Fans watching the narrow Milwaukee Brewers win over the Minnesota Twins on May 15 may have noticed something strange around the diamond: The team of umpires seemed to be missing their customary uniform pants when the game began.
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The game broadcast indicated that a trunk of equipment didn’t make it to Target Field on time, including the pants, though the umpires were able to change into the correct gear later in the game.
But the late arrival left the team of arbiters (first-base ump Stu Scheurwater, second-base ump Junior Valentine and third-base ump Jordan Baker) wearing the pants they wore that day to the stadium. Home-plate umpire Rob Drake was able to wear standard gear that happened to be on site.
“It was ugly early,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy joked. “Like our offense.”
Twins starter Joe Ryan said he believed Scheurwater was wearing a Lululemon fit. Brewers second baseman Brice Turang said he told the umpires they should adopt the less rigid look more often.
“Get comfy,” Turang said.
The umpires played a pivotal role in the game on more than just the fashion front. Third-base umpire Baker’s pivotal obstruction call in the eighth inning allowed the Brewers to tie the game at 2-2; one batter later, Jake Bauers put the Brewers ahead with a double. That’s how the game finished, at 3-2.
The umpiring crew declined comment when approached by a pool reporter after the game about both the pants and the call.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What was going on with the umpire pants at the Brewers game May 15?