A sad day...

[Dakota]

Two years ago, ASA announced that little flags would be a part of the official ASA umpire's hat, even though this violates proper flag display protocol.

Since the use of the flag was optional for the first year, I went to our local vendor of ASA hats and bought several new hats without the flag.

This year, our local association kept the flag optional, so I continued to wear my existing hats. Since a couple were beginning to reach their end of "professional look" life, I checked with our local ASA vendor again - but no luck - all they had were flag hats.

I was chosen to umpire at one of the Northern National tournaments, so (as I said in another thread) I decided to buy 2 new hats for the tournament.

A sad day - I finally had to wear a flag on my hat.

I wish ASA would keep the flags optional and offer hats without flags.

[CecilOne]

The U. S. Flag Code clearly states that the flag may be used on military and patriotic organization uniforms. Even though we are patriotic and there are some that act militaristic; the ASA, NFHS, etc. do not qualify for this.

[Dakota]

From the US flag code:

The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.

Those of you who have been wearing ASA hats with the flag on them for a couple of years... is the flag soiled (sweat stained, stained from infield dirt, etc.?)

No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations.

Officials' uniforms are athletic uniforms, and are not in any of the allowed categories. This is a commonly ignored part of the code (many athletic teams added the flag after 9-11), but that does not make it right.

[greymule]

The umpire is an official of the game, and in that sense is sort of like a police officer for the field. If an ump wears the flag respectfully, as on the hat or sleeve, that's fine with me. It also seems to be fine with fans, players, coaches, etc. In fact, I prefer to wear flag patches, just to irritate the 5% of the U.S. population who are disturbed by patriotic displays.

Flag protocol is not law. It is guidelines so that the flag looks good when it is displayed. I look at the motive behind the treatment of the flag. If you burn an American flag to show how much you hate America, then why don't you get the h*ll out? If you burn a tattered flag privately to dispose of it properly, that's another story.

But Dakota is right, the flags on the hats do get soiled and worn. They are hard to clean, too.

There are several townships in my county. Flags are widely displayed in all but one of them. In that one, customary displays of the flag (as on July 4) are controversial, and every year there are enough protests that municipal officials are forced, as a conciliatory gesture, to promise not to let the flags fly past a certain date. You see, the U.S. is imperialist, racist, sexist, homophobic, lookist, ablist . . .

[Dakota]

I understand the flag "code" is merely a guideline & doesn't have the force of law.

Also, don't misunderstand my position: it is based on a perspective of showing proper respect for the flag, not a perspective opposed to displaying the flay.

I have a flag flying from the driveway light pillar at my house (all weather flag, properly lit for after dark) and one flying from my Jeep (right side, secured to the roll cage, not just clipped to the window). I replace them when they begin so show wear.

But, the flag does not belong on team uniforms or on umpire hats. Perhaps... perhaps with a liberal interpretation of the listed groups who can display a flag on their unifirm, it could be properly worn as a sleeve patch, but that's it, IMO.

[greymule]

I just got a "Don't Tread on Me" flag (with the snake), a replica of one of the original flags from the American war for independence. Very high quality, worth the $50.

Thanks for reminding me to take that and my regular flag in at night, Dakota. Even though they're safe in my neighborhood, they're not lit and should not be flown in the dark.

It's not softball, but some posters might find this interesting and amusing:

My father captained a small ship in the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II. He told me that with the war over, the navy personnel in the Philippines were pretty much just having a good time. He and his crew spent most of their day loading jeeps, guns, ammunition, and other supplies onto his LCT and then taking the stuff out to sea to dump it. Most of the lifting was done by Japanese POWs who were grateful not to have been beheaded by their captors (and knew they would soon be going home). At night, with no more enemy to fight, the guys partied pretty enthusiastically. Once he saw a couple of dozen passed-out partiers carried from the pier onto the deck of their heavy cruiser with a crane and a huge net.

However, at dawn and dusk, when the flag was raised and lowered, nobody had to called to attention. The sailors had a deep reverence for the flag, and everyone, regardless of how much he was carousing at night, stood absolutely silent and still during the ceremony. (I guess that was if they could stand!)

[Skahtboi]

Tom:

I agree that by no stretch of the imagination could an umpire's uniform be considered any of those mentioned in the flag protocol. In one day in this Texas heat, the flag on the side of my ASA cap looks horrible. I am all for leaving the flag display where it belongs...which is not on the ball field.