PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

 
TO OUR MEMBERS,

MANY OF YOU LOOK VERY SHARP WHEN I SEE YOU ON THE FIELD SOMEWHERE, EVEN IN HIGH SCHOOL GAMES WHERE THERE ARE NO LONGER ANY INSIGNIA OR LOGOS TO WEAR.  ORDINARILY, I WAS ONLY IN A POSITION AS AN ASSIGNER TO CRITICIZE THE CLOTHING OF SOME OF YOU, BUT NOW AS YOUR PRESIDENT I FEEL OBLIGATED TO SAY SOME OF YOU SHOULD BE PAYING CLOSER ATTENTION TO HOW YOU'RE DRESSED.
 
NOT EVEN HIGH SCHOOL GAMES ALLOW YOU TO WEAR ANY KIND OF BAGGY PANTS, UNKEMPT SHOES AND SERIOUSLY IMPAIRED JACKETS AND SHIRTS, INCLUDING JACKETS THAT AREN'T JUST NAVY BLUE BUT ALMOST ANY COLOR YOU HAPPEN TO FIND IN
YOUR CLOSET.
 
ALSO, THERE WAS A DAY WHEN THE ASA REIGNED AND YOU COULD WEAR THE SAME UNIFORM TO A HIGH SCHOOL GAME AND THEN TO AN ASA LEAGUE GAME AT NIGHT...THAT DAY IS LONG GONE, HOWEVER, AND YOU NEED TO CARRY SOMETHING THAT SAYS YOU'RE AN ASA UMPIRE WHEN YOU'RE UMPIRING EVENINGS AND NIGHTS.
 
SURELY, EVERYONE CAN AFFORD A HAT, BALL BAG, SHIRT OR JACKET THAT HAS THE OFFICIAL ASA LOGO ON IT AND PUT IT ON BEFORE YOU STEP ONTO THE FIELD.  THE CHEAPEST OF THESE ITEMS COSTS ABOUT $10 IN YOUR OFFICIAL GEAR CATALOG, SO
PLEASE SPEND SOME MONEY, SPLURGE ON YOURSELF JUST A LITTLE, AND STEP ON THE FIELD LOOKING THE PART OF AN ASA OFFICIAL.  FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN NONE OF YOU ARE TOTALLY IMPOVERISHED!
 
IN FACT, IF YOU'RE WORKING WITH A PARTNER WHO DRESSES THE PART, HELP THEM LOOK BETTER BY DRESSING NEARER TO APPROPRIATE THAN SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN AND SOME FOR TOO LONG.  EVEN WITHOUT A PARTNER, WORKING ALONE, THERE'S
NO EXCUSE FOR WALKING OUT ON THE FIELD WITHOUT WEARING A PROPER UNIFORM.
 
LET ME NOT HAVE TO BRING THIS UP AGAIN, BECAUSE AS MANY OF YOU KNOW I'M NOT A FAN OF ISSUES AND CONTROVERSY, ESPECIALLY ABOUT SOMETHING THAT COULD END UP WITH AN UMPIRE NOT RECEIVING HIS OR HER ASSIGNMENTS.
 
THANKS
 
TOM SLEEPER
PRESIDENT
NVSUA