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Originally Posted by DG
Those helmets have not been permitted for any players entering the major league since 1983, while batting. So while this may be Bench's batting helmet it is not permitted as a batting helmet today, and not allowed for catchers in HS.
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I would say that is an ABC Fielder's helmet which was the original batting helmet being used in the late 1950's and early 60's. The batting helmet with one ear flap began to appear during the mid-60's and was made mandatory in the early 1970's. I wore a batting helmet with two ear flaps back then in HS . One-ear and two-ear flap helmets are batting helmets. That fielder's helmet remained popular among catchers and older first basemen, i.e. Boog Powell. John Olerud is one recent first baseman I can remember wearing it on the field. In HS, I have seen players on defense with previous head tramal wear the fielder's helmet.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...601343_pf.html
or
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb