Just out of morbid curiosity...
 

Does anyone here (and I'm not joking about this question) still use the outside Balloon protector??

Some days I wish I did!

My dad still has one!

On Tuesday, I had a CEBA game in Springville, NY and took a shot off my right shoulder just above my CP. My shoulder has still been tender today and I had to work three straight plate games in a NSA Fastpitch Tourney. Now, between games when I worked the bases, I asked the attendants if I could use one of the balloons that the house league uses for their LL games. Gotta tell you, it was indeed different and I now understand what AL umpires had to do "in the day". Managing a balloon protector truly is an art form ;) :D.

Haven't seen one in years. Great protection and as long as you don't have to run anywhere, a balloon and a mesh shirt sure would be cooler than packing in heat with a West Gold. ;)

Well, it was the first (and second, and third ;) ) time I used one and I found out the sequence for ripping off the mask and protector is this:

1) remove mask with right hand and shift to left

2) remove right arm from right strap and tuck the protector under the left arm.

Ah the bad/good ole days. Yessir, that's pretty much the protocol. I remember like it was yesterday, buying my first balloon, I was such a newbie, 12 or 13 yoa, cost like $10 (?), used it for years until my organization decided to be cool and go inside. Catcher's sand in sewn pockets protectors, I think. Sold my old balloon for $15. Profit, America is good :D

Worked games with no time limits, $6, $14 for a DH; worked 6-8 games on Sat/Sun in the Southern heat and humidity.

I don't know why I miss those times but I still do. :)

Does he? I'll bet it's worth a try one, if you haven't ;)

Well, as I said, I'll likely stay with the inside for the most part. The only times I may use a balloon are:

1) where I have an injury that may require the extra protection (like today)

2) lower level (60' basedpath) youth baseball.

You use the balloon? No wonder so few respond to this thread. Good God (and He is), Man, do you want to wind up on an Ignore list? :D

Go for it. The balloon got retired because of st00pid fashion rules for umps when it can be an entiely appropriate protective device. It has its place and I, for one among very few sorry to report, applaud your independence of thought and courage to use and admit.

Gee, the balloon, I don't even have one, how sad. :(

Admitting you have a problem is the first step :D:D:D:D
Be that as it may, I'm still primarily an inside umpire, use a hardshell protector (ITech ump3000 to be specific) and have had very few problems. This was a unique situation where I had to "old school" it.

That's the problem, I have so many first steps. :eek:

The Itech stuff, I haven't found it locally, is it good? Is it Mizuno off brand?

'Nuff said :D



Actually, it is a division of Cooper, and yes, my Itech has been serving me very well, thank you.

I wore the balloon (raft) for a solo Senior LL double-dipper on a hot summer day a few years back. My assignor let me borrow his old foam rubber protector because this league was notoriously bad at playing baseball. I saved myself a lot of bruises that day, as I was pummeled mercilessly by uncaught pitches nearly every inning of both games. I am also glad I was never assigned this particular league again.

Right. Cooper's stuff, I forgot that. Cooper got a bad rap for no reason as ump stuff. I remember they had one of the first adjustble batting helmets, excellent idea for kids baseball.

I wear several different vests and shins and shoes, depends on level of play, wet/dry grounds, etc. How about you?

on the VERY rare occasion i do anything 12yo or under, i always use the raft since it's like a firing squadron back there. might as well give me a blindfold and a cigarette while i'm at it.

If I remember correctly, ITECH used to make the Gerry Davis Chest Protector and maybe even the Gerry Davis shin guards (both now made by Wilson). As far as I know, ITECH is out of the umpire equipment business - at least under their own brand name.

I found a bunch of ITECH stuff on a liquidation site two or three years ago and ordered several ITECH masks and Ump3000s for a local Little League. The ITECH Ump3000 was selling for $15 and originally had sold for as much as $85. The masks were a fairly light weight single bar with vinyl/fabric pads. They were going for $10 and probably worth three or four times that price. I remember seeing an ITECH helmet on one or two sites.

I haven't seen one since early 90's, maybe 90 or 91.

I work often with a guy who uses the Balloon
 

I have probably done 400+ games with a guy who currently wears one. He has done HS state tournament and College BB with one, even in this decade. When you see him work, you can see the holes using an outside protector cause these days in your zone, but he is pretty consistent is his zone, and does a nice job behind the plate.

Last year he got a new one. He said he was buying his last one, I guess he's retiring in the next 5 years or so. I'll miss him when he's done.

I did one game about 20 years ago with one. I remember feeling VERY safe behind it. :) But yeah, pretty hard to manage.

worked with a Smitty last week who used the raft because "it's too hot out". Also wore and HSM with it. It was a 5:45 weekday game and was perhaps 85-90 degrees at start time. Also did not have any appropriate patches on his uniform. Wp

The balloon is hard to manage but back then/when, less mobility was expected of us and less protection was expected from F2. I was watching a history of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the catchers were 1 to 2 meters behind the plate.

My goodness, no kidding, he may be one of a few left. Good for him. Where are these "holes"?

Yeah, DelBlue, I think you're right, I don't see them at Dick's or Sports Authority, etc.

I bought a bunch of there stuff two, maybe three years ago, cheap, gave it(sold for price paid) to newbie umps. Good value.

LOL :D :D Nothing like tucking the balloon under chin to feel comfy.

The inside protectors have progressed from catcher's gear to umpire specific gear. Add the HSM and you don't have too many "holes" where you can take a shot. Working umpires need to work, getting injured means no work. If you take a hit and it puts you out for a week, that could cost you $200 to $600 or more? The best equipment, regardless of whether it is an inside or outside, or HSM, is like income insurance.

Imo
 

56,

IMO,

Just from watching him and other balloon guys, I think they have a little harder time being consistent on the low pitch, and the outside low pitch in particular.

I think there are ways people try to adjust to compensate for that, but when you are working over the head or shoulder of a catcher, unless he is very, very good at framing pitches, getting a look at low strikes is harder to do than working the slot w/ an inside protector. And with other people I have seen, not my partner, their adjustments make their zone worse instead of better.

But, hey, don't get me wrong, my friend is a pretty consistent umpire, and a good friend. I trust his zone a lot more than other people I know.

I can see that issue especially if the balloon rides out from your body.

I have seen some great PU zones behind those balloons, like to think I had one, probably didn't. :eek:

But remember how the zone used to be
 

56,

Remember, in the history of Baseball the zone was much different than today. With a higher zone in Baseball for most of its history, the high strike was as important as the low strike. Now, everybody has to keep the ball down esp. w/metal bats.

Everything has adjusted to the low pitch, and the outside corner, where the Balloon has a hard time making such adjustments.

Maybe one day the balloon will rise again in some form, some way that you can deinflate and reinflate a bladder very, very quickly so you can run with it easily, and carry a mask. For protection it's a no contest for the balloon.

That's a great idea, jk, inflate/deflate. Why not?

True about the zone, it has come vertically full circle (??). In the 80s, anything at or above the belt was a "Ball". In the 90s, we had umpires like Eric Gregg calling strikes in the opposite batter's box.