foul tip

[beachbum]

I was behind the plate working a pitching scrimmage yesterday. Pitcher throws high and inside, batter foul tips a fastball(around 80) that hits me square in the mask. the thrust knocks me back to the batting cage(mask stayed on!!). Afterwards my left ear was ringing and behind the left ear was sore. Since it was a direct shot and not a glancing blow, I wondered why. the ear still doesn't seem quite right today, but I'm ok.

now the question. I was chewing gum and it was probably on the left side. One of the other umps there doing the practice said it might have been the gum chewing that did that.

Any feedback from umps that have taken one too many shots.