Shorts and Flip-Flops
 

Situation: PONY National Qualifier this weekend where you can be the UIC for the day and also umpire other days during the tournament when you're not the UIC.

The UIC (Mr. Xela) for Friday's games looses his car keys after a night of parting. It's now Saturday morning and the keys cannot be found. Mr. Xela is scheduled to umpire several games and his gear and uniforms are locked in his car.

Through rotation type scheduling, there are several umpires available to take the games but Mr. Exla decides that he will go ahead and officiate anyway as the base umpire. His umpire uniform consists of shorts, a shirt and flip-flops.

As a UIC or a TD, would any of you have allowed this to happen?

The UIC's name was changed so the guilty would not be embarrassed

I've never been UIC, nor am I in a position to be a UIC. However, if I were the UIC or TD, I would have never allowed this. Completely irresponsible.

I'm sure M.H. had a fit!

This putz never heard of AAA or yellow pages?

Selfish and unprofessional.

I can't imagine umpiring in flip flops. Ridiculous.

My grandfather once told me that he keeps his spare car key with his house keys. This was after locking my keys in my car a few times, once with it running, so I took his advice. The logic for me is that my house keys are always in my pocket thus will never be locked in my car at the same time as my car keys. Of course, my current car has keyless entry so I will never be locked out as long as I don't forget the passcode.

I would have politely refused to work with him.
If every other umpire did the same then he'd be forced to go behind the dish and work solo or maybe he'd wise up and remove himself from the game entirely.

There's an umpire in our crew who usually puts his keys in the wheel well of his truck while he's calling games.

I've been waiting for the perfect moment to move his truck on him. Maybe even into a handicap spot as a joke. If you knew this guy, it'd make a lot more sense. :rolleyes:

If I were UIC-ing the tourney, then no, he would not be working games until he could provide the proper equipment and uniform. Where was his spare key? In a 24 hour time he couldn't come up with one, or a locksmith???

come on didnt you hear abou tthe new uniform???!!!! That was approved this tournement! hahah the funny thing was when asking mr.xela if he would let someone do that.... he replied no!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA:D

Ahhhh, you heard the banter. I thought the Mr. Xela's not answering the next question was classic. "Why was it OK for you to do it?"

Though speaking of poor uniform's (or lack thereof), I passed a local complex last night where a 10U tournament was taking place. Plate umpire had on regular uniform, gray pants and powder blue shirt with no hat. BU had on navy blue shorts with a visible knee brace.

Last year at the PONY Nationals in Ohio I had some partners making cutting edge fashion statements. One umpire insisted on wearing his ball bag while umpiring the bases. He started coming down to my between innings position so I started putting my mask in his ball bag. I'd remove it when the catcher threw down to second and hustle to the plate area. During our post game chat I told him it was a new mechanic.

Had another partner that was wearing off the rack semi-grey pants with a brown belt that had a silver belt buckle that was about the size of his head. His base shoes were beige and had Velcro straps without laces that covered feet with white socks. One of his buddies commented on the white socks and to give my partner credit he took care of the white socks issue. For our next game together he umpired it without socks.

The 2008 PONY Nationals will be held in the same place and I can hardly wait to see this year’s fashion show.

ohhhhh my my my maybe one day I can walk down that runway but xela will have to be the feature of the 2008 line!!:D

There is a female umpire around here who wears tight bell bottoms with no belt loops at all. They are very light gray ... closer to white than heather gray. She wears her ball bag on a belt like a six shooter holster. Her shirt is not tucked in.

As a crew, what a partner does, reflects on both. That being said, sometimes we are in a sitch where we just have to make the best of it.
I think I would have politely told BU that I prefer to work w/ BU in right field between innings as it "interferes w/ my focus" or some other BS to keep him away. I most certainly would not have put my mask in his ball bag and become part of the circus.....

Maybe during the UIC/Umpire's pre-tournament meeting we can have an umpire (RV) dressed correctly and then have you standing next to that umpire wearing shorts, a tee shirt, flip-flops and a PONY hat that's wayyyyyy to small for your head. Your attire could be called the PONY Umpire Modified Look (PUML).:D