Hats

[Tim C]

"I've heard tales of guys being able to do that, . . . "

Hardly a "tale" in my part of the country. Most all of the upper level umpires in the Portland area wear 8 stitch caps when working the plate.

Here is kind of what I tell umpires that are having "caps for laps" problems:

1) Your mask is much more important than the number of stitches in your cap.

2) If you use a "low profile" type mask you'll never be able to wear an 8 stitch cap.

3) Make sure your mask is worn loosely -- when you look down at the ground your mask should easily swing away from your chin.

4) When you buy a mask the FIRST thing you should do is remove the harness from the inside "ear" connections and move that connection to the outside of the ears.

5) Your mask should "hang" from the bill of your cap . . . under no circumstance should you wear a mask snuggly. When you take a foul ball off directly off your mask your mask should either twist around your head or even pop clear off . . . think of what happens when a Forumla 1 car crashes . . . parts fly everywhere . . . this disapates the energy of the crash (foul ball).

6) Learn (and practice) pulling your mask away from your face and then turning the chin area upwards to clear your cap. Practice, Practice, Practice.

7) Always where a slighly smaller cap when working the plate.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by Tim C

Hardly a "tale" in my part of the country. Most all of the upper level umpires in the Portland area wear 8 stitch caps when working the plate.

Here is kind of what I tell umpires that are having "caps for laps" problems:

1) Your mask is much more important than the number of stitches in your cap.

2) If you use a "low profile" type mask you'll never be able to wear an 8 stitch cap.

3) Make sure your mask is worn loosely -- when you look down at the ground your mask should easily swing away from your chin.

4) When you buy a mask the FIRST thing you should do is remove the harness from the inside "ear" connections and move that connection to the outside of the ears.

5) Your mask should "hang" from the bill of your cap . . . under no circumstance should you wear a mask snuggly. When you take a foul ball off directly off your mask your mask should either twist around your head or even pop clear off . . . think of what happens when a Forumla 1 car crashes . . . parts fly everywhere . . . this disapates the energy of the crash (foul ball).

6) Learn (and practice) pulling your mask away from your face and then turning the chin area upwards to clear your cap. Practice, Practice, Practice.

7) Always where a slighly smaller cap when working the plate.

Thanks Tim. Looks like I need a 4 or 6 stitch since I'm using a low profile mask.

Anyone have experience with a 6 stitch with a low profile? Is it doable?

[JPaco54]

I have yet to see anyone wear a 4 stitch. I have seen some wear a 6 and reverse the cap so the bill is sticking out from behind their heads.(competitive youth games, not HS games.) They say they never have a problem flipping the mask with their hat coming off. I have practiced at home with wearing my 6 stitch both ways and it is a lot easier to wear the heat backwards but I am not tempted to do that yet but I keep practicing as suggested in earlier posts to pull mask forward first then up. Thanks for all the good suggestions. I assume their is a proper protocol for wearing your hat forwards.

[MajorDave]

have used 4 and 6 stitch hats under them. I prefer the 6, which I also like on the bases. I now use a Titanium mask so the light weight of the mask really helps with it weighing down the bill of the hat. I never have a problem.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by MajorDave

have used 4 and 6 stitch hats under them. I prefer the 6, which I also like on the bases. I now use a Titanium mask so the light weight of the mask really helps with it weighing down the bill of the hat. I never have a problem.

Same.

Low-profile titanium/six-stitch cap ... no problem. I grab my loosely worn mask by the throat extension and peel to the left in a way that has the pads facing the infield, not the ground. It's the way to accommodate the six-stitch with the low-profile mask.

[cc6]

What's the difference between 4 stitch and 8 stitch?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by cc6

What's the difference between 4 stitch and 8 stitch?

4 stitches

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by cc6

What's the difference between 4 stitch and 8 stitch?

It determines how many rows of stitches are on the bill. An 8 is the longest, then 6, then 4, then the beanie. Go to Ump Attire and it shows them all.

[briancurtin]

Originally Posted by JPaco54

I have yet to see anyone wear a 4 stitch. I have seen some wear a 6 and reverse the cap so the bill is sticking out from behind their heads.(competitive youth games, not HS games.) They say they never have a problem flipping the mask with their hat coming off. I have practiced at home with wearing my 6 stitch both ways and it is a lot easier to wear the heat backwards but I am not tempted to do that yet but I keep practicing as suggested in earlier posts to pull mask forward first then up. Thanks for all the good suggestions. I assume their is a proper protocol for wearing your hat forwards.

Wearing your hat forwards and having it come off every single time you pull the mask is still infinitely better than wearing a backwards hat.

[JPaco54]

whats the point of wearing a hat then if it always comes off. Maybe a bucket would be better? The 4 stitch is just a ridiculous looking hat. Like a beanie. How about going to navy or black doo-rags?

[cc6]

Hat problems- let this video load, then go to 2:15:

YouTube - Diamondback at Coopertown

[TussAgee11]

I tried an 8 stitch on last year, and took a foul ball straight off the forehead area of the mask. I mean straight, no spin on the mask. Yes, I wear my mask fairly loose, although not AS loose as some describe. I've always had a good half turn on the mask on foul shots to the mask, or pulling down if it hits the chin area.

I swear it was the worst one I've taken, I even considered whether or not I could finish the game. And it was a 16 year old game, couldn't have been more than 80 mph.

Is it any way that an 8 stitch could make this worse? Cardboard bill jamming into your frontal lobe? Or is this just logical reasoning based off the fact I may have had a concussion on that day

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by cc6

Hat problems- let this video load, then go to 2:15:

YouTube - Diamondback at Coopertown

I didn't notice the hat problems as much as the flinching problems. How can the guy call a pitch?

[Umpmazza]

Originally Posted by yawetag

I didn't notice the hat problems as much as the flinching problems. How can the guy call a pitch?

he couldnt call a pitch... did you not see his horrible zone?

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by cc6

Hat problems- let this video load, then go to 2:15:

YouTube - Diamondback at Coopertown

My Gawd!

Firt ump is moving into his strike three signal before the ball hits the glove, the second umpire works like Bugs Bunny and the third actually ducks when the batter swings and flinches like he!! when he doesn't.

Caps are the least of their problems.

Cooperstown? I guess you get what you pay for.