Umpire equipment reviews, umpire uniform reviews, and umpire training reviews.
Tips on getting started, getting equipment and getting better.
(Ok, and maybe a rant now and again)
Nicknamed "God" by baseball players, Harvey commanded respect for his rules knowledge and commitment to his profession. During his 31 years Harvey umpired in five World Series, nine National League Championship Series, and six All-Star Games. While Harvey's achievements may earn him a plaque in Cooperstown, it is his contributions to the art of umpiring that make him a legend.
It is almost a sacred mantra among umpires: "Slow down! Slow down!"
Well, thank Doug Harvey for that advice. He emphasized delaying the call to ensure it is correct. He told Baseball Digest in 1992, "I've got a photograph of Jocko Conlan working first base. Jocko's arm was extended in the out call. But the runner was still short of the bag, and the ball was still in flight. In those days it was common to anticipate the call. Everything was called too quickly."
While Doug Harvey never attended umpire school, his advice on slowing down the timing of a call is a central feature at umpire school. All students are taught to take in the relevant information before reacting or making a call. As a result, better timing makes better umpires.
Congratulations to Doug Harvey on his election, and thanks for the lasting contributions to the profession of umpiring.
A recent post by Chris Hickman over at Umpire Empire suggested purchasing a leather umpire belt from a police/fire/postal uniform store. A little looking found a 1-3/4" black leather belt at Atlantic Uniform for $8.75 with free shipping:
Midwest Ump is pleased to announce its selections for the first annual Umpire Merchandise Products of the Year (U.M.P.Y.) Awards. UMPY Awards are given annually for the best umpire equipment, apparel, and training aids, and is determined by both the reputation of the product in the umpire community, and by Midwest Ump testing and review.
This year the UMPY Awards are given in the following categories:
Traditional Mask
Helmet
Chest Protector
Leg Guards
Accessory
Shirt
Pants
Shoes
Training Aid
One overall winner as Product of the Year is also chosen. The following products have been chosen as the 2009 Umpire Merchandise Products of the Year:
Traditional Mask Winner: Champro FM-58 PRO-PLUS Gold Super-Xtreme Lightweight Face Mask
The traditional mask category is dominated by feather-weight masks under 1.5 pounds. During 2009, Midwest Ump was able to field test different feather-weight masks made of steel, titanium, and magnesium from Wilson, Diamond, Champro, and All-Star. While all of the masks performed exceptionally well, one mask emerged as the clear choice.
The FM-58 PRO-PLUS Gold Super-Xtreme Lightweight Face Mask is made of a magnesium alloy with a high strength-to-weight ratio. The FM-58 weighs 15.5 ounces with the manufacturer's pads, harness, and without a throat guard - less than one pound! This was the lightest mask tested by Midwest Ump during 2009. In comparison, the highly regarded Diamond DFM-UMP Umpire Mask in Silver made of aircraft aluminum weighs 17 ounces.
Just as impressive as its weight is the FM-58's durability. Our test mask was game-used during high-school, semi-pro, and college baseball and softball games and has not dented or scratched. This mask looks good-as-new even after a long season of use.
The price as-tested for the FM-58 is $125.00 and is available from The Official Call (with free shipping if you mention the Midwest Ump review article when ordering). That price is cheaper than the Wilson Titanium mask (retailing around $200), but more expensive than the Diamond DFM-UMP Umpire Mask in Silver (retailing around $70).
Chest Protector Winner: Wilson West Vest Platinum Chest Protector
Selecting a winner in this category came down to a choice between the Wilson West Vest Gold and the Wilson West Vest Platinum. Both chest protectors are outstanding, and each has a loyal following.
For some, the choice is easy. The Gold is available in smaller sizes for our more slender umpire brethren. Unfortunately for most of us, "slender" is still a few cases of light beer away. So until then, the Wilson West Vest Platinum chest protector is a better choice because it has better sternum protection, increased airflow between the chest protector and your undershirt (to aid the sweat evaporation process), and less padding. The Wilson West Vest Platinum is also very easy to clean.
