curious: what do you like to be called when you're in blue?

I prefer the coach to call me Mike. I prefer the kids to call Mr. Mike or just Mike. Either is fine with me. I always introduce myself to the F2 and tell him to call me Mike.

In our league, coaches call us by our first name. The kids can either call us Mr. or our first name as well.

When I ump HS games, it's usually my first name for teams that I've umped before, but sometimes we get lazy and let them say ump or blue.

Unlike many, I do not prefer to be called by my first name. I do however introduce myself to the coaches, but that is the last time I will use first names.

I have a bit of an aversion to being called by my first name by coaches and players, as I worry that that familiarity could be miscontrued by the opposing team as to mean that I am biased.

I still introduce myself to coaches I have known for years, both on and off the field. When I am on the field dressed in blue, I am the umpire, off it I am Stan....

I also do not have a problem being called Blue or Ump....it is what I do.

But thats just me.....and as always my .02...

Interesting take. I had always called umpires by their first names, assuming it was welcome. Out of curiosity, Stan (or Blue!), do you feel like you're in the minority or majority?

I am in the call by my first name camp but if they call me blue then that's fine. In any level of pro they always use first names.
I don't worry about the familiarity problem because in most of the games I work either both know me or neither knows me. There are some cases in post season where this isn't the case but I would say it fits 95% of my games.

I really cant say where the % stands, but I will agree with MST when I say that my thoughts really apply to lower level baseball ....it enters more into the summer ball, travel team and tournament seasons when one team may know the crew more than the others....

In the HS and college level and of course pro level, it is very common for both coaches and umpires to call each other by the first name. Most often those coaches and umpires have long associations and are well known to both sides....when you have been doing this as long as MST and I have, most often it is difficult to find a coach who does not know you (or your name).....

Early in my umpiring career I did a tourney....one of the teams I had done games for in the year was in the championship game and I was the UIC. The game went well with no issues ( I thought) .....after the game, as I was passing the losing team dugout, I heard the coach say "I knew we were going to get hosed when I heard those umpires calling their coaches by the first name".......

Kind of made an impression on me I did not want to have made....In hindsight, I could have alleviated the problem by making sure I used both coaches names..........but since then, I have mainly used coach and sir to address coaches.....

BLUE is great for me.

Like Piaa, I have gotten into trouble during a tournament. I was working a game between a local team and a team from out of state. When the local coach saw me enter the field, he addressed me by first name and commented that it was good to see me again after a brief absence from umpiring. Before the first half inning finished, I had my first ejection ever. I had merely attempted to have the travel team make sure their batter had both feet in the box, because one was completely out of the box, and the situation escalated to the coach questioning whether I could call a fair game, and throwing a ball bucket. Since then my preference is Blue, but I do a much better job now of introducing myself to coaches that I have never seen before.

For any of my players to address an umpire is very rare. However, when they do, it is always "sir." As to how coaches address the umpire, I agree that it's inappropriate to use the umpires name, first and/or last. "Blue" is the term that is common in my area. I have never had an umpire have a problem with ump, blue (or again, sir). As a coach, I would not want the umpire to call me by my first name, "coach" will do.

Ha. My sons HS coach told players and parents to be VERY careful not to call the umps "Blue" as they have indicated they dont like the term. Just goes to show ya I guess

From a coaches side---I dont like to hear umps talking on a first name basis when I am in the game--especially out of town---I call them "Blue" and I want them to call me and my staff "Coach"--

I have had umps get upset becasue I called them "blue" but my answer was simple "we are not friends--you do your job and I will do mine"

This is very interesting.

My son has been taught not to call the umpire "Blue" for some reason.

At the start of each game he introduces himself, and usually the umpire will want him to call him by his first name.

Has anyone else been taught that calling the umpire "blue" is somehow an insult or dismissive?

Clearly a good number of umpires do not care to be called "Blue" and I respect that, I know that many feel the term is dismissive of them as a person much like a woman might not care to be called a "broad".....so I see that end as well....

My personal thoughts on the issue are to maintain the highest level of professionalism I feel comfortable with.....no more no less....

During the course of the plate meeting I will introduce myself to both coaches using my first and last name...if they choose to call me that I am fine with it,...I certainly dont make an issue of it.....I choose to call them coach during the game......

The last thing I want to do is put a barrier up to communication between myself and coaches and players. being open and approachable is more valuable to me.....

So Blue, Ump, Sir, Stan........is ok by me...

As already stated above my area pretty much uses first names but whatever the players or coaches see fit to call is fine as long as it isn't insulting.
In the plate meeting I introduce myself and get the manager's names. I write these on the line-up card for each team. I personally am horrible at rememebering names so sometimes I have to resort to coach because I can't remember a name. I also try to remember the pitcher and catcher's name for each team.

You know, to be honest, I never gave any of this much thought. I've been addressed by my name, blue, sir and ump and I respond favorably to all of them. Consistent with Mike and piaa, I always introduce myself by name at the pre-game conference and if the coaches want to call me by name, that's fine.

During the game I always refer to a Coach as Coach. Just a habit I developed for consistency. Although I don't mind being called by name, I can never be sure if the coach does.

As far as the players go, I'd prefer that they didn't call me by name but the others (ump, blue, sir)are fine. I usually address the players by position or their uniform number. I wouldn't be able to remember all the names anyway.

For me piaa nailed it.
I also do not like to be called by my first name. I do will introduce myself in the pre-game conference to the coaches, but after that NO first names. Just like piaa I agree that familiarity could be misconstrued by the opposing team as to mean that I am biased.

Polo, what is your "preferred" method to be addressed? Mr.____, Ump, Blue, Sir, or other?

Just BLUE...when I coached I used to call the umpires Mr. Umpire and the responded well. So I would accept that also but I KINDA LIKE BLUE!