmets did not have a NOCSAE stamp on them at one time and the rules had to fall in line.

Maybe this is based on how long you have been around as an umpire, but the NF does not like a lot of change. It took time for the navy shirts to be approved after the Major Leagues and other levels were wearing them for a few years. Now the Majors and other levels wear black, light blue and even cream in some cases and the NF is still stuck on the navy blue only. It is extremely unlikely the NF will ever change something that will require umpires to spend money on something that might push people out of umpiring baseball. It is just not going to happen.

Peace