Umpire Gear

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

Frankly, I am not a fan of the hockey-style masks. Almost everything we are told to wear or not wear is to standardize, to be "uniform"; and that item just isn't a standard. The very few umpires I know that us it are often described by coaches as "you know, the guy with the hockey mask" ......

That said, there is a reason why a hat is a required part of the uniform; umpires simply look unprofessional, out of uniform, incomplete, when standing bare-headed. So, if you want to wear a hockey mask, you may have to so something that is a bit more trouble, like having a hat accessible....

I am surprised that the HSM has remained as rare among umpires as it has. It clearly offers superior protection.

Personally, on the "looking professional" front, an umpire who is without a hat only when the helmet is removed doesn't look unprofessional to me; he looks like an umpire who took his helmet off. Now a base umpire without a hat or an PU using a mask without a hat... sure, that looks sloppy or unprofessional, as does a hat sticking out of the back pocket.

If HSM-using umpires ever reach a significant minority, I would expect the requirement of having a hat also to gradually go away.

(FWIW, MLB umpires are apparently not required to wear a hat under their HSM, nor are they required to put one on when they take the helmet off... going by the pictures I see... obviously no first hand access to what MLB does and does not required for their umpires.)

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I am surprised that the HSM has remained as rare among umpires as it has. It clearly offers superior protection.

Personally, on the "looking professional" front, an umpire who is without a hat only when the helmet is removed doesn't look unprofessional to me; he looks like an umpire who took his helmet off. Now a base umpire without a hat or an PU using a mask without a hat... sure, that looks sloppy or unprofessional, as does a hat sticking out of the back pocket.

If HSM-using umpires ever reach a significant minority, I would expect the requirement of having a hat also to gradually go away.

(FWIW, MLB umpires are apparently not required to wear a hat under their HSM, nor are they required to put one on when they take the helmet off... going by the pictures I see... obviously no first hand access to what MLB does and does not required for their umpires.)

One of the best I have ever worked with, Rick Havercroft from Michigan (ISF FP umpire, now an NCAA conference coordinator in the MidWest), was a huge proponent of the HSM before it was an approved item; in fact, I know Rick personally addressed KR of ASA urging approval, and I believe he was a major factor in getting the approval that now exists in ASA, despite the disapproval of many of the NUS.

That said, KR can approve the iHSM; getting the hat stated as an "optional" uniform item when .... probably requires a majority, since it requires a rule change.

[SRW]

May 2009.
Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA)

There is a question involving the issue of the plate umpire choosing to wear the hockey-style mask. The uniform code was changed last year allowing the hockey-style mask to be worn during fast pitch games. the design makes it difficult to wear a cap under the hockey-stule mask. Therefore, the decision was made to allow the hockey-style mask to be worn without a cap. Should an umpire chose to wear the hockey-styled mask a cap is not required

[Dakota]

I guess we don't read & retain ... (at least not irrelevant information - irrelevant to me since I don't own nor contemplate owning a HSM).

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I guess we don't read & retain ... (at least not irrelevant information - irrelevant to me since I don't own nor contemplate owning a HSM).

I'll admit I never paid much attention to that statement, as it did not pertain to me at the time (calling only SP).

I've got a lot of catching up to do...