Hit in the line of duty
 

Ok, how bad have you been hit? (both behind the plate and on base)

<a href="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a335/SAWolf/?action=view&current=DSCF0112.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a335/SAWolf/DSCF0112.jpg" border="0" alt="Bruiseleg"></a>

This was when I was working 2 man team I was in position C about the 8th inning.

Before this happened the pitch had tried to pick-off R3 and I was worried that I'd missed a balk and was probably concentrating a little too much on the pitcher. The batter then smashed this pitch about 2 ft off the ground straight at me. Ouch! I finished the game and iced the leg it took about 3 weeks to clear.

One of the older more experienced guys said that a good umpire doesn't get hit cause he can read the play and not get in the way. Looks like I got a way to go. :o

I feel for you, bro.
My thigh looked like that a couple of years ago after I got hit while working the plate. I invested in McDavid Hexpad tights shortly thereafter.

I got hit in the ankle while in the C position last year. Thankfully, it didn't leave near the mark that you've got there!

Sounds like your buddy has been lucky. He may have to eat those words. Kids are hitting the ball harder all the time, and I'm sure his reflexes aren't as good as they used to be.

The worst ones happened when I first started:

1) Hit in shallow C position by a line drive in the shin. Learned very quickly that I did not have to be that close to the pitcher and the plate to see what I needed to see.

2) Dropped by a foul ball that catcher did not glove straight into my collar bone. I was standing a little too upright using a cheap chest protector that had slid down under my collar bone.

3) Of course, the obligatory cup check. That game had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning, and apparently I ruined the pitcher's momentum because he gave up a hit in that same inning.

Ding, ding. We have a winner!
Let's see somebody beat that story!

It is true, the kids are hitting harder than before...I was in the B position and took a low line drive to the foot...right off my toe...it was numb for the rest of the game but I kept going. I thought it was broken, but to my surprise it wasn't..

Had a pitch bounce off the plate, go right through the catcher, then slam home up under the small end of my cup. Dropped me like a box of rocks and took me to that dark, far off place where nothing else exists but blinding pain for a few seconds. A few minutes later, the cobwebs cleared and we're playing ball.

Next inning- the same thing happens again! As I'm lying there on the ground, somebody says, "Are you okay, Blue?". Gee, whadya' think...

The first thing that popped into my head, and out of my mouth, was, "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just damn glad that I'm done having kids!".

I can't recall ever being hit by a batted ball while playing the field. I've had some close ones, but always managed to get out of the way. One partner I had wasn't so lucky.

He was in "C" and the batter ripped one right at him. He turned to avoid it, but the ball hooked right into him. He zigged when he should have zagged.

The first place the ball hit him was on the end of the thumb, as he had his arms and hands tucked in tight against his body. That ripped the nail off of his thumb and had blood just pouring out. The ball richocheted into his wrist and instantlly raised a lump about the size of a baseball. It looked like the wrist bone had snapped and was pressing up from behind the skin (turns out it wasn't broken). One of the nastier things I've seen on a field- and I've seen some nasty ones!

Off to the ER he went, as I finished the game solo.

Good stories. 2 shots to the nads in one game. People were laughing at you. I'm sure you don't remember it, but they were... trust me, they were.

Bro?
Is that a man's leg?

A partner who I schedule most of my games with, is running late to our dbl hdr, expects to arrive about 15 min prior. We have a routine that he is always PU for the 1st game, under his assumption that its the better game/pitchers(not always so, but I dont care, he's a friend).

This time, since he's running late, he calls and wants to switch- no problem. Between games we walk to our cars to change, then start the 2nd game. 2nd inning, catcher misses a low fastball, hits PU directly on front of his shoe, he falls backward on his back in pain, holding his foot up with his hands. Coaches come out, players all around, but he finally stands up- tells me quietly that he forgot to change into plate shoes(ouch), thinks he broke his big and another toe.

I ask if he wants to go and change now, he says too late-they've swollen up, parking lot kinda far away---play ball. 4th inning, same thing happens-same foot, on his back ect, except this time there's tears in his eyes....I told him I'll put on my gear but he says no, and goes to change shoes, limping away and back.
2 broken toes, limped all season, lost the nails.......lesson?;)

It is virtually impossible to "forget" to change into your plate shoes. How does one bog that badly?

No kidding. I would feel extremely awkward with my base shoes on with shin guards.

I know alot of umpires that do not wear plate shoes...and when I hear about situations like this, they will soon learn to wear plate shoes when doing the dish...:eek:

A good friend of mine worked for years without wearing a cup, until one day he got hit and was carrying a grape fruit around in his ball bag.

my worst
 

Foul ball to the forearm.....Initially I thought my arm was broken....but was able to move the fingers etc.....made it through the game and drive myself right to the hospital....Once in the ER, the ER doc took one look at the arm and said "that arm is broken, lets get some xrays".........which we did.......as it turned out......not broken.........deep bone bruise......I was black and blue and green and yellow from my shoulder to my fingertips....

