The Color Of Money ...

[BillyMac]

I observed a boys high school varsity game yesterday. Home team had white uniforms (jerseys, and shorts). White jerseys had white numbers with a thin (1/4 inch?) black border.

As an observer, I found these numbers to be very difficult to read, and was glad that I was not officiating the game. I figured that these had to be illegal, so I looked it up and was confused by the rule (below):

3-4-3-E: No more than three colors may be used on the number. The style of the
number must be clearly visible and conform to one of the following:
1. A solid contrasting color with no more than two solid color 1/4-inch
borders around the entire number. If the team jersey color is used as a
border, it must be counted as one of the allowed colors.
2. The team jersey color itself when bordered with not more than two 1/4-
inch solid border(s) contrasting with the team jersey color.
3. A solid contrasting color with a "shadow" trim of a contrasting color on
part of the number not to exceed 1/2 inch in width and may be used
with one 1/4-inch border.

Are these number colors legal according to Article 2 above ("team jersey color itself")? I can't believe that the NFHS would allow such difficult-to-read numbers. Every time the officials called a foul they had to look twice to make sure that they had the correct number.

[Raymond]

what is it about article 2 that you find confusing?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I observed a boys high school varsity game yesterday. Home team had white uniforms (jerseys, and shorts). White jerseys had white numbers with a thin (1/4 inch?) black border.

As an observer, I found these numbers to be very difficult to read, and was glad that I was not officiating the game. I figured that these had to be illegal, so I looked it up and was confused by the rule (below):

3-4-3-E: No more than three colors may be used on the number. The style of the
number must be clearly visible and conform to one of the following:
1. A solid contrasting color with no more than two solid color 1/4-inch
borders around the entire number. If the team jersey color is used as a
border, it must be counted as one of the allowed colors.
2. The team jersey color itself when bordered with not more than two 1/4-
inch solid border(s) contrasting with the team jersey color.
3. A solid contrasting color with a "shadow" trim of a contrasting color on
part of the number not to exceed 1/2 inch in width and may be used
with one 1/4-inch border.

Are these number colors legal according to Article 2 above ("team jersey color itself")? I can't believe that the NFHS would allow such difficult-to-read numbers. Every time the officials called a foul they had to look twice to make sure that they had the correct number.

The two parts in red seem to be describing the same thing.

Legal.

The numbers might be hard to read, but the rule isn't (at least as it applies here).

[Adam]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

The two parts in red seem to be describing the same thing.

Legal.

The numbers might be hard to read, but the rule isn't (at least as it applies here).

I think he's just confused because he expected the numbers to be illegal.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Adam

I think he's just confused because he expected the numbers to be illegal.

Bingo. They aren't, but they should be. To me, these were more distracting to the officials than odd colored headbands, wristbands, sleeves, tights, or undershirts. Where are the Fashion Police when you really need them? "If you want to find all the cops, they're hanging out in the donut shop" (The Bangles, 1986).

[bainsey]

There's a team in these parts whose visiting jerseys were black, with black numbers, and a thin white border. It sounds like a photo negative of Billy's situation, and I agree. This is far more difficult than any other fashion police mumbo-jumbo.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

"The style of the
number must be clearly visible and conform to one of the following:"

Notice that there are TWO requirements for the jersey numbers. The first is subjective, which is unfortunate, while the second is objective.