Question for Jim Porter

[His High Holiness]

Jim;

A while ago, you gave a valuable physics lesson on why umpires should wear their mask loose. This was so that the mask would spin off of the head and dissapate the shock away from the neck. Of course, a few know it alls (who knew nothing) had to argue with an expert and insist that the mask should be warn tight.

From personal experience I know what happens when the mask does not spin. I once took a direct shot that did not involve any spinning action. Although the mask was loose, the hit was dead center so the neck took the full impact. I remember thinking at the time that Jim Porter knew exactly what he was talking about.

Anyway, last night a similar thing happened to my partner and it got me thinking about hockey masks which are becoming more popular. There is no way that a hockey mask could spin on your head. Doesn't that mean that a hockey mask would be inferior protection for certain kinds of hits? Or is there something about a kockey style mask that better absorbs the impact?

Thanks in advance for your answer.

Peter