Why referees wear stripes

Olds went on to become something of an athletic legend at Eastern Michigan University known as the Michigan State Normal College until the late s.

But his farthest-reaching accomplishment is, without a doubt, the sartorial innovation that has kept officials from being mistaken for open teammates for years and counting.

Black and white stripes are now worn by referees in football , basketball, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, and more. BY Ellen Gutoskey. We Wonder if you're excited for the Super Bowl this weekend? We're glad to hear that you, your mom and your dad are exploring Wonderopolis together, Ethan!

We like your creative way of thinking about referees! Thanks for sharing your comment with everyone in Wonderopolis today! We're really happy that you liked this Wonder, too, Monkey! Thanks for visiting different Wonders today and leaving us a comment on each one you explore! Thanks for another awesome comment, Team Unger 9! We're happy you learned some fun new facts and some spiffy new vocab words by exploring this Wonder! We think we will both have to do a bit more WONDERing about other types of referees and when they started participating in other sports!

With all the sports being played around the world, we don't think we can even guess how many referees there are out there! We appreciate them for helping us have fun playing sports, though!

We're glad you found this Wonder in your search, Team Unger 12! It sounds like you learned a lot Thanks for sharing why you think referees where stripes, Hannah!

We're glad you stopped by Wonderopolis today! We do, too, Johnathan! It's fun to play a game of volleyball with a group of Wonder Friends and try our best to get the ball over the net!

That's part of the reason, Nicholas! Referees need to stand out on the court, field, etc. Striped or brightly colored shirts help them do that! We think that's some pretty clever and creative thinking on your part, Rickii, but maybe your mom would like it better if she didn't have to referee between you and your sister at all?

We think that's a really good reason to wear striped uniforms, Ayden! We're so glad to hear that, Cassidy! Way to go, Maya! It makes us really happy to hear that you like Wonderopolis, Maddie! That's a great question, Ian!

As the story goes, Mr. Lloyd Olds from Michigan was the first referee to wear a striped shirt at a game in He did it so he wouldn't blend in with either of the two teams who were playing each other!

We're happy to hear that you love learning here as much as we do! Enjoy the game! Hello, Julia! Thanks so much for visiting Wonderopolis and for leaving us a comment!

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What do referees do? What are some other names for referees? Wonder What's Next? We think the dog ate it! Try It Out Are you ready to exercise your creative imagination? Ask a friend or family member to help you explore the following activities: We want you to make up a story about a real zebra who is a referee.

Feel free to be as wild and crazy as you want to be. The sky is the limit. If you want to write down your story and illustrate it with pictures, go for it!

Perhaps your zebra referees friendly games in the wilds of Africa. What animals participate? What sports do they play? Maybe giraffes play against rhinoceroses in exciting soccer games.

Or is it the lions against the jaguars in a game of football? You decide! When you're finished, be sure to share your story with a friend or family member. Do all referees wear the same types of uniforms? Find out! Turn on the television or use the Internet to search for broadcasts of several different kinds of sports.

Watch each game for a bit, paying careful attention to the uniforms worn by the referees. Make notes of what you see. How are the referee uniforms in various sports similar? How are they different?

Can you design your own referee uniform? Give it a try! Choose a sport that you would want to referee. Think about how the players of that sport dress. What colors, styles, and designs are associated with their uniforms? With that information in mind, come up with your own stylish referee uniform design.

Make sure it stands out from what the players wear! Share your design with a friend or family member. What do they think? Would they wear your uniform? Why or why not? Did you get it? Test your knowledge. Wonder Words zebra neutral umpire judge linesman timekeeper captain dispute official pelt rank rule outfit vertical authority enforcement confusion quarterback Take the Wonder Word Challenge.

Join the Discussion. Chelsea Messier Nov 26, Dec 10, Excellent, Chelsea! Do you play a sport or referee? Abby Dec 11, Dec 13, Why does earth have gravity and no other planets do?? Juliet Jan 29, It's not only Earth that has gravity, other planets do, too. Dec 19, Dj Dec 6, I have a wonder why is the sky blue but the grass is green. We have answers to your Wonders, Dj! Tayton Nov 28, I have a wonder! Who invented the English language? Dec 27, Jess Jan 3, I have a wonder idea!

With that, iconic images of tailgating, big-screen TVs, cool weather, fan paraphernalia and favorite players come to mind. Why do referees wear black and white stripes? We answer this question with help from The New York Times. While the notion may have stayed the same, the white attire changed when referee Lloyd Olds was passed a ball during play. Bothered by what happened, Olds asked a friend that owned a sporting goods store to make him a shirt that would more clearly separate him from the players.

A year later, in , Olds debuted his black and white stripes much to the dismay of the fans. But like it or not, the shirt did its job — it distinguished Olds from the players on the field. Looking for more Never Stop Asking "Why? Catch up on all of the past "Whys" on the blog! Mask Policy Update: Masks are required indoors for all visitors ages 2 and older.

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