Photo comments

[SRW]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I have had an umpire order three hats all the same size. They came with identical tags, but not one matched in size. He had to send two back. The umpire should not have to play "pot luck" when purchasing a uniform item and have to be bothered with all the back and forth crap.

We asked that very question to ASA properties a few years back (the 2007 UIC clinic I believe) and were told that the way their vendor works is that they make a bunch of caps at whatever size comes out of the machine. Then the cap is measured to see what the size is closest to. If it's a 7 3/8, then the 7 3/8 tag is stitched into the cap.

We have a dedicated local uniform sales agent that maintains an inventory of about 10 to 15 caps of every size between 6.5 and 8 for this purpose. We can then try them on locally and buy them against our umpire bank account, rather than sending them back when they don't fit correctly.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by SRW

We asked that very question to ASA properties a few years back (the 2007 UIC clinic I believe) and were told that the way their vendor works is that they make a bunch of caps at whatever size comes out of the machine. Then the cap is measured to see what the size is closest to. If it's a 7 3/8, then the 7 3/8 tag is stitched into the cap.

So much for tolerances. I don't know why it's so hard to make a hat fit a certain size. Granted, I've never made one, but baseball hats have been around for decades.

Then again, they also had a big problem with their jackets about a year and a half ago. If you got one that was made in Pakistan, it was a size too small, and the zipper was on the wrong side.

Originally Posted by SRW

We have a dedicated local uniform sales agent that maintains an inventory of about 10 to 15 caps of every size between 6.5 and 8 for this purpose. We can then try them on locally and buy them against our umpire bank account, rather than sending them back when they don't fit correctly.

Man, I wish we could do that here. Unfortunately, I don't think our organization is big enough. My org is one of two in the area, and we're on very friendly terms with them (we don't look at each other as "the competition"). Maybe with the two of them combined, something like that could happen? I may explore this idea further. It'd help some of our umps get the proper gear without having to fork over the money upfront.

[wadeintothem]

Clearly you guys need to join the trucker hat revolution.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Clearly you guys need to join the trucker hat revolution.

I cut off my mullet years ago...