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Don't go soft
I once wore a Diamond umpire soft shell with hard plastic shoulder protection for 13YO ball and below. Then I took a shot to the chest. I felt the PAIN instantly and thought about what that would have done to my heartbeat beacuse we all hear about the little guys collapsing after taking a shot to the chest like that. I immediately began to wonder just about how big I was at the time. I called time and walked down the baseline. I felt no pain but my mind needed to be reassured that I wasn't about to collapse in front of anyone. I returned to the plate and finished the ballgame. I couldn't help but notice the smile on my partners face throughout the rest of the ballgame. After the game I saw a light bruise and felt a hard painful lump on my chest. It only hurt when I touched it, but that lasted about two weeks.
I still cannot beleive how some umpire's will not protect their throats with an additional $5 throatguard, nor their collarbones with a hard-shell CP. I have witnessed these injuries and I don't need to be reminded that they occur on numerous ocassions throughout the season.
SAFETY FIRST
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