Would you take the field with this guy?

[MikeStrybel]

Why not? If he hustles and gets the calls correct his tight clothes simply smack of a bad economy or lack of polish. Maybe the guy is working games because that is his only source of income. I recall working with a guy who made all his calls with his left hand. Yes, all of them. It wasn't until a week or two later that I learned he had been in a horrific car accident that left him unable to raise his right arm to shoulder height. If the coaches didn't care, I certainly could look past it.

While many go out of their way to shine shoes, press clean trousers, wear the latest gear and show off new Oakleys/UA sunglasses, I'll take the partner who knows the rules and makes the correct call any day.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by MikeStrybel

Why not? If he hustles and gets the calls correct his tight clothes simply smack of a bad economy or lack of polish. Maybe the guy is working games because that is his only source of income. I recall working with a guy who made all his calls with his left hand. Yes, all of them. It wasn't until a week or two later that I learned he had been in a horrific car accident that left him unable to raise his right arm to shoulder height. If the coaches didn't care, I certainly could look past it.

While many go out of their way to shine shoes, press clean trousers, wear the latest gear and show off new Oakleys/UA sunglasses, I'll take the partner who knows the rules and makes the correct call any day.

I'm not going to judge anyone for older uniforms or gear. But it's inexpensive and takes only a short amount of time to shine shoes. 5 minutes with a quick spray of water, some Kiwi, and a brush/cloth makes a pair of shoes look great. Anyone that walks onto a field with filthy shoes takes little pride in his appearance and there's a high positive correlation between people like that and people that don't umpire well. There are exceptions that, mainly, prove the rule.

[RefWEB]

Originally Posted by MikeStrybel

Why not? If he hustles and gets the calls correct his tight clothes simply smack of a bad economy or lack of polish. Maybe the guy is working games because that is his only source of income. I recall working with a guy who made all his calls with his left hand. Yes, all of them. It wasn't until a week or two later that I learned he had been in a horrific car accident that left him unable to raise his right arm to shoulder height. If the coaches didn't care, I certainly could look past it.

Ken Kaiser made all of his calls with his left hand for his entire carreer. To quote: "He's just as out with my left hand as he is with my right."

[MikeStrybel]

This thread reminds of the movie "Dumb and Dumber" when the guy appears on the slopes wearing racing apparel. I've worked with a few guys who had all the latest gear, carried it in an MLB roller, possessed a library of JEAPU-J/R-Carl C. books and looked like they stepped out of a 'how to make an umpire' factory. Their gear betrayed their talent and it wasn't fun to see them berated by coaches, players or fans.

I'll take talent over appearance any day. Still, those who write how they would encourage a post game or private phone call to promote a more professional look are on target. Constructive criticism is par and parcel of post game.

[Rita C]

I have two experiences.

One day I was to work a game with a young man, 17. As we left his house, his dad asked him if he had all that he needed. He said he did, in the annoyed manner of teenagers. When we arrived at the site and started to dress, he let out an oath and "How does he do that!" He had forgotten his pants.

By chance, since he was a young man, I had a pair of pants that would fit him. (When I started umpiring, only men's pants were available.) They only just fit him. He did a quality job on the plate, we were both complemented by the coaches on the job we did. The coaches were able to look past the uniform.

The second experience was a bit different. I arrived at a Little League game to work with a new partner. He was wearing khaki pants. His shirt hung over his pants. I asked if he wanted the plate. Sure, he let me know he had been umpiring for 30 years. He showed up on the field with shinguards on the outside and hat on backwards. (I did say something about that.) You should understand that around here, Little League umpires hold themselves to a higher uniform standard.

It wasn't how he was dressed that was the real issue. Once he learned how we try to dress a little more professionally around here, he has done the same. No, it was how he umpired. His plate conference was mainly warnings, he signaled strikes with his left hand. He overall sucked. He has repeatedly shown that he is an umpire who has had "one year experience 30 times". He has used his "30 years experience" as a hammer to show how what he thinks goes.

So it's not how my partner is dressed. It's how my partner umpires that counts.

Rita

[MrUmpire]

I have worked with umpires who wore neatly pressed new unis, looked like a million dollars and couldn't umpire worth a nickel.

However, I have never worked with, nor met, a quality umpire who looked like sh!t. I have never seen a truly good umpire who did not understand the importance of appearance.

I'll repeat my answer to the original question...would you work with this guy? Not twice.

[MikeStrybel]

My son plays 11U baseball and we've seen our share of umpires who work without mirrors. A couple days ago I saw a guy work a game in a blue polo type shirt, khakis and tennis shoes - he was in his early 50s. I was set to roll my eyes with his every call only to be pleasantly surprised. After the game I told him that he did a great job and asked if he always works in street clothes. He said that he was laid off from his job at Motorola a few months ago and has a daughter who will be attending college in the Fall. He had promised her a graduation gift and took on umpiring to pay for it. He couldn't afford to buy a uniform and this league didn't care. His equipment came out of a shared box at the field. He now has two of my shirts, ball bags, indicator and brush. I don't like working underlevel ball any more but I would work any game with that guy. He knew his stuff and his heart was in the right place. Appearance never trumps talent and spirit.

[justanotherblue]

I often work with one or two of "those guys". They live check to check, working as many games as they can get, to put food on their tables and gas in their cars. Their uniforms are rarely clean, let alone neat. One's hygene is questionable at best. When on the field they work hard, that's all one can ask. It's not that they wouldn't like new base and or plate pants, new shirts and gear, it's a financial crisis they live daily.