Leg Guards Winner: Gerry Davis DaviShins The Gerry Davis DaviShins Leg Guards use a unique dual strap system to provide the most comfortable fit of any umpire leg guards. The two straps are strategically placed and avoids any irritation behind the knee. The knee cap is a recessed, no gap design that provides adequate coverage.
The DaviShins have a three velcro mounted ankle guards at the top and sides to provide customized protection depending on your plate shoes. The DaviShins are available from Gerry Davis for $79.90 in either 15” or 17.5” length.
Accessory Winner (Tie): Ump-Attire Ultimate Ball Bag An UMPY Award for a ball bag? Seriously?
Well, the lowly ball bag has finally hit the big time with The Ump-Attire Ultimate Ball Bag. Its quality construction and unique features make this ball bag deserving of recognition and praise.
The Ultimate Ball Bag features a zippered utility pocket in the back of the bag. The pocket is very roomy and convenient for storing an extra car key, cash, or other small valuables. There are three interior pockets: a pen pocket, a roomy brush pocket, and a lineup card pocket.
The Ump-Attire Ultimate Ball Bag is constructed from a durable twill fabric, uses double stitching for added durability, and has a nylon interior on the pant side to prevent the transfer of moisture. “Handmade by Amish craftsmen in Kentucky, U.S.A.,” the Ultimate Ball Bag is available exclusively from Ump-Attire in black, gray, or navy for $17.99. Congratulations to Jim Kirk and Ump-Attire for designing a terrific product!
Accessory Winner (Tie): Nutty Buddy
We have to wonder how many times ex-MLB pitcher Mark Littell has stood in front of a pitching machine wearing nuthin' but a jock and a Nutty Buddy? He must be either crazy or extremely confident in his Nutty Buddy design!
It turns out he has good reason to be confident in the Nutty Buddy as its design is a huge leap forward in umpire safety. The story goes that Mark Littell was working with Kansas City Royals pitchers in spring training and discovered that many did not wear a protective cup because it was uncomfortable. Littell set out to design a more comfortable cup, and in the process, also developed a safer cup!
The design is anatomically correct and floats comfortably between an athletic supporter and compression shorts. The Nutty Buddy transfers the force of an impact to the pubic bone and away from your, er, "boys." Below is a video segment on the Nutty Buddy from the Fox Sports Science television show:
The Nutty Buddy is available from Nutty Buddy and prices start at $29.95. The boys will thank you.
Shirt Winner: Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt
The top rated shirt in the 2009 Midwest Ump Umpire Shirt Comparison Review article was the Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt. The Umpire Shirt Comparison Review article compared shirts from Ump-Attire, Smitty Apparel, Gerry Davis, Honig’s, The Official’s Choice, Cliff Keen, and Dalco in seven categories: weight, breathability, construction, value, appearance, prick test, and wrinkle test. The Ump-Attire ultimate umpire Shirt placed in the top three of five of these categories.
The Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt also performed very well over the 2009 season. Its durability is directly attributed to its quality construction. The Ump-Attire Ultimate Umpire Shirt is available through Ump-Attire for $32.99.
Pants Winner: Honig's Poly Wool Pants
The October, 2009, Midwest Ump review of Honig's Poly Wool Pants called them the "Cadillac of Pants." The Poly Wools may look like Sunday-go-to-meetin' dress pants, but they are made for rigors of umpiring. These pants are made by umpires, for umpires: good-looking and tough as nails. Constructed from a heavyweight polyester and wool blend, the Poly Wools feature a reinforced knee, saddle stitching, and a "Snug-fit" waistband to keep your shirt tucked.
Honig's Poly Wool Pants are sold by Honig's for $73.95, and are only offered in charcoal grey.
Shoes Winner: Reebok Field Magistrate Plate Shoes It is really gratifying when a corporation as large as Reebok listens to the consumers. In June Midwest Ump reviewed the Reebok Field Magistrate Plate Shoe. The article concluded that "Once Reebok reigns in their self-promotion and eliminates the white logos, they can claim to have the ultimate umpire plate shoe."
Reebok has recently announced that an all black version of this shoe will be offered in 2010.
The Field Magistrate provides excellent ankle support and shin guards can fit comfortably over the tongue of the mid cut shoe (also available in low cut). This shoe is unquestionably more comfortable than the New Balance MU450, and the moisture wicking Play Dry lining is very soft. The Field Magistrate is also lighter than the New Balance MU450 and sports a turf sole for greater traction.
