Gutsy Catcher Stories

[PlaySundaySoftball]

How about a thread to tell gutsy stories about our catchers, because we all know they are the toughest kids on the field
Here is one of mine.
It was the last inning of a game and my daughter caught a pitch, something seemed strange about the way she cought it but I didn't have a good enough view to really tell. After that I could see her rubbing her throwing hand between pitches. After the game was over I walked over to her to tell her good game and as soon as she saw me she started crying (she is 10) I hugged her and asked her what was wrong. she said she got hit in the hand. I asked how it happened and she said the pitch was outsude and she barehanded it. I asked her why on earth would you do that. She said "Daddy, there was a runner on third"
Play Sunday Softball

 

[Dadof1]

Daughter dove head first into a concrete backstop trying to catch a foul tip. She lay motionless until we ran to her, and she was crying. When I got to her and asked if she was hurt she said no. I asked why she was crying. She said, "cause I dropped the ball"

 

[Mark H]

Good story Dad. Gotta love a kid like that.

This story was ten plus years ago. Small town LL All Star game. Meant a lot to the girls and the small town. Had a pitcher scaring 60 with some movement who ended up getting some money in D2. Only had one catcher capable of holding her and that catcher knew it. She caught five innings till someone noticed her glove hand was swelling up. Turned out she had two broken bones in there from before the game. Wouldn't tell anyone because she knew the second catcher couldn't hold this pitcher. Maybe that's where my inordinate affection for left handed catchers started. No doubt in my mind that kid is/was tougher than I was at that age.

 

[absdad]

Not softball, but still...

This past saturday, my son's 9u baseball team was in a tough game. Score was tied at 6 at the start of the final inning. Catcher on his team isn't overly talented, but a tough kid that is very quick. He kept palming the ball and the coach noticed he was crying. Called time and went out and the boy said his thumb was just throbbing. The coach called for another boy to catch, but this kid protested. Didn't want to come out. He's by far the best catcher on the team. They gave him a southpaw mitt and he finished the inning. And yes, he was catching them just fine. Couldn't throw worth a darn, but we don't have alot of stealing in this league. Gutsy kid.

 

[chazbz1]

Two years ago, DD (who had braces at the time) took a throw at the plate during a H/S game. The runner slid into the plate with a high elbow and hit my DD in the face with the aforementioned elbow as she applied the tag. (See attached picture) My DD's mask went flying off her head. She did get the out and didn't get hurt! She ALWAYS leaves her mask on unless it's a pop-up.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

How about a gutsy pitcher story?

Happened this fall; runner on first and batter drove one right back at her head - HARD. Pitcher caught the liner and without thinking caught the runner off of the base for a double play.

Her coach, always being the joker yells out to her "DIDN'T I TEACH YOU TO RUSH THAT BALL?"

everyone got a good laugh. The pitcher later told me that it happened so fast she didn't have time to think about it.

 

[stephanie]

playing in a rec league that doesn't allow stealing home...my catcher notices the girl at 3rd taking a big lead (since that is what her coaches were wanting to teach her...rightly so)My catcher throws to 3rd, knowing the girl can't steal...runner froze...3rd baseman just stood there waiting to tag her...it was awesome...they were 9!

Of course, same catcher caught a pitch with her knees earlier in the game...I love my catcher!!

 

[Ken Krause]

Had a girl named Katie who caught for me about 10 years ago. She developed arm trouble during her HS season, but still loved to catch and wouldn't think of not doing it.

We were in a tournament and I could see her arm was really hurting, but she refused to come out since we had no other options. During warmups for the pitcher before the start of the inning she could barely get the ball back to the pitcher -- basically just rag-arm lobbed it. During the inning a runner on first decided to take advantage of it and went to steal second. Boom! Katie fires the ball down there and nails her. It had to hurt, but no way anyone was stealing second on her!

 

[halskinner]

I had a catcher named Chuck Linnel when I was in my 20's. He caught for my Dad's team and they used me a few times as a pick up player. He had red curly hair and looked alot like 'Howdy-Doody' from the old tv show. Everyone just called him 'Howdy'.

I was pitching and he was catching one game. I threw a fat one and the guy at bat put it to the wall in center field. There was a runner on 2nd and I think there was 2 outs at the time.

The runner took off at the crack of the bat. Howdy stood blocking the plate and dropped his mask off to the side. Our center fielder had a tremendous arm and fired it home. But, it was easy to see it was going to cross the plate at about 9 or 10 feet in the air.

Howdy saw where the ball was coming in at, looked at the runner coming round third base, shook his head once and said a curse word.

Just before the runner reached him, Howdy jumped straight up in the air, caught the ball, did a 180-degree flip and came down glove and ball first.

He tagged the runner on the ankle when his foot was about one foot away from the plate, the ump (and everyone else) saw it plain. OUT! The rest of Howdy then fell on top of that runner with a big KATHUD.

The runner then kind of scuffled for a second and shoved Howdy away from him as they both quickly climbed back to their feet. Howdy ditched his glove expecting a fight. The runner stood there for 4 or 5 seconds glaring at Howdy.

The runner then shook his head a few times, smiled, stuck his hand out and said 'Howdy, I've been playin softball for 20 years and that was the best d_mn play by a catcher I have EVER seen or heard of. I think you're little nuts but that was one awesome play!".

After the game both teams decided to go to the same pizza parlor. We laughed about it the whole time.

We all thought he was a little nuts too!

 

[Ken Krause]

Hal, that is an awesome story! You have to love a catcher who will go to that length for a single out!