Balloon Protector
 

This past weekend in a 14-U Grand Slam World Series tournament, the UIC demanded the PU remove his balloon protector and change into a more conventional inside protector. The UIC defended his actions by saying there was a negative perception concerning the PU using the "pillow." I am curious as to your thoughts on the actions of the UIC. :)

Whether I thought it looked good, right, or not, etc.....I would not go on the field in the middle of a game (what I am gathering from the wording), or go to him just before a game, and tell him period not to use a balloon protector.

That is his decision as an umpire as to what to use for protection. Furthermore, the UIC had to have known prior to this tournament, that this umpire used a balloon type protector, thus I think there is an underline issue between these two that people may not know about.

From what you posted...........it sounds a power trip shot by the UIC.

Mr. UIC and myself would have big problems !!!!
 

edit

(Because I know someone will), why is coach outside on the bucket? :p

how did i know.......
 

I knew that was coming.If they don't become part of the game,i don't mind,but i know in ALOT of guys eyes on here,that makes me less of an ump.So i just laugh.

If and when I start working the black and blue again, you betch I'm gonna get myself a balloon. Why get hit and or injured simply because some kid can't catch, well pitch, field, hit and throw also:eek:

Nice t-Shirt to go with the balloon though

black and blue?
 

........it's a ua shirt

Yeah, black and blue... because you have so many bruises, (black and blue) all over you body:D But they do turn such a lovely shade of green's and yellow as they age!

got ya.....
 

Myself and several guys use the balloons here in MS.We don't use them in H.S or Juco or any college games during the reg or playoff season.It makes me laugh to see guys get on here and pile on about the balloons.

Just as others laugh at you for looking like you stepped out of a time machine to call a game, I applaud you for not caring what they think......


Tim.

Jocko Conlan is in the Hall of Fame. He wore the balloon in the National League when no one else did.

the raft must be quite a bit cooler as well.

Jim,

I'm all in favor of a small ball umpire using a raft to keep himself from getting beat to death behind the plate.

Tim.

I still don't understand the big friggin' deal about the buckets. They have never bothered me in the least. It's business as usual out here for buckets (at least it was, I hear they clamped down on them now in punk as$ HS baseball, silly little girly rules that they have). Ball hits a bucket or hits a coach, play on McDuff. Big whoop. If nobody from either team has a problem with the buckets, that's how we play it.

IMO, making coaches sit in the cramped, B.O.-filled dugout instead of on a nice, out in the open air bucket is a prime example of an OOO with nothing better to do than play cop.

I don't really care about the balloon but why aren't you wearing a proper shirt? :)

One question Steve:

Are managers allowed to sit outside of the dugout in MLB?

MTD, Sr.

On the OP
 

I do not use the raft but if I did I'm using it whether the UIC likes it or not.

His jurisdiction ends at the fence.

MLB dugouts are big enough for everybody...in baseball, USA...a nice size dugout is hard to come by...bucket/schmucket...if you start chirping or being a prick...the rule will be enforced in my games

Johnny just gave you the correct answer.

Here is my alternative question for you:

Do I get to umpire MLB games? If and when that day ever comes, no more bucket sitting allowed.

My other alternative question:

Are youth league managers paid hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions? Why are we using the lofty standards of MLB baseball as the criteria for this question?

Proper?
 

I had a feeling that was gonna be asked also.This was the MS USSSA 12YR OLD 3A State Championship Game,The UIC didn't care what I wore as long as I was there.I wouldn't wear the raft or an ua shirt in my HS,JUCO,or D-2 games,but its 100+ and as long as I'm asked to do a game,I'll do it!People around here know I'm busting my tail from the time I set foot on,till the time I walk off the field.Raft,CP....Proper shirt,UA shirt....as long as they call me for the games that's all that matters

I get what you're saying Bluetick48, but I do think as umpires we do have a certain standard to maintain as far as appearance. But I guess we also worry about what's accepted in your geographical area. In my area, it doesn't matter how available you are, if you wear a t-shirt to the games, you'll still get the calls for the kiddie ball becuase you probably do a pretty good job and nobody else will do it...so you could show up in a clown suit because you can...I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'...keep up the good work.

Personally, I think the UA shirt looks sleek and not unprofessional at all. Of course, I'm happy to think a bit out of the box. If I lived in the deep South, I'd use a balloon at times, too.

