Umpire knee protection?
 

I was at the Biscuits-Barons AA game in Montgomery Saturday night. It looked like the catcher got crossed up and PU took a pitch to the knee. After a delay the PU got back to work but a couple innings later he was done. The 3BU went behind the plate and the rest of the game was done with two umpires.

My question is what protection do umpires wear for the knees and legs? Obviously no matter what you wear, sometimes the ball just finds skin and bone.

Thanks.

Well... shinguards? Obviously, however, there are differnt levels of protection.

I currently wear Wilson "triple knee" shinnies, and it is difficult for me to imagine getting hit in a way that would take me out, now. In my younger, cheaper days, however, I wore a shin guard with, basically, NO protection against a ball coming in a down trajectory over the top of my shins to the top of my knee.

Naturally, I eventually took a foul ball in exactly that place [the scissors stance I used at that time didn't help]. Good thing it happened bottom of the last inning, 'cause 20 min later I couldn't bend the knee, which was well on it's way to doubling it's size. No permanent damage, but I was on crutches for a week.

I have the Golds, too. It's difficult to imagine a guy at the pro level wearing something inadequate that would result in a knee injury. Good double-knees are enough and like CB says, triple-knees are more than enough. And they are also affordable--more affordable than a premier mask or chest protector.

I guess the guys who think smaller and lighter (and cheaper) is better in a shin guard occasionally have to leave a game on wheels.

I'm with the other two gentleman. I have the triples and I have been hit directly a few times this summer. One time I really thought I was going to be bruised and battered after a foul ball hit me directly on the knee but I didn't have anything, not even a stiff joint. I couldn't imagine a major injury involving a triple unless it's a freak incident.

-Josh

If your shin guards are not facing forwards, due to an odd stance, you can get clipped wearing quad knee shin guards. I'd be willing to bet it was a side shot.

By far the BEST protection I have worn doing the dish is my referee Ice hockey shin guards.

Flexible, confortable and the only exposed part of your knee is about two inches of the rear.

Some may say, "Hockey pads?" Well, who ever thought the "Goalie mask" would be used behind the plate. Hmm.

Great Protection.

So we should expect one day to see goalie's shin pads to become widely accepted ?? :D

Some of the higher quality hockey player shin guards would be very effective for umpire protection as well. They are built even tougher and with much better padding than the referee models. Take a gander at the Reebok 10K or Warrior Hustler models. They are pretty sweet.

I'm just passing on what I have found to be solid, comfortable shin and knee protection information. Your expectations in life is your business.

Interestingly, I worked 6 games over the holiday weekend with a friend of mine whom I had never previously worked with.

He wears hockey shinguards while working the plate & swears by them. Great protection, light weight, & no "encumbrance", according to him.

I wear Honig's K20s (a double knee guard) and I have never come close to getting hurt in them.

JM

Just wondering...I wear Douglas pads, love'em and use the box stance.
Took a pitch straight from the pitcher's hand directly to my knee cap.
No bruise. No "contact pain". But the shot compressed things behind the knee cap and they didn't like it. Finished the game, but felt like a "trick knee" the rest of the way. Was fine the next day.
Anybody else? The AA guy cited above maybe?

Looks like the knee wasn't why this PU left. While getting my daughter some Dippin Dots, it seems the PU took a foul ball to the mask. I didn't see that and assumed the knee was bothering him from a couple innings before. But I read in the newspaper that it was a foul ball right square in the mask that sent him out of the game. He was quoted after the game "My head is still hurting and I feel woozy, but I'll see how I feel for tomorrow's (Sunday's) game."

Thanks for the responses anyway. You guys always provide good info.

All right, now you've pissed us off. ;)

I agree. I loved my Douglas leg guards. Took a few good shots and never felt a thing. Sold them to BigUmp56 in my "retirement" sale. Now for my comeback, they of course are no longer available (and nearly impossible to get anyone to part with as they are just so damn good). I plan on giving the hockey shins a whirl, as I'm just not (nor have ever been) that excited about the Wilson triple knees.

That's okay, we haven't had a good shin guard thread in quite some time now!;)