Just curious
 

I was just reading the Gerry Davis 2009 Spring Catalog about the McDavid Hex Pad Shirt. It says "...provides minimal padding for fast-pitch umpires who often don't wear a chest protector at all"

I have not played or watched much softball but that seems to be a strange way to die? Is that true? If so, why wouldn't you need protection?

Thanks

I know a couple of guys that dont wear chest protectors and claim they have never been hurt, but not something I am ever going to do. I have taken 2 directly on the collar bone that certainly would have broken it if not for the chest protector.

When my daughter played JR high ball, they had an old guy show up to ump that didnt wear any gear at all, including a face mask. When the coach questioned him his response was, "non of these girls can throw hard enough to hurt you."

This board has had numerous threads in the past piling on the handful of umpires that still choose not to wear a chest protector.

Personally, I look at it as a matter of personal choice, just like the college player not using a faceguard on the batting helmet, the pitcher not wearing a gameface, and those riding in cars without wearing a seat belt. Certainly there is a probable set of odds that each might be injured by their choice, but it is their choice to make.

As a UIC/assignor/evaluator, I am only concerned with the performance of that umpire. If he stands in, stays still when necessary, and has a solid zone without being ball shy, then it isn't my issue. If he jumps while the ball may still be a strike, then I will address his equipment as necessary. (Yes, while the ball may be a strike; I see no reason to be a backstop for the rec catcher on bounding balls.)

Oh OK. Thanks. Learn something new everyday.

Of all the hundreds of umpires I've run across in my area, I can recall only one that doesn't wear a chest protector. He "compensates" by working on one knee and getting totally behind the catcher, instead of the slot. As a result of his positioning, his strike zone is really erratic, probably because he literally can't see half of it.

I've seen a couple of men's FP catchers that don't wear a chest protector. And I saw one take a foul straight to the collar bone, snapping it in two.

Last year I worked a few games with an newer umpire that had a flexible ribbed-type protector. The protection was minimal, but might have been adequate- if he had worn it properly! He had it very loose around the neck and it sagged down to where his collar bones were completely exposed. I mentioned it to him and told him he should probably cinch it up and for a better fit. He played me off with some sort of, "Girls can't throw that hard", kind of excuse.

Next game we work together, he's behind the plate. A foul went back and caught him right on the tip of the collar bone, where it connects into the shoulder. It didn't break the bone, but it disclocated it from the shoulder joint! The guy had his arm in a sling for almost a month and wasn't able to work his "real job" for about six weeks.

The vast majority of fastpitch umpires do wear a chest protector- no matter what Gerry Davis might think!

I understand what you are saying, but how fair is it to your umpires when your plate guy goes down with a rib or collarbone injury and you have to fill in for him the rest of the day with one less umpire or down to 2 umpires trying to cover NCAA D-1 simply because he/she chooses not to wear protection?

Well, Gerry Davis is a good MLB umpire and I listen to what he says about umpiring baseball, but when it comes to softball...;)

A chest protector is required for Fed umpires in Oregon, not that anyone had to tell me to wear mine.

How long ago was this?? One thing I keep saying about the difference in working high school ball for the almost 20 years I have been working it, is that, due to the growing prominence of travel ball, kids come into school ball knowing how to pitch! And pitching hard too! One criticism I have had with our local new officials clinic, is that the clinicians, who are very good NCAA level officials, still tend to denigrate the playing/pitching ability of the 7th/8th grade girls a touch.

This was about 7 years ago. I think he got a bit of surprise because the pitcher for my daughters team was a club ball player and throwing mid 50's. Never saw the guy again the rest of the season.

I don't know about how hard they throw, but it's hard enough. What I have seen is that often when the pitchers are not yet very good, neither are the catchers. We're far more likely to get hit in a lower level game than a higher level game. I wear all the gear in jr hi games and in every other game. Those that don't are taking a chance that I'm not willing to take.

Like others, know a couple who dont. Knew another that got zapped and now wears the K2. It's not their potential or injury that is my concern, its how their hiding affects the zone.

Dang, I even wear mine doing 10U and 8U ball. Even though they're not throwing that hard, a foul ball can almost double the velocity and if hit in the right place, it can hurt.

