Glove: Legal or Illegal?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Speaking ASA

Note, that my comments were base on general knowledge and I did state that if I thought they were dangerous, the glove probably would be removed from the game.

BUT ONLY ON THE POINT THAT IT WAS DANGEROUS TO ANOTHER PLAYER. Turn the zip tie around to where the connection was on the inside of the glove, and I have nothing.

For those who want to disallow the glove because it is being held together with plastic instead of leather, you have nothing to back it up other than made up rules. That isn't your job.

Those of you who are looking for reasons to declare a safety issue (i.e., long leather strands), you are picking nits and you probably agreed that Ralphie shouldn't get a bb gun for Christmas. Again, your job is to umpire the game, not be the police.

Do I think it is smart to have long strands of leather whipping around? No, but at what length do you draw the line? You know, leather isn't always soft and snipped edges of tanned hide can be sharp, especially some of cheap gloves on the market today. Maybe we need to start measuring the lace ends and checking them for rigid edges to make sure no one will ever be injured on a tag. And yes, I am being facetious, but it scares me how many umpires think it is THEIR game on THEIR field and it will be played by THEIR rules.

[EsqUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Speaking ASA

Note, that my comments were base on general knowledge and I did state that if I thought they were dangerous, the glove probably would be removed from the game.

BUT ONLY ON THE POINT THAT IT WAS DANGEROUS TO ANOTHER PLAYER. Turn the zip tie around to where the connection was on the inside of the glove, and I have nothing.

For those who want to disallow the glove because it is being held together with plastic instead of leather, you have nothing to back it up other than made up rules. That isn't your job.

Those of you who are looking for reasons to declare a safety issue (i.e., long leather strands), you are picking nits and you probably agreed that Ralphie shouldn't get a bb gun for Christmas. Again, your job is to umpire the game, not be the police.

Do I think it is smart to have long strands of leather whipping around? No, but at what length do you draw the line? You know, leather isn't always soft and snipped edges of tanned hide can be sharp, especially some of cheap gloves on the market today. Maybe we need to start measuring the lace ends and checking them for rigid edges to make sure no one will ever be injured on a tag. And yes, I am being facetious, but it scares me how many umpires think it is THEIR game on THEIR field and it will be played by THEIR rules.

So it is about being DANGEROUS, not about LIABILITY? I see. Makes sense now.

[xtremeump]

Dangerous ???? Liability scares me

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by EsqUmp

So it is about being DANGEROUS, not about LIABILITY? I see. Makes sense now.

When you can find any situation where there is a possibility of injure, no matter how remote, and a perceived liability cannot be created by an ambulance chaser, you let me know.

I will eagerly await your response and that of your shadow.

[xtremeump]

Irish, I have missed you but some of us still have a full schedule of being an on the field Umpire. The game of Softball today is dangerous we as Umpires need to be active but not nit pick.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by xtremeump

Irish, I have missed you but some of us still have a full schedule of being an on the field Umpire. The game of Softball today is dangerous we as Umpires need to be active but not not pick.

Walking out your front door is dangerous.

And I don't nit pick and if you know me and how I work, you would know that.

[EsqUmp]

The issue is creating/allowing an additional, unnecessary danger.

Why can't they just fix the glove properly?

If they wanted to use nails or screws to hold the glove together, would that be acceptable?

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by EsqUmp

The issue is creating/allowing an additional, unnecessary danger.

Why can't they just fix the glove properly?

If they wanted to use nails or screws to hold the glove together, would that be acceptable?

Years ago, when I first started umpiring in my son's local Little League, I found a catcher's mitt that was being held together by machine screws. When I asked the kid why, he said that's how is dad thought he could fix the mitt. I told him he needed to have his dad figure out another way, and wouldn't allow the mitt in the game.

This was the same dad who sat beyond the outfield fence in the bed of his pickup truck with a Dollar Store folding chair (the ones with aluminum frames and the nylon straps), drinking beer out of a cooler. We all felt sorry for his kid.