The only equipment mistake I've made was in a hurry to get dressed for the plate.....I rushed to the field....dressed and got to the plate while my partner was finishing up covering the plate meeting for me... Out of habit, I usually tap each heel on my shin guards prior to the first pitch......

Yup I had forgotten to put on my shins........plate shoes, cup, ball bags, cp.....but no shins......made it through the first inning and sent one of the ball boys to my car for the shins and got them on before the start of the 2nd....

Keep the good stories coming! I love 'em.


Many years ago I knew a guy who got married on Friday night. He & his wife weren't able to leave on their honeymoon until Sunday.
On Saturday, they walked down to the local park to watch a Little League game. No umps, so he volunteered.
No cup... Balloon CP...You know where this is going. He was in the dirt in a fetal position. I offered to go on his honeymoon for him, but he declined.

Yes, get a better friend. This one wants the best games unless it is inconvenient to him and then he is too stupid to use equipment he has already.

This has happened to me twice that I can remember, but in both cases I was missing only one shin guard, had the other one.

I had the plate in a legion game last season. In the top of the second I took an untouched foul ball right off my left bicep. The following inning I took another untouched foul off the right bicep. I ended up with matching bruises.

I don't recall ever being hit in that location before. What are the odds that I'd take one in each arm in the same game?

I took an upper 80s fastball in the bicep a few years ago. I work the GD system and was locked in nice and solid, the catcher scooted outside during the windup, ball came up and in, and he didn't even get a glove on it. The bruising wasn't so bad color-wise, but it was tough to straighten the arm out for a good two or three days.

I've never been hit on the bases and can't even remember a close call.

I have never said I have never been hit working the pads, because it's something a superstitious person never says. Never.

My first season doing Fed ball, I was 2 days out of my first mechanics clinic. It was a V - JV double header. My partner was a 20 year veteran. JV game I was PU 1 out runner on 3rd. Suicide Squeeze. I popped out, mask off in hand stepping up to see the charging 1st baseman pick up the bunt near the line and I give it a hard sell-fair ball. I forgot all about the play at the plate: I'm in the middle of my fair-sell and see the 1st basemen fire a rocket right at my nose, I duck, got pegged off the side of my head and then to make mattters worse the runner slid into home, taking out my legs. My first train wreck at the plate and I'm in the carnage. The next thing I remember is my partner saying, "That was the best fair-ball sell I've ever seen!"

One More

I can say when working the field/bases I've never been hit by a ball from my game. However: two years ago in Illinois, I was working the field for a softball game. The softball diamond and baseball diamond were adjacent, our 1st baseline was parralel to and about 20 feet from their 3rd baseline. Usually they try to avoid games on the same day, but we were making up a softball game.

I'm behind first, pitcher is about to deliver the ball and for some reason I was calling time, hands up. THe moment my hands went up I caught a foul ball from the baseball field with my gut. It wasn't a line drive, but it still hurt.

I enjoy feeling everyone else's pain. I now know why I wear reinforced shoes even when doing the bases...(no need to change between games)

The impact seems to be near the back of the leg. How did this happen? Did you attempt to turn your back on the ball?

In umpiring 20 plus years I have been hit many times. When I first started, I was hit at just about every plate game (rarely on bases).
Two instances of note:
Plate game many years ago. Took foul ball to left forearm - just about where my watch would have been. Arm swelled up to almost size of baseball. One coach who came to my aid stated "Thats broken !" Needless to say I took myself out of game and my partner took over solo. I took off some of my gear and then walked across the street to the emergency dept of our local hospital.They wanted to get x rays but I refused and showed them how I could still move my wrist. They almost took a fit when I did this. Ended up checking it out and getting an ice pack. I returned to the field (tournament in progress) and worked bases with ice pack on sidelines for use between innings !
Second. Another tournament working third on a 3 man. Man on third. I am on line. Batter hits a screamer about foot and a half off turf. Some how the ball made it past the leading off runner, third baseman, and third base coach - but not me. I was able to move a half step further into foul territory - wrong move. The screamer curved and caught me in the shin - ouch ! However I was able to stay in and also work the next game - plate !!

I broke two cups working the same HS JV game last year. Two pitchers who would've been great from about a 55' mound and two catchers who should have stayed home to play XBox made for a long day.

The first one one-hopped in front of the home catcher, snuck between his legs, and then caught me between mine. I grunted and waddled to the car, thankful to have a spare, as my partner laughed it up and explained the situation to both coaches. (At our next association meeting, a poll was taken, and nobody else there carried two cups at the time. I can't say whether my experience has changed this.)

An inning and a half later, another "perfect" shot into the fresh cup. I turned green and finished on the bases. I'm pretty sure nobody blames me.