There is no debate; the Reebok Field Magistrate is the ultimate plate shoe on the market. Available from:
The future of umpire training is on-line, and UmpireTeacher.com is the first to deliver with its on-line umpire school. UmpireTeacher.com uses video and discussion boards as training devices, much like on-line university classes - but without the pop quizzes!
Mike "Bugsy" Segal has assembled a highly respected team of instructors including former MLB umpire Vic Voltaggio and college umpire Frank Leparik, who actively participate and interact with "students" on the site. The student can discuss a unique situation or a rules issue, or view an umpire mechanics video and get feedback from one or more experienced umpires. The site's atmosphere is also casual and friendly.
The best thing about UmpireTeacher.com is that it is accessible 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, from anywhere in the world! Many umpires live in remote parts of the country (or the world!) and are unable to attend formal umpire training. For many, watching professional umpires on tv or amateur bloopers on YouTube is as close as it gets to umpire training. Now umpires everywhere, anytime can receive quality instruction. This is a major advancement in umpire training and UmpireTeacher.com and Mike Segal deserve to receive recognition and high praise for this innovation.
The Bottom Line The simple fact that Wilson has made it a priority to improve umpire safety rates this product an absolute ten. While a hockey helmet will not protect from every kid of impact, a helmet offers side protection that a traditional mask lacks, and the Wilson Shock FX provides shock absorption that will help prevent concussions from impacts to the cage. The Shock FX offers a blend of comfort and protection that really is first rate.
Umpire safety and concussion prevention is the most important purpose of an umpire mask or helmet. Since Major League catcher Charlie O'Brien introduced the hockey style helmet to baseball in 1997, there have been very few changes from the original design.
Now Wilson has taken the next step in improving umpire safety. The Shock FX 2.0 uses six isolators to diffuse the energy from an impact to the cage. Wilson claims that the helmet reduces "impact forces to the head by up to 50% in a 60-inch direct impact drop test, when compared to a traditional helmet."
Wilson has also been very receptive to the feedback from umpires. Although the Shock FX was only recently released, the new and improved Shock FX 2.0 has now hit the shelves. Most important, this new model has strengthened the pistons and improved the vision through the cage (by moving the cage closer to the face).
For its safety improvements and attention to the needs of the umpire community, Wilson's Shock 2.0 FX Titanium Umpire Helmet is chosen as Midwest Ump's 2009 Umpire Merchandise Product of the Year.
The 2010 Wilson Shock FX 2.0 Titanium Umpire Helmet is currently offered by Ump-Attire for $219.95 (pre-ordering).
Final Word 2009 was an exciting year and saw major improvements in umpire equipment, apparel and training aids. The next year promises new and innovative products and Midwest Ump will continue to deliver the news and the reviews to the umpire community. Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2009 Umpire Merchandise Products of the Year.
Recently Champro sent me a plastic indicator to review. The Champro Baseball 4-Dial Umpire Indicator (A048) has a "new configuration" with balls on the left and strikes on the right (backwards from most umpire indicators). My initial impression is that this configuration makes sense, but will require some reconditioning. Umpires are generally well rooted in tradition and habit, and the indicator becomes a part of the umpire. Balls and strikes are recorded with very little thought while the umpire views a steal attempt, past ball, or buxom blonde in the third row.
But then I got to thinking, “Why are strikes on the left side of the indicator and balls on the right?” How did this tradition develop? My question led to some research on the internet. What I discovered is that there is a controversy regarding the origins of the umpire hand signals to indicate balls and strikes. I have found three different versions:
The first version is that the coaches of legendary 19th century outfielder William “Dummy” Hoy (who was deaf) would indicate the umpire's call for Hoy by raising a right arm for a strike and a left for a ball. The story goes that the umpires liked the practice and started copying it.
The second origin is a 1901 game in Chicago when the plate umpire wore a red sleeve on his right arm to indicate a strike and a white sleeve on his left arm for a ball. The umpires in this game raised the appropriate arm for the call.
