Your Worst Injury Story

[Chance]

As a player, which wasent that many years ago, i saw two fairly serious injuries to umpires. The first: R3 less then 2out line drive to 2b, caught and a snap throw to third hit the ump in the head knocking him out. Luckly he was able to get up and finish the game. The other was a cross up in signals. Catcher expecting curve pitcher throws heater. F2 never gets a glove on it hits ump square in mask. He takes two steps backwards and falls, knocked out. Ambulance comes and takes him away on stretcher. Game finished with one ump. Just wondering if any of this has happened to any of you guys, or if you have seen or heard injury stories .

[Umpire in Chief]

The only thing I've injured on the field is my pride.

But I was watching a game before mine end and the BU was in the B position Chopper to F5 who threw to first. The BU turned before the ball was released and was hit in the back of his head. They had to take him away. He actually cracked his skull. Now, he wears a hockey helmet on the bases (He also is a hockey ref).

The worse injury I saw to a player was this summer in an adult league game. I was working w/ ump81. The pitcher broke his humorous while pitching. you heard the POP and he went down. The sound itself was disturbing. I saw this pitcher a few weeks later at the all star game and spoke to him. He broke the humorous about 1/3 the way up from the elbow. They cant explain why other than he probably had an existing minor fracture that couldn't handle the stress. He had multiple MRI's just to make sure there were no tumors on the bone. By the all-star game he'd already had 1 surgery and said it was likely he'd need more. But he said he'll be out playing again as soon as he can.

[Stan W.]

HS Varsity some years back...I took a foul ball to the upper right chest between the end of the CP and the shoulder cap...it was an old style roll chest protector........

I stayed in the game but had to signal with my left hand as I could not raise my arm. I had to have my partner help me off with my shirt and CP. I was black and blue (purple and green) from my chest, stomach, shoulder and then down to my fingers.....

X-rays revealed no broken bones but the soft tissue damage knocked me out of action for 2 weeks and had lingering painful effects for months......

when examined by my own doctor a week later they both gasped at the bruising....

[carolinablue]

Worst thing that has happened to me thus far was a fastball 80+ in the upper right thigh. Same sitch as you described in the OP. Missed signal, catcher never touched it. I had a huge bruise for weeks and a lot of pain.

[mstaylor]

The worst I have suffered myself was being hit in the hand behind the plate. The batter fouled it back and took it in the hand hard enough it broke my indicator. I only had a seriously bruised hand that I could even open by the end of the game.

I have seen some serious injuries to guys working. We had a college pitcher in an adult wooden bat league that hit the PU on the forearm and broke both bones. The BU finished the game solo and the same pitcher hit him and broke his collarbone. He was WILD and threw 88 to 92. We had a BU in the same league, ball hit to right with a runner going first to third. The F5 is yelling cut to F4 and it looked like he was and at the last minute stepped out of the way and the BU took a cup shot with no cup. He was out two weeks.

[BrianC14]

This subject is taboo for me.

Same here - who the hell wants to talk & read about this sort of thing?

Not me! :)

[carolinablue]

This subject is taboo for me.

I don't mind talking about it a little but certainly don't want to be thinking about it during a game. Although there have been times I was in C position with a slugger at the plate and after a big swing and miss I am thinking " OH Sh!t. "

[Aging_Arbiter]

A few years back, I was working a (LL) Seniors sectional tournament. 4 man crew, I'm on 1st, with normal rotations on......bottom of first a shot in the gap to the fence. Well, I aint the fastest guy in town, but I was breaking to the infield to pivot and take the runner to 2nd since U2 went with the ball. FORTUNATELY, they held the runner at first because when I took off from my position, I pulled up lame and in much pain. I thought I just pulled something and kinda of waddled my way 1/2 way to the plate between innings to inform him that something wasn't right. Well, when I got there, I thought he was gonna cry from laughing. All he could say was "What the hell happend? You looked like you got shot!" I pimp walked my way towards 2nd base the next half inning to let U2 know I was camping out and not moving. My better half kept asking if I was hurt. When I replied negatively, I got the "oh yeah, well why are you walking funny"? bit. I tried to explain (to the amusement of the visiting teams parents along the fenceline), that I wasn't limping, I was just walking cool like. Didn't even want to look at it after the game so I waited until we got home. It's hard to explain the initial reaction when someone sees (for the first time) what a torn calf muscle looks like. You know, blood draining inside the skin and into the foot and all. The doc said that if it had been the slightest bit worse, it would have required surgery. Now I just have a reminder on my leg, every time I strap on the gear.