Actually the problem you will encounter is that the while the pitcher may be good, sometimes the catcher WON'T be. We get that in a youth league we work that uses ASA rules instead of being LL -the pitchers are WAY ahead of the catchers...and boy, does that hurt!

The lower the level the bigger the protector.

Bring out the balloon.

The older I get, the less I like pain. I wear every bit of protection I can. With some games I've worked, I wish I could have had a full suit of armor.

Maybe that's me, too. I went the first 10 years or so without a protector. About 80% of our organization near Tampa did not wear them.

At the beginning I don't think I was flinching. When I noticed I was doing it often, I first started wear my BB one. Now I have the K2 and I done even know it there.

Wow. 80%? I guess that just goes to show you how much things can vary from one region to the next. I'd put the number in my area at less than 1%. Just going by what others have posted in similar threads, it seems like things are closer to the 1% than 80% in most places.

This past summer, I did have the opportunity to work with an ASA umpire who used a combination I'd never seen before. This was an older gentleman- someone told be he was in his mid-70's, but he seemed younger than that and was a very good umpire. He's the only umpire I've ever seen that wore a hockey-style helmet and an outside balloon chest protector!

Now that's an "old school/new school" combination for you!

I wear all the gear, all the time.

A buddy of mine who is a very good umpire, works the slot and doesn't flinch, but still refuses to wear a chest protector.

We were working the Men's B FP last summer and he took a foul ball right in the gut and two more in the sternum area, two of those in the same inning!

At that level, the catchers are pretty good and will generally work really hard to protect you, but there is nothing they can do about those foul balls that are hit straight back.

I have a K2 that I only wear when I do 10U (which isn't very often) because for me it doesn't give enough coverage in the ribs and stomach when I do 12U and up. I use the Pronine protector with the older kids. The only drawback to the Pronine is that it can get pretty hot under it in the Socal heat. This hexpad shirt might be a good thing to wear under a K2. I may just get one and see how it works with the K2 for working the older kids.

I wear the hexpad tights - they provide protection to the thighs and do that very well. However, they do not breathe well at all - so I don't think I'd want the shirt.

Chest Protector
 

Umpiring is a hobby for me and I wear all the protective equipment all the time. I have already been hit many times (all over) and I try to keep in mind that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Not exact always...
 

... I wear full protedction: The only times I don't wear legguards, nor chest protection are at the IndoorCup in january. On the fields outside I'm in full gear. Period!

As TXTROOPER says, it doesn't however protect you getting hit! So I've learned in the past.
The best comment after a hit was this year at the 2nd final game (a best off 5-series) in the highest dutch male-competition: I took a foul ball on my right arm. From the first base came the question:" Hey Blue, I do hope your Strike-arm is still working?" :D

So, has he changed his philosophy about wearing equipment?

Nope...he is quite stubborn about it!

Maybe he is masochistic. Y'all just don't know it, but he is actually getting his jollies back there when he gets hit! :eek:

Oh well, you know what Forrest Gump says, "Stupid is as stupid does."

I think I've seen about everything behind the plate. Guy wearing no mask or chest protector for 14-year-olds. Guy who called balls and strikes from the backstop, with mask, gym shorts, and penny loafers but no hat or CP. Guy who announced how many inches off the plate each called "ball" was.

In my experience the most dangerous level is 12u rec, where the pitchers can be fast and the catchers made of air. Hamilton, New Jersey's 12-year-olds won the Babe Ruth Nationals last year (2008), and they had two big, strong pitchers who could throw very hard. Naturally, the team's catcher was good, but those pitchers also played in the 12u rec league, and I took several beatings behind catchers I thought might be ghosts—the balls seemed to travel directly through their bodies and into me. Actually, it was good practice in remaining still no matter what.

I work hard on, and take pride in, remaining still no matter what- up to a point. That point being when the game participants demonstrate to me that their lack of skills might be putting my personal safety in jeopardy.

I'll hang in there and take my licks, but if I start to become "Bret, The Human Backstop" on every other pitch, I'm moving!

Considering that this is usually an issue in younger age groups, and that for younger ages the pitchers aren't going to throw that fast or have that much movement, you can still call a pretty good zone from behind the catcher (they're smaller and easy to see over), from further back or even while ducking out of the way of a pitch heading right for your noggin.

If the coach doesn't like it, he can find another catcher.