A third account involves an military umpire at a prison camp during the Spanish-American War that would pick up a pebble in his right hand for a strike and one his left for a ball to keep track of the count. That umpire also indicated the count with his raised fingers in noisy situations.
Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem is also credited with introducing hand signals to the big leagues, as is National League umpire Cy Rigler, who reportedly started using them in the minor leagues.
But what about the reason the modern umpire indicator places strikes on the left, and balls on the right?
Indicators from the 19th century list balls first, then strikes (L to R). Later metal indicators (beginning in the 1940s?) listed strikes on top, balls in the middle, and outs at the bottom of the indicator. While I have not yet found an answer, I will continue to research this issue and perhaps one day write a report with a final answer (I have also written the Baseball Hall of Fame for information).
In the meantime, take a look at the new Champro indicator with balls on the left and strikes on the right (the way the baseball gods intended). The dial action is smooth and precise and the optic yellow wheel is easy to read.
The Champro Baseball 4-Dial Umpire Indicator (A048) is available for $24.96 at Epic Sports (pack of 12)
How to Umpire (Including Knotty Problems) by Hall of Fame Umpire Billy Evans is available on-line at the Internet Archive. This classic is available in pdf and a few other formats.
This book, published in 1917, offers very practical advise to the modern umpire, such as:
Never lose sight of the ball. If you know where it is at all times, you are not going to lose very many plays. It is worse for someone to pull the hidden ball trick and the umpire not to see it, than it is for the player who has been trapped.
Don't turn your head and look the other way after you have given a decision. A lot of things can happen while you are looking in the opposite direction.
Show a little "pepper" in your work. If the umpire is always on the alert, the players invariably get the spirit. If the umpire is content to have the game drag, the players seldom offer any objection.
A lot of people say umpires are not human. They are wrong. It is human to err, and umpires err. If they made as many mistakes as most fans insist they do, they would indeed be very human.
Many leagues require umpires to conduct pre-game equipment checks. Umpires that disregard this mandate do so at their own peril. A recent verdict from a Montana jury has significantly changed the playing field, and we are sure to see rules directing increased vigilance in the near future:
A Montana jury has found the maker of Louisville Slugger bats failed to adequately warn about the dangers its product can pose.
Hillerich and Bradsby has been ordered to pay $850,000 to the family of 18-year-old Brandon Patch. The teenager was killed during a 2003 baseball game after being struck in the head by a batted ball off an aluminum bat while pitching during an American Legion game in Helena, MT.
The jury found H&B liable, and the bat was legal! Now consider what would have happened if the bat was illegal? My guess is that the umpires would have been defendants in the litigation. Therefore, it is very important to conduct those pre-game checks.
Here are a few things to remember when inspecting bats:
First, know the standards. Each rule book describes a legal and an illegal bat. For instance, the NFHS has adopted a new rule for 2010 that all non-wood bats must meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard, which is also the standard used by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Non-wood bats must also be labeled with a rectangular certification mark “a minimum of a half-inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.”
Second, look for signs of tampering. Three methods are the most popular: rolling, shaving and end-loading. Bats rolled through a rolling machine compress the composites and stretch the fibers in the bat to improve the bat's trampoline effect when the ball hits it. Bat shaving involves removing the end cap and thinning out the inner walls of the bat. This also enhances the trampoline effect. Endloading is adding additional weight to the end cap providing increased power and distance.
Third, look for things out of the ordinary in the dugout. Bat warmers have become very popular in recent years. The NFHS has stated that heating a bat changes the structure of the bat and, pursuant to Rule 1-3-5, a heated bat is considered to be an altered (and illegal) bat.
If you see signs of tampering, remove the bat from the game! As umpire, you are the final arbiter of illegal equipment. No number of home runs, scholarships, or championships is worth one serious injury, so when in doubt, throw it out!
For more information about Brandon Patch, the lawsuit, and a tragedy that we all hope is never repeated, go to http://www.forever11.com/
Below is a resource list of links to online umpire equipment and apparel retailers. I make no recommendations nor representations about this list, and it is provided as a resource only. CAVEAT EMPTOR, BABY!
(I'll bet none of these businesses sell the groovy New Era umpire cap at right)