[tommy]

I have two stories. one as a player and one as an umpire.

1992 im playing professional baseball. I was on the hill and broke my upper arm in two on the delivery. It was a compound fracture and ended my playing days in a hurry. side note, the umpire called a balk because the ball didnt cross the plate.

last season im behind the plate in a college game, big right hander throwing low to mid 90's. low fastball foul tipped nics the top of the catchers glove changes tragectery slightly enough to hit me in the neck just to the side of my throat protector. had to leave the game and be taken to the hospital.

Edited January 29, 2010 by tommy

[Aging_Arbiter]

At the risk of hi-jacking...that doesn't sound like normal mechanics. If U2 goes out, U3 slides to 2B, PU slides up the line to cover 3B, and U1 would cover the plate.

U1 coming in happens with runners on base - its called "the slide". It happens when U3 goes out (since U2 would be inside on the big field).

You are absotively & posolutely correct. After re-reading after your post, I realize I left the part out about thinking this may have been one of the first few times I worked a 4 man. Was used to two. Nice catch U24!

[BT_Blue]

Working the plate on a semi-final game at CDP in August of 2006, took a foul ball off the inside of my elbow a couple years ago. By the end of the game I had issues trying to bend it. Hurt like the dickens for almost two months.

Then, first college game of the year last year. I have the plate. Partner in C with two on. Line drive right at my partner. Ball hits him in the ankle. (told me later he thought it was coming for his head.) Had to be helped off the field to the trainer's cart. Watched the thing blow up to three times its regular size. This was in the the third inning. Worked the next three by myself until an umpire friend, who just happened to be there watching the game, was able to run home to get his base stuff on and help me from the 7th until the end of the game.

Talk about an adventure.

[Wayne]

Tommy, Umpire in Chief,....Regarding the broken arms.....Tommy are you left handed?...Umpire in Chief do you recall if the pitcher in you post was left handed? I remember reading that the 8-10 times this has happened in the major leagues that all of the pitchers were left handed. I can't remember where I read that, but was at the time the guy from SF Giants suffered the injury. Although I think his had something to do with cancer.

[BrianC14]

Tommy, Umpire in Chief,....Regarding the broken arms.....Tommy are you left handed?...Umpire in Chief do you recall if the pitcher in you post was left handed? I remember reading that the 8-10 times this has happened in the major leagues that all of the pitchers were left handed. I can't remember where I read that, but was at the time the guy from SF Giants suffered the injury. Although I think his had something to do with cancer.

That was Dave Dravecky (SF Giants), and it had everything to do with his cancer. He ended up losing his entire left arm after that horrific break... that game was on 'Game of the Week', as I recall - I remember seeing it on television. :hi5:

Edited February 10, 2010 by BrianC14

[Umpire in Chief]

My guy was definately a righty.

[kylejt]

Two "good" ones.

LL division game. 12 year old throwing 81mph from 46', with no control. He's already broken an umpire's mask, and shattered the hand of another (Never rest your hands on your shinguards, boys). His regular catcher was knocked out of commision too. Lucky me had the dish for the finale.

Half way through the game I caught an untouched ball just above the shin guard. It dropped me like a bag o' dirt. Left a huge, multi-colored mark. It's the only time I've be down on the field. One of my partners took a plate brush to me between innings. Nasty.

Next was the ol' forgotten cup trick. Forced into action, I remembered everything but. I realized it in the first inning, and thought "I'll just run to the dressing room on the change over, and no one will know". I just needed to get through three outs by covering up. Sure enough, the very next pitch nailed me right in the hand covering the boys. YOW!. It went numb, and then started throbbing. The best pain ever, considering the alternative.

