Baseball Uniforms and Managers

Terry Francona (Boston manager) was upset this last week, when right in the middle of an inning during a game against the Yankees, someone from MLB offices summoned him from the dugout to see if he was wearing the proper uniform under his windbreaker. Bad timing by the MLB fashion police.

But this just adds fuel to a bigger fire. Why are managers required to wear uniforms? There are no other sports where coaches are required to wear the same uniforms as the players. It would be comical to see Phil Jackson sport a Lakers uniform while he coached or Bill Parcels wear the footbal pants just over the knees.

You see, the baseball uniform is designed for an athlete who poses a body in supreme athletic condition. Thats why guys like David Wells wear giant baggy uniforms. So when you have out-of-shape coaches who are aged and have large bellies, it is not good for them to wear a uniform! Allow these to wear slacks and a polo at least.

They even have this silly rule at the high school level. When I coached, I always felt a little silly in the tight white pants. Yet the rule book stated I could not coach third base without the uniform. In fact during one game I had an umpire tell me to take off a red and white Reebok jacket because "I didn't coach the Reeboks."

There are two places that have it right: Softball coaches are not forced to wear the uniform and little league coaches are not forced. Can you imagine the Little League World Series with coaches wearing the full uniform?

On behalf of coaches of the next generation...someone stand up against this rule!