[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

When I was in college (early to mid-1970s) I played on my fraternity's intramural slow pitch softball team. The university in question required (for liability reasons) that catchers and plate umpires (the umpires were college students) wear masks. I could understand this from a liability stand point.

Fast forward to 1993 (I had already been officiating H.S. basketball since 1971 and college basketball since 1974) when I became a H.S. baseball and fast pitch softball umpire. At that time I did not umpire slow pitch softball because it did not interest me, and it still does not interest me except for a certain level of slow pitch softball.

When Mark, Jr., started officiating basketball (2007) and umpiring H.S. baseball and fast pitch softball (2008), I had been involved in Special Olympics Basketball for over 20 years. When Mark started umpiring we became involved in umpiring S.O. Softball which uses ASA Slow Pitch Rules.

S.O. Softball requires the catcher to wear the same equipment that fast pitch catchers wear. Even after 8 years of umpiring S.O. Softball, neither one of us are comfortable behind the Plate without a mask (and we both wear glasses while umpiring).

Last night Mark had a foul ball whizz past his head. He is young (25 years old) and has quick reflexes, but I, the ball old geezer, whose reflexes are good but not as good as those of one who is 25 years old, just may not get out of the way in time.

This leads to our question about working the Plate: Would it be gauche for us to wear a mask when we are behind the Plate?

MTD, Sr.