Eye Black

[nfumpire]

Had an umpire call me concerning a team wearing eye black like war paint (like the football players, all the way down their cheeks). He said at first he didnt say anything but then one of the kids came in to pitch with it on and he felt it was distracting. What do you all think? I can't really find anywhere in the rules that would say this is illegal, and the stuff is black, so how distracting can it really be.

any opinions?

[DaveD10]

Seeing more of it too - IMO not a distraction but ugliness is in the eye of the beholder - so if umpire felt that way so be it. I did a State Fed survey this week and that was one of the questions - I would not be surprised if this is addressed next year.

[Ozzy]

Guys:


Is there a rule against it yet in FED?
Is it really distracting or are you just looking for some new problem?
Do you really want to go to a coach and tell him that his players are threatening because of eye black?
Do you have nothing better to do than hover over the game like this?

If it becomes a problem, the FED will deal with it like it did with doo-rags (bandannas) - it will be outlawed and then you can say something, legally.

[nfumpire]

Ozzy,

I agree with you, the guy he nit picking and there is nothing in the rules to outlaw it.

[NorCalBallguy]

I have noticed that wonder-child Bryce Harper stopped wearing the war-paint. He's playing with grown men now, and they have certain ways of self-enforcing rules against obnoxiousness. 90mph fastballs hurt a heck of a lot more than 82mph fastballs.

[cbfoulds]

I have noticed that wonder-child Bryce Harper stopped wearing the war-paint. He's playing with grown men now, and they have certain ways of self-enforcing rules against obnoxiousness. 90mph fastballs hurt a heck of a lot more than 82mph fastballs.

I doubt that a fast one to the ribs [or the prospect of one] had anything to do with it: more likely one of the older "big dogs" simply said - "you look like a doofus, kid. Knock it off."

[yawetag]

I doubt that a fast one to the ribs [or the prospect of one] had anything to do with it: more likely one of the older "big dogs" simply said - "you look like a doofus, kid. Knock it off."

Followed by: "If you don't, you'll get a fastball in the ribs."

[western_ump]

Guys:


Is there a rule against it yet in FED?
Is it really distracting or are you just looking for some new problem?
Do you really want to go to a coach and tell him that his players are threatening because of eye black?
Do you have nothing better to do than hover over the game like this?

If it becomes a problem, the FED will deal with it like it did with doo-rags (bandannas) - it will be outlawed and then you can say something, legally.

Once again you found a way to come across like a d!ck. Just make your point without being insulting. Can you try it once?

And don't be surprised if it becomes illegal in baseball. HS football is not allowing it any more.

[johnnyg08]

Had an umpire call me concerning a team wearing eye black like war paint (like the football players, all the way down their cheeks). He said at first he didnt say anything but then one of the kids came in to pitch with it on and he felt it was distracting. What do you all think? I can't really find anywhere in the rules that would say this is illegal, and the stuff is black, so how distracting can it really be.

any opinions?

Don't pick the booger. It's not distracting. To micromanage crap like that is OOO. If you do that and we're working together, we'll have a serious discussion in our post game about picking up the $hitty end of the stick.

[Ozzy]

Once again you found a way to come across like a d!ck. Just make your point without being insulting. Can you try it once?

And don't be surprised if it becomes illegal in baseball. HS football is not allowing it any more.
If you think that answer was being a d!ck, then you don't belong on the field where your feelings could get really hurt!

I answer the way I answer - don't like it? Move on!

Peace

[lustersilk]

Once again you found a way to come across like a d!ck.

Let's not get personal here. Ozzy didn't use any explatives or single anyone out in his remarks.