Steve:

I know you don't like NFHS rules, and I umpire games using NFHS rules. The NFHS consider a safety rule and if you umpire high school baseball in Ohio (OhioHSAA) the only person outside of the dugout other than the batter are the base coaches and the on-deck batter. In fact you said in an earlier post yesterday: "Ball hits a bucket or hits a coach, play on McDuff. Big whoop. If nobody from either team has a problem with the buckets, that's how we play it." When that ball hits the bucket or coach I hope you enjoy the conversation you will have with the head coach of the team that is adversely affected by the ball hitting the bucket or coach.

MTD, Sr.

10-4,Mr.Johnny
 

I totally agree.We (the group of about 10 umps which all do juco and D-2) have went to the dri-fit shirts and UA shirts in the summer here.Its accepted because we(3 of us) are the assingors for the area.I would never do a hs,juco,d-2 game in a shirt or with a raft.When it gets 100+,in MS we do our best to stay alive.Thanks for the reply.

Fair enough. If that is allowed and is still getting you games, go for it. I don't think I'd personally do it but that's just me. I hope you didn't consider it an attack, it was just a question officer. ;)

I see it, it was only a state championship game; no need to dress respectfully for the game or the avocation. Shucks, they should be grateful you even showed up. When it's that hot, I don't understand why you didn't wear shorts, not that you would do that in your HS, JUCO or D-2 games.

I have to agree. That's a fallball getup for a state championship game...poor form.

I have no issue with the raft, but wear the proper CliffKeen, etc, behind it. The kids who have reached that level deserve it.

And, yes, I'm in the Deep South also, so I know about summer heat.

Let's at least be consistent and honest.

If Canadaump6 posted a photo of himself working in an undershirt (UA or not, that's what it is customarily used for in umpiring) this board would have been near unanimous in it's tks-tsking and condemnation.

First off, I worked the majority of my 3,000+ games under NFHS rules, as 5 days a week I did varsity HS baseball. I always abided by their rules, even though I wasn't a big fan of them (I especially hated it when they banned tobacco use for umpires...oh well). If the FED doesn't want buckets, then no buckets. Simple as that.

Secondly, when buckets are discussed in non-NFHS games, it is determined that there will be absolutely no arguing or discussing the consequences of a ball hitting a coach or a bucket. This is understood very well, and I've never had any problems arising from a ball being kept from going out of play by hitting a bucket. At the first sight of any controversy, the buckets would have been all put back in the dugout and their usage discontinued.

Steve:

I am not questioning your rules knowledge nor am I questioning your umpiring ability.

BUT, NFHS as always banned tobacco use by umpires for as long as I have been umpiring (16 years). That aside, if you used tobacco products while umpiring a high school baseball game during the pre-ban days then you showed an absolute lack of professionalism and lack of knowledge of what high school sports are all about. I know a lot of umpires, myself included, that would have told you to leave your tobacco products in your bag for NFHS games even before the ban.

I have been an NFHS registered basketball official (OhioHSAA-37 yrs, FloridaHSAA-4 yrs, MichiganHSAA-20 years, CIF-2 yrs) for 37 years and I would never have thought of using a tobacco product (and I like a good cigar now and then) anywhere near the game site where I was to officiate. I know for a fact that the OhioHSAA will fine and/or suspend any of its sports officials for using tobacco products while officiating (that means from the official arrives at the game site until he leaves the game site).

If an official cannot give up his tobacco habit for a couple of hours then he should seek medical help in overcoming his tobaco addiction.

MTD, Sr.

What a load of hooey. Half our association dipped or chewed tobacco and the other half chewed sunflower seeds. It wasn't like I was all alone. Coaches were all the time hitting me up for a dip. It seemed like the majority of varsity coaches had a dip can in their uni pocket. I guess we were a bit more laid back out here in the land of fruits and nuts.

For the last 15 years or so there have been signs posted at the school fields and elsewhere on campus prohibiting the use of tobacco. Once those signs came up, and once there was a rule in the book against it, I no longer did it. I wasn't so addicted that I couldn't do without. I just didn't like being forced to not do it (I'm a big fan of personal freedom). I didn't like seeds. I liked Skoal. Big deal.

There were also plenty of adult league games where not only the umpires were chewing, but more than half of the players. There are still some MLB umpires, players and coaches who have a chaw in their mouths.

BTW, I quit smoking and using all tobacco products a few years back, and cannot even stand the smell of a cigarette, even 50 feet away. So I am one of those ex-smokers who really hates smoking.

Here is a brochure sold by the NFHS Publications:

"ROLE MODELS DON’T DIP OR CHEW . . . DO YOU? This 12-page publication reinforces the role of coaches and athletic directors as a model, points out the dangers of spit tobacco use and offers tips to help coaches quit the spit habit."

I guess there are still some coaches that didn't get the memo and are still using tobacco.