Fashion Trends...in UMPIRING?

This post originates with my annoyance at having to buy four different shirts in two colors, and the future need to buy more shirts in other colors. Let me go into a little bit of umpiring history for you, along with some of my own personal umpiring history, so you have a better understanding.

Way back in the early days of baseball, the 1850s-1870s, umpires were chosen from local folk or even local ballplayers. The role of umpire was a role of high prestige, as it was still a gentleman's game and thus only the highest order of gentleman was entrusted with the "honor" of the role, which obviously required integrity and good judgment (and still does). As a result, the umpire typically was attired in a full suit, Prince Albert coat, and top hat. However, the umpire could wear anything he wanted. Umpire attire was not standardized in any way until the American Association did so for its umpires in the late 1880s, and the uniform was blue flannel coat and cap. This uniform is also the origin of the nickname "Men in Blue" for umpires. Through the early to middle 20th century, umpires wore blue serge suits across the board. You can see a well-known classic example at this link.

The American League, ever the innovator when it came to the umpiring profession (thank you very much, Ban Johnson), adopted a sportier look in 1968 by moving umpires to gray slacks, which we still wear today. However, blazers and dress shirts were still the norm. In fact, jackets were not fully shed by major league umpires until the 1980s, and even then, dark blazers and "plate coats" were favored by the Major Leaguers almost into the 1990s.

That brings me to when I started. My first umpire uniform, in the summer of 1991, was a powder-blue collared short sleeve dress shirt and heather gray slacks. This was pretty much the uniform into the late 1990s, when the Major Leagues introduced navy blue polo shirts for approved wear. By the dawn of the 21st century, the big guys had moved completed to the polo shirts, in a variety of colors.

We lower-level umpires always follow the trends of the major league guys. So that means at one time we had one color of shirt and one color of slacks to buy, making it easier to assemble several days' worth of clothing (important when you're calling lots of games, because there's always a shortage of good umpires). Today, however, we have two different colors of slacks, pullover jackets are more common, and we have SIX different colors of polo shirt we might be wearing on any given night. Navy blue and the familiar old powder blue are most common, but we have black, red, white, cream...it's ridiculous, and a real budget killer for new guys, as compared to what it used to be.

I'm sure it will continue to change...though I'm curious about what I'll be wearing in 10 years. Just as long as it's all only one color, I'll be happy.