Ball Bag Color HS: Blue, Grey or Black

[Kevin Finnerty]

I work in a tiny area with about 10 million people, and their association says wear navy because black is not recognized yet as an official color. It is only an alternate. I like black and wear it whenever possible. But when a partner has only blue and I need to wear blue, I wear navy ball bags. And it truly is no big deal.

As for the Gerry Davis bags: Steve just about nailed it. They are flimsy, single-stitched bags, which come apart at the single-stitched seams. After five games, the interior pocket started to tear away on one, so I had to repair it and reinforce the other. (After you pay $15 for a ball bag, you have to work on it.) The tunnel loops are so thin that they bunch up, and they're so poorly sewn that your belt catches this flap of fabric as you try to slide it through. They're terrible. There's nothing about them that's even passable. They are inferior to Honig's in every way.

I'll replace the pair that GD sent me to replace the pair that sucked (a remedy that I still don't understand). And I'll probably get the reinvented Ultimate ball bags from Jim, instead of another set of Honig's. I didn't like Jim's old design with the thin loops and the elastic gather, but they looked like the best made ball bags I ever saw. The new ones are even better. And Jim deserves a lot of credit for listening to us and reinventing these bags.

[briancurtin]

I subscribe to the "match the bag(s) to the hat" idea.
With that being said, I can't remember the last time I wore navy bags because I also can't remember the last time I wore a navy shirt.

When I first started umpiring I bought a single grey ball bag and ditched it after my first game because I though it looked awful.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by briancurtin

I subscribe to the "match the bag(s) to the hat" idea.
With that being said, I can't remember the last time I wore navy bags because I also can't remember the last time I wore a navy shirt.

When I first started umpiring I bought a single grey ball bag and ditched it after my first game because I though it looked awful.

I wish some places would ditch the "navy only" rule. I think navy jackets look sharp, but the shirts not so much. Black and MLB blue are the sharpest looking shirts IMO.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by zm1283

I wish some places would ditch the "navy only" rule. I think navy jackets look sharp, but the shirts not so much. Black and MLB blue are the sharpest looking shirts IMO.

But isn't it funny that when the navy pullover shirts replaced the Elbeco shirts, everyone thought they were very sharp?

[JR12]

Got that right, Steve. If MLB Umpires wore purple Honigs would sell out in a week. The red was hot for a season when the MLB umps wore it.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by JR12

Got that right, Steve. If MLB Umpires wore purple Honigs would sell out in a week. The red was hot for a season when the MLB umps wore it.

I still like that gray that they wore for awhile a few years back. We wear that now and then.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

But isn't it funny that when the navy pullover shirts replaced the Elbeco shirts, everyone thought they were very sharp?

We couldn't move to the navy pullovers fast enough! If given the choice between an Elbeco and a navy pullover, I'll take the navy anytime.

As far as ball bags go, I only wear leather.

You know, I was just kidding when I said we hadn't had a good ball bag thread in a while...

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by Welpe

As far as ball bags go, I only wear leather.

And it's patent leather to match your shoes.

[Blue37]

Originally Posted by Welpe

We couldn't move to the navy pullovers fast enough! If given the choice between an Elbeco and a navy pullover, I'll take the navy anytime.

I loved the old button-ups. Still have a couple in the wardrobe, hoping to pull them out one day for a special occasion.

When properly maintained and ironed with a sharp crease on the sleeve, they really looked sharp. Call me old-fashioned, but I think professionalism took a step back when we went with the pullovers. Kinda like casual day at work.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

But isn't it funny that when the navy pullover shirts replaced the Elbeco shirts, everyone thought they were very sharp?

I haven't been around long enough. What were the Elbecos? I may have seen them on umpires when I was playing though.

One color I don't have that I like is the gray. I don't know anyone who has it, but if people did I would wear it.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by zm1283

I haven't been around long enough. What were the Elbecos? I may have seen them on umpires when I was playing though.

One color I don't have that I like is the gray. I don't know anyone who has it, but if people did I would wear it.

THAT'S an Elbeco shirt.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

THAT'S an Elbeco shirt.

Oh, nevermind. I'm not old enough to have seen those when I played. Did they double as auto mechanic shirts as well?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by zm1283

I haven't been around long enough. What were the Elbecos? I may have seen them on umpires when I was playing though.

Elbeco is a brand name of shirts. Any short sleeve light blue dress shirt was acceptable for a uniform shirt. People often mistook us for the mailman .

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by zm1283

I wish some places would ditch the "navy only" rule. I think navy jackets look sharp, but the shirts not so much. Black and MLB blue are the sharpest looking shirts IMO.

Absolutely!