Masks with Danglers-One Saved me last night!

[kylejt]

I wear the dangler in the same position as Dave. I've taken three shots there in eight years. I've also only taken one ball off my plate shoes. I've taken dozens of shots off my shinguards, and probably ten off my cup.

I know guys who don't wear one of the aforementioned pieces of equipment. The absent shinguard guy is the most startling to me, yet he's been doing it for years, and never been hit. Umpiring is a risky business. Most of us have been drilled in the thighs and arms, yet most of us don't wear gear there. It's a calculated risk. What others may wear, or don't wear, is a personal choice based on many factors. I like the fact that we can share our experiences here, and perhaps guide others, not by preaching, but relaying war stories.

Me, I started wearing the dangler after asking an umpire about the scare on this throat.