I have been hit in the arms, legs above the shin guards, lower rib cage below the protector, and throat (bouncing balls). Most notable problem was getting hit in the hand on an inside pitch that broke my left hand pinky finger, in the first game of a college game DH on a Saturday. I completed both games and went to doctor on Tuesday. Wore a splint for about 6 weeks.

I changed to GD stance not long after this and have still been hit, but not in the fingers.

Mid 1990's. A colleague of mine in C, drilled to the head by a liner, knocked unconcious.
Got a helicopter ride to the Shock-Trauma Center at Uof MD Hosp.
Luckilly, no serious injury. nasty knot and bruise, still umpires.

Nope, I didn't try to turn my back on the ball, it was side on. Point of impact as just between the scar (on the fron of the shin) and the knee just to the right of the bone. The doc said that it wouldn't have bruised so much if I'd stopped and iced it immediately. Instead I stayed in and finished the game. :p

Btw, the pic was taken 3 days after the game.

I took a shot last year while in C. Ball hit the side of the mound, changed direction right into my left leg. Working a Men's game about 10 years ago, no bat rule, metal bats, this guy drills a laser right into my left hip (I only had time to "turn a cheek.") So 2 in 20+ years. Those that think it's cause of bad umpiring should just know you're one pitch away. Sometimes it's just hit too hard or, in my case, hits something and you're too close to do anything but call time and award bases while both teams complain.

I moderate an email list of umpires, many of whom work college ball and good high school baseball and SIX of us got hit last season. I think there's no doubt that when the pitching gets worse and the hitting gets better (harder), this kind of thing happens more often, but SIX?

Hey Rich: 6 out of 12, or 6 out of 1,500?

Knock on wood I've only been hit once by a batted ball while BU and that was on my heel from a bad hop hitting a staple holding down the brand new sod then bounced right at me.

I got hit by a foul on my left wrist. Thought it would be broken. I could only barely move my fingers and when I did move them it hurt badly. I continued to call the game holding my indicator w/ my right hand and removing my mask with my right hand which was extremely awkward. I got home put ice on it and could start moving my hand again.

IMO, the Metal bat has ruined the game both for the particpants and for umpires.

I am in a much 'deeper' position when the participants use metal as opposed to wood. If that means I lose angle on the pick-off attempts at first base then so be it.

Self preservation comes first. I do not care if you are in tip top shape or out of shape. if a power hitter gets a hold of one you simply have ZERO time to react. All you can do is try getting hit in an area that will not be fatal.

Also, as far as the 'B" / 'C" positions go it depends upon the pitching meaning if F1 is "losing it" I go opposite the power alley of the hitter so if he does get a hold of one I am on the opposite side.

Hopefully, wood will come back sooner rather than later.

Also, FWIW I cannot understand why they allow College kids to use metal. can you imagine Big Poppy or Albert Pujols using a metal bat?

Pete Booth

How ironic that you call my friend stupid for changing to work the plate while forgetting to change into plate shoes, while you, not once but twice!! only put on one shin guard...who only puts 1 on and not the other??

I took one on the top of the thumb between my knuckles. I thought it was broke, but it ended up I only hurt that ligament on top. It was stunned for a few days, then it was ok after ice.

Remember guys, if you get an injury, ICE ICE ICE. Never heat untill the swelling has gone away.

20+ years and never been hit in the field. Close call once during a semi-pro game. I am in the C position and left my plate pants on for second game of double header. I pivot and spin on a ball hit at me, bases loaded. F6 fields ball after it deflected off my cuff. I did not feel a thing and he says it hit me. I try to explain that I did not feel a thing. He drops the subject, yet 2 runs score.

In between innings I ask my partner if he saw the ball. He clearly stated that it deflected off of me. I asked why he didn't speak up because an extra run scored that shoudn't have. The answer I got was yuo didn't ask. Fair enough and fortunately it had no effect on the game. Kind of wierd.

As for the dish, I have received a could share of black and blue marks. and yes I actually called the first batter to the plate once, and realized that I left my mask in the car.

I was stupid not to have to have both shins on. How's that for self-evaluation? Your friend is still stupid too.

:eek:Get nailed while on the radio. Doing game for LL district championship with the game being broadcast on the local AM station. Runner on third here's the pitch, ball is in the dirt batter swings misses the pitch. The problem is so does the catcher ball skips up collecting said umpire right in the side pocket( my cup had shifted ). The pitch is strike three and here comes the runner trying to score as I am almost collapsed up agaisnt the backstop. I make the call of out at the plate and then get to hear the announcers who are less then ten feet away commenting on the play and the discomfort of the umpire. It's bad enough getting nailed but having it on radio was the nail in the coffin. The only thing worse would have been if it could have gotten to youtube.:rolleyes:

This is my biggest fear, I've had a couple of screamers hit at me around head level and, while I've been able to get out of the way, it gives you some pause. I keep moving back while in B and C, safety has to be the top priority.