ASA Blue/Gray
 

Who here owns a set of these? I recently purchased them, and I must say it looks nice! It particularly looks good under the lights. Recently during the heat wave, my partner and I wore the combination of powder blue and grey, and it looked sharp as all heck! A couple of questions:

1) why did ASA introduce this? It is kind of odd that when MLB went to an option of powder blue shirts, ASA went to a dark navy option.

2) I was very surprised that ASA didn't have its umps wear the blue/gray at least ONCE during the World Cup - would have been a nice way to plug it!

3) Anybody think that it is going to be the standard uni of the future? in many, many ways the navy blue trousers are a relic of the past...they certainly are hotter than than the heather gray, plus one little bit of dust makes them look sloppy. A LOT of HS associations (not NY though) mandate the gray these days..not to mention all the people that work both softball and that 'other' game. I can see the navy trousers being phased out over the next 10 years or so....

...lights the match..waiting for the flames....;)

Seattle Metro is predominately Heather Gray pants with Powder Blue shirts. We'll wear our Navy Shirts on a whim - if the crew on that field wants to... but both (or all three) umps have to wear the same. We don't use the Navy pants at all.

In my area ASA is strictly dark blue pants and light blue shirts. Long pants mandatory for fastpitch, shorts optional for slow.

High school for Ohio mandates heather grey pants and dark blue shirts in both baseball and softball.

Those are the only choices offered, nothing else is a allowed , so I've had to buy both. I do get to mix it up a bit in the local summer leagues, where the uniform codes are less stringent.

Metro Phoenix has not used the Navy Blue pants for FP for some time. There are occassions when a National tourney comes in that the UIC will want to use the Navy Blue pants and/or shirts, but not very often.

Our normal uniform of choice is the powder blue shirt with the heather gray pants.

The only thing uglier than powder over gray is dark blue over navy. Gray of any type, heather or otherwise, are not forgiving in the least bit. Don't believe me, watch some of the televised games where gray is worn. Some sweat so much, it looks like they . . . . .well, you get the idea.

I love the "they're cooler" BS because that's all it is. You want cool, wear shorts. You want really cool, get off the dirt. The gray pants will gather and retain as much heat as the blue because that heat is rising from the ground, not the sun.

Even better was when umpires would argue the gray is cooler and then want to wear the dark blue shirts. Sort of defeats the argument, doesn't it?

Obviously, I'm a powder over navy person, but I can accept dark blue over heather gray for evening games.

And before anyone asks, yes, I've worn all combinations mentioned, except the dark over navy.

Our "official" look is powder over heather grey, but we will occasionally go with Dark blue over powder, and even more rarely, cream over heather or even red over navy. I like the red over Navy look - but it's not one everyone owns.

We've used the Gray trousers with either powder or Navy blue shirts in Pa for some time. Like other areas, the grays are required for high school. It's about 50/50 for ASA.
That's OK in cooler weather, but for those who sweat like I do - lemme wear the Navy trousers. On warm days, working the plate, I end up looking like I'm wearing 2-tone pants when wearing the grays.

I really don't care which uniform (except no red), but I wish we could stop wasting money on constant changes and insistence on logos. :(
We usually wish for the same rules among sanctions, but we can't even get to wear the same uniforms. :(

One of the reasons I heard Henry Pollard once use was that so many umpires work HS & college ball, it makes it easier for them if ASA would approve gray.

My opinion, screw the HS & college umpires. Why should someone working a particular association have to purchase multiple uniforms because someone else wants to work another association? I get the privilege of paying the extra expense for a uniform of which will get minimal use so others who can afford to purchase the additional uniforms can have it easier.

I will adapt to ASA, but if they returned to a single uniform, that would be fine by me. That way the umpire pays only for the uniforms of the associations which s/he chooses to work without placing any additional burden on those that don't make that extra money.

I have it.
 

If your game starts before noon, you wear powder blue/navy. After noon to 6pm, powder/grey, after 6, navy/grey. :D

This is approx the schedule and uniform rotation that we followed for a national that I worked a few years ago.....

I wish I knew who made that "choice" It is the WORST possible uniform combination possible.....ridiculous..... if youre gonna wear the stupid grey..wear it with the DARK blue... ridiculous

were all heather grey here for travel ball stuff (JO and mens).. leagues some blue is worn. to me looks nice

ASA needs to authorize the tan shirts!

black for winter :)

Not to mention lavender for spring and rust for fall.

Give me a break. :mad:

"Ooohh. The major leaguers wear this, that and the other. They look neat". Just an example of the number of sheeple in this country. If you want to be a MLB wannabe, go work baseball.

If you want to be an umpire, keep the uniform simple. What's the problem with being unique and having one uniform? It's not a fashion show out there, is it? And I'm not just talking about ASA. The guys that wear red, green, white or yellow shirts, the same goes for them. That's the uniform, why does someone always think that different is better?

Why is there a feeling that if the other guy does it, you have to do it? Sounds a bit like some people have an inferiority complex. IMO, if you need to keep up with the Jone's and it affects someone else, move to another neighborhood.

Heaven forbid we want to look good instead of the tired old baby blue.

:D

Any way, MLB wears light blue. We need choices though! I'm pro choice for Ump uniforms.

But no one said lavender (oddly except you hmmm), although it might be a good contrast for fall ball for ASA's light blue, so i'm suprised its not used...or Perhaps .. pink.

wtf you talkin bout willis?

The Tan looks sharp and cool (heat wise not "Cool :cool: ".) Its a good uniform.

I'll admit I just like the black cuz I like it. Its of little value.

You old timers are fading, and with it, your tenuous grasp on preventing us from looking good while umpiring slips.

You are right about the having to purchase many different shirts though.. its hard enough to make uniforms last 2-3 days or more during a big tourney with one color (in our area is grey/cute blue) and that would be much worse if we were allowed to look good but needed the ASA logo on them... no argument there.

AT LEAST, and I thank god for this, we can wear the heather grey.. the blue pants and baby blue shirt is the worst looking uniform there is. We need to go to a darker grey though, perhaps more like the MLB guys get to wear ;)