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Originally Posted by nickrego
OK Dave, I will admit that I can not prove my Dangler "saved" my life.
It does prevent me from being hit in the throat several times each season.
Throat injuries can go in many directions, but if it is serious, and there isn't someone right there who knows how to open your air passage, guess what ?
I have been hit in my Dangler by inside fastballs that never were touched by the catcher, at the Varsity and Adult level. I sure as heck don't want to find out if one of them would have seriously injured me.
My son used to make fun of me for wearing a dangler, until he got hit in the throat last season. It scared the crap out of him. Knocked him down, and he lost his breath for a few moments. He ended up with one heck of a bruise, and a new Dangler that he never works without. He prefers a Mask, by the way.
Safety first, looks second.
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A fellow umpire was also hit in the throat. It scared the crap out of him in pretty much the same way. He said he wasn't too sure he was ever going to get that breath back. One of them moments when a second seems to last much longer than a second. I have heard stories about a high-level NCAA college umpire (local assignor) taking a shot to the throat. It wasn't pretty either. Not sure how long it took him to recover from the serious blow. {Surprisingly,
} I don't know if their mechanics were at fault.
Given the latest Fed POE on mandatory throat extensions, I find it ridiculous to ridicule someone for wearing one. It only takes one. I have taken many foul balls to the upper torso and mask, and a few to the the throat guard. I prefer the impact of the ball drilling my cheap plastic throat guard. I think it has something to do about the FORCE being spread out over a much larger area.