Just When You Think You've Seen It All

[bucket pinata]

My Dad had a saying that sums it all up. IF YOUR GONNA BE STUPID YOU HAVE TO BE TUFF!

 

[Comp]

I know a few guys that dont wear much in the way of equipment and they are also the ones dodging around behind the catcher every time they think the ball may be in the dirt.

Had a partner in a high school game last year who was putting on one of the little Honigs fast pitch chest protectors. Its basically shoulder pads and a breast bone protector and nothing else. I umpired the one team a couple days before and knew the pitcher threw real hard, but was pretty wild and the catcher was not the best in the world. Asked him if he was aware of the pitcher, he wasnt, asked if he wanted to borrow my chest protector, he didnt, insisted he would be fine and never got hit. First pitch of the game was high and inside to a lefty slapper, catcher never put a glove on it and it caught him right below the edge of the chest protector. I actually heard all the air leave his lungs as he stumbled backward against the backstop gasping for air. I went to check on him and he eventually insisted he was fine, asked him again if he wanted me to go get my chest protector but he said he didnt want it. He spent the rest of the game diving out of the way of any pitch he thought might get by the catcher.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I know a few guys that dont wear much in the way of equipment and they are also the ones dodging around behind the catcher every time they think the ball may be in the dirt.

Had a partner in a high school game last year who was putting on one of the little Honigs fast pitch chest protectors. Its basically shoulder pads and a breast bone protector and nothing else. I umpired the one team a couple days before and knew the pitcher threw real hard, but was pretty wild and the catcher was not the best in the world. Asked him if he was aware of the pitcher, he wasnt, asked if he wanted to borrow my chest protector, he didnt, insisted he would be fine and never got hit. First pitch of the game was high and inside to a lefty slapper, catcher never put a glove on it and it caught him right below the edge of the chest protector. I actually heard all the air leave his lungs as he stumbled backward against the backstop gasping for air. I went to check on him and he eventually insisted he was fine, asked him again if he wanted me to go get my chest protector but he said he didnt want it. He spent the rest of the game diving out of the way of any pitch he thought might get by the catcher.

And yet umps like these get upset when coaches complain to them about an inconsistent strike zone!

 

[JAD]

After reading this thread I was at our ASA State tournament this weekend and noticed that the home plate umpire was not wearing a full chest protector, but had on what looked like an Evoshield heart guard. Much smaller and less protection than a full chest protector. Poor guy also took a foul ball off one of his knuckles on Saturday and it was broken. He had it in a splint when he was calling games on Sunday afternoon.

 

[sleepwalker]

When I was young and watched men's fastpitch softball, I never once remember seeing a men's fastpitch catcher ever put on a chest protecter. 20+ years ago, when I was in my mid 20's, I umpired several Jr. College ball games behind the plate without a chest protector. I even umpired a couple of 4 year college ball games behind the plate without wearing a chest protector. Umpiring wasn't my full time gig and at 20 something, I had better ways to spend my money than to worry about my health. Nowadays, I wouldn't even think about going behind the plate without a chest protector. The older I get, the less I like pain.

I would venture to guess that umpiring isn't a lot of the younger generations full time gig and spending $200 to $300 in umpiring gear to work one or two tournaments a year doesn't seem like a sound financial decision for someone.

 

[Greenmonsters]

With the proliferation of TB teams in my area, there are a lot of umpires doing 4 games a day for weekend tournaments. The majority appear to be older gentlemen. Around here that's $400-600/weekend with tournaments every weekend at least June-July so equipment is a small investment. And its tax deductible as a business expense if you report the income. My guess is that it's more a heat/comfort thing?

 

[Comp]

With the proliferation of TB teams in my area, there are a lot of umpires doing 4 games a day for weekend tournaments. The majority appear to be older gentlemen. Around here that's $400-600/weekend with tournaments every weekend at least June-July so equipment is a small investment. And its tax deductible as a business expense if you report the income. My guess is that it's more a heat/comfort thing?

Guess I need to come work there then because here 8 games in a weekend would only come to $280, and temps are regularly well over 100.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Guess I need to come work there then because here 8 games in a weekend would only come to $280, and temps are regularly well over 100.

That's a shame. I'll hook you up if you promise not to run me!