Helmet v Mask

[Lawrence_Dorsey]

Originally posted by Tim C
Get back to me in 15 to 20 years . . .

In the 60's we were told that all golf clubs would eventually have "fiber glass shafts" . . .

In the 50's we were told that with computers we would all work a 30 hour week . . .

As I noted in another thread:

Seeing Ed Hickox wearing a 7 stitch hat under his hockey helmet made me realize that the helmet can be worn and not look "dorky" . . .

I laugh when an internet umpire predicts the helmet will take over for the mask . . .

It ain't gonna happen UNLESS someone "organizes" umpires and has the final say over safety equipment.

Trust me . . . I work every day in construction and I know how hard change is for some.

"I think it is only a matter of time, before you see all or most of the umpires using the Helmet."

A safe statement since it actually means nothing.

Of course I would never wear a bicycle helmet either.

Tee,

The construction analogy is a little different. In that line of work many of the changes in safety equipment/practices are mandated by OSHA or some other regulatory body. We don't have any of those specifically dealing with umpires or their equipment. Instead, the trends in equipment and uniforms over the last 20 years have been driven by the MLB umpires we see on TV. Now if MLB starts mandating that MLB umpires wear the helmet exclusively (or their is an en masse switch), I could easily see all of us amateur umpires switching to the helmet. As long as their is a mix of masks and helmets at the big league level, that's what we'll see in amateur baseball. There was a post I read on another board from a Short season A umpire that suggested MiLB might mandate helmets at some point and time. He also reported that at least one MLB umpire had been forced to wear a helmet after receiving a concussion a few years ago.


Lawrence