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Two whoppers of note.
Baseball game several years ago, big H.S. kid throwing in the mid 80's; high hard one that the bat barely tipped over the catcher's glove directly to the center of my big old iron mask. At 6'1" and 270 I thought I was immovable, but I ended up flat on my back looking up at the stars. Strange, I thought - this is a mid-afternoon game!
Last year was the worst. Men's B league FP; I am in "C" well into the outfield (these guys play as deep as SP shortstops). Bases loaded, ball into CF; I am hustling inside but I only make it to about the baseline when I turn and see the ball whiz by my head going to home. Catcher jumps out, cuts ball and throws to 3B. I pivot in time to see the ball get past F5. Within a fraction of a second F6 has fielded the ball and thrown a bullet to 2B.
The only problem was that there was something in the way between him and 2B - ME! The ball ricocheted off my left arm, leaving behind a cracked bone - and into my ribs, leaving a melon sized ugly black purple bruise that lasted two weeks.
I left the game, and will never umpire men's FP again. Their game is just too fast for me. I'll stick with the JO and H.S. games.
WMB
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