Hello Y'all,
My name is Manny and this is my very first post here on the board. I've been watching this thread and reading it numerous times. I'm a little puzzled. Twenty + years ago, I used a +POS BB203 12" model. It's been the only chest protector I've ever used. It was a simple foam based protector with plastic shields on the shoulders and hard material in the top of the ribs. The throat area was protected by a heavy material similar to the like seen on todays protectors. I umpired ever level from LL to Semi-Pro/Division I NCAA, and I'm a little confused to the content of this thread. I took plenty of shots and felt the impact, which was either a muffled thump off the protector ribs, or a clack from the plastic shoulder shields and pads. I never got bruised, or broke a bone. Did it hurt? I don't ever remember getting hit on the protector and getting hurt.
Now advance twenty years and we have all these other protectors. The BB203 is long gone, but models similar still exist. I can see that you can take shots from a foul ball, or a mishandled pitch by the catcher, but straight shots from pitcher directly to you are rare. Usually that's a missed sign and the catcher calls for a pitchout and the pitcher delivers one down broadway. I'm an honorably discharged soldier from the army and I used the Kevlar plates that the army uses in their chest vests. I can tell you that when a bullet hits those, it will knock you down and you feel the bullet, but the bullet is deflected and the force goes laterally. You will bruise. Now this is similar to the claim that Unequal has, in that it states the force is deflected laterally. The key is that there is a difference between the mass of the bullet and velocity as compared to the baseball, which is bigger, blunt, and slower. I have never used the Unequal, so I don't know if the ball would bruise, but doubt it since the velocity is way reduced compared to Kevlar's protective property allowances.
That being said, I'm confused at the reaction to this protector. The umpire who was taken away with a broken collar bone...there are a lot of variables that are left unanswered that the protector shouldn't necessarily be blamed. What stance did he have? Was he leaning too far forward? Was his head height improper since a lower head will mean that the chest protector is either lower than it should have been, or that the top of the protector was exposed from improperly leaning forward? Was the protector improperly seated on the umpires body? Or is the Kevlar protection that minimal/weak on the shoulder area? I would have to say that there are mutiple variables here that impacted this umpire. Especially if he was wearing a hockey type mask. Above all I hope that he has fully recovered and is in good health. Please do not interpret this as to say it was his fault. I'm just trying to deduce how this injury may have occurred. No ill is meant towards him.
I've watched the video of Jim Evans taking a hit. Some say (not here) that the video was edited because he did get hurt and they cut it out. Other videos show the same type of test and it just bounces off and the umpire is no worse for wear. I'm puzzled.
I'm needing to purchase a new protector after a long period of inactivity. Frankly it is such a tough decision as to which model to choose. I don't want to look like a football player. I want protection, but not the bulk of a Sherman tank. I just don't understand the negativity towards the UEF3, other than price concerns. Or is it something else?