A friend of mine was managing a LL majors team. During warmups, he was looking elsewhere, and took a ball to the side of his noggin, near the eye socket. He had a headache, but continued on. That night, he got a bit woosy, and then started having trouble seeing out of one eye. The wife smartly drove him to ER, and after a battery of tests they determined he damaged the optic nerve. Worse still, those nerves work in tandum, and are sympathetic, so if one goes, you'll loose your sight. Off the OR to fix it, but it was close. Moral: Don't eff around with blows to your, or anyone else's, head.

Edited February 11, 2010 by kylejt

[Jeff C.]

This happened in school. It still gives me the heebie jeebies. I'm F3, with a runner. Ground ball to F6, we're turning two except the runner forgot to slide/get out Dodge. F4 turns and nails the runner squarely on the nose. Ball caroms into right field. I honestly thought the ball hit him in the helmet, it was that loud. Blood was everywhere! The kid's nose was on the left side of his face. They carted him off in an ambulance.

[yawetag]

that game was on 'Game of the Week', as I recall - I remember seeing it on television.

I remember hearing it!

[JnLeClair10]

Using the Davis Stance last May in a HS District Playoff game, I took a foul straight off my wrist, within seconds, i had a golf ball on my wrist, two mintues later, I had a baseball sized goonie.

I took about 5 weeks for the pain and swelling to finally go away, luckily some prescription medicine took away the swelling. SIDE note, it was my left wrist, so i had to try the anti indicator hand.....after one batter, i said forget it and went to no indicator.

[tommy]

wayne,

I am right handed, thank god I didnt have cancer like dravecky did. I still have both my arms. funny thing, I threw in the mid 90's now I have a hard time throwing the ball to the pitcher. mostly I just hand it to the catcher.

[arbiter22]

Had a concussion last year. Other than that nothing other than getting hit with a few foul balls. O, a partner of mine had to leave the game after getting hit in the mask and we worked 2 man the rest of the day. But it's all part of the job.

[BT_Blue]

That was Dave Dravecky (SF Giants), and it had everything to do with his cancer. He ended up losing his entire left arm after that horrific break... that game was on 'Game of the Week', as I recall - I remember seeing it on television.

I remember hearing it!

Was living in NoCal at the time and was, and still am, a huge Giants fan. I was in school at the time but I remember hearing about it afterwards. The game was at the old Olympic Stadium in Montreal verses the Expos. I remember watching the replay on tv for the next two weeks and every time you could hear that SNAP sound in that nearly empty stadium and just hear him scream in pain. It was horrible.

Didnt he try and come back from it and it happened again to him? I seem to remember him trying.

[yawetag]

and we worked 2 man the rest of the day.

Curse the gods! Two man?! How did you survive?!

Except for two games I've ever umpired, the game would have been down to one-man.

[BT_Blue]

Curse the gods! Two man?! How did you survive?!

Except for two games I've ever umpired, the game would have been down to one-man.

Seriously. LOL

I would say that for me also it would be one man for a majority of my games. However I have been lucky over the last year to work quite a few three man games.

[strike3scott]

Last year I was working a VBB contest with a very good - hard throwing pitcher. Three pitches into the at bat and a foul off my mask knocked me down. I'm 6'3 270+ and pretty strong. Anyway, I ended up in the hospital ER with a concussion and a bad headache for several days. I am on blood thinner mediaction and I was sent in for precautionary measures. Bent my Gerry Davis mask in but did not completely break.

[Typhoon]

I have been umpiring a good number of years and my worst injury was last year. I was doing the Ontario Bantam fastball championships and one of the players hit the ball and threw her bat. It caught me on the left wrist. Boy did it swell and it hurt like hell. I finished the game and the next one as well with my indicator in my right hand, and I was in considerable pain. I went to the doctor and he sent me to the fracture clinic unfortunately it didn't open until Tuesday morning. Monday night I had the Ladies fastball city championship to do. I did both games of a the doubleheader. Tuesday morning at the fracture clinic they confirmed that one of the bones in my wrist was broken. I was in a cast for 15 weeks. I only missed a couple of games, but I never want to go through that again.

Tony