don't know how I didn't break it

[Penguin]

Legion DH Saturday. Pitcher for home team is real ace. Went 8-0 in his college season. Kid has great stuff and great velocity. I've never seen that kind of action on a ball before.

3rd inning. I'm in stance with hands behind catcher. F1 fires a nasty pitch. Batter, bunting, caught like deer in headlights. Ball glances slightly off bat. Catcher tries to adjust and make catch but twists, exposing my left hand. Ball smacks the back of my hand, right on the knuckles so hard, that my indicator literally breaks. PAIN!! I'm on one knee watching hand swell and wedding band nearly disappear. Catcher is picking up pieces of indicator.

After a few minutes the pulsating throbbing ceased and I had constant pain without the throbbing unless I tried to move it. Finished my half of the DH with spare indicator in other hand. Couldn't hold anything in left hand. Had xray - NOTHING BROKEN! except indicator. Doc couldn't believe it.

You can still see the seams and every stitch across the knuckles of last 3 fingers. Had to cut off wedding band. Swelling just a bit better. I know I've been told NOT to put hands behind back - but am thinking about it. I will tonight for sure. I've got plate JV game.

[tjthresh]

I hope you hand gets better and all...really...but where are the pics?

[DirtyDawg]

I'm glad to hear you are ok.

[Mike Prince]

That hurt to read. Glad to hear you are OK. Cutting off your ring must have hurt like hell although it must have been a relief to get it off.

[Armgdnman]

don't rub it:D

Just messin man. I'm sorry about what happened and hated to hear that about the wedding band. Glad everything is all right.

[DirtyDawg]

J/c, but will is the wedding band one that can be repaired?

[Umpire in Chief]

Ouch.

But id does go to show there is no stance that you are completely protected.

[Penguin]

J/c, but will is the wedding band one that can be repaired?

fortunately, yes. Just need to find a good goldsmith to do it ........... then work a bunch of games to pay for it. :clap:

[DirtyDawg]

I am almost too that point (5 days left till I take the plunge), but am lucky because my aunt does jewelry repair.

[JaxRolo]

I take my band off for games. I can't ask players not to wear jewelry if I am wearing some. Plus I don't want to have to cut it off. :clap:

[PeteBooth]

Ball glances slightly off bat. Catcher tries to adjust and make catch but twists, exposing my left hand. Ball smacks the back of my hand, right on the knuckles so hard, that my indicator literally breaks. PAIN!! I'm on one knee watching hand swell and wedding band nearly disappear. Catcher is picking up pieces of indicator.

Your OP is a major drawback of the inside CP where you cannot Protect everything.

Wearing the balloon (I Know I Know not accepted etc.) would prevent this type of PAIN because your hands elbows etc. are NOT exposed like an inside CP.

It would be interesting if anyone ever compiled a list of umpire injuries when they went from the balloon to the inside CP to see if there was a significant increase or not.

Pete Booth

[Penguin]

I take my band off for games. I can't ask players not to wear jewelry if I am wearing some. Plus I don't want to have to cut it off. B)

I learned that the hard way. I don't wear any other jewelry at all but have never taken off the wedding band before. I will from now on. On top of having to have it cut off - I found out that it really hurts when they do that.

[Rich Ives]

Your OP is a major drawback of the inside CP where you cannot Protect everything.

Wearing the balloon (I Know I Know not accepted etc.) would prevent this type of PAIN because your hands elbows etc. are NOT exposed like an inside CP.

It would be interesting if anyone ever compiled a list of umpire injuries when they went from the balloon to the inside CP to see if there was a significant increase or not.

Pete Booth

We allow our dedicated umpires (LL majors and minors) to buy whatever they want and charge it to the league. To a man they have selected the balloon.

One of the younger guys who does an occasional game once took one of the league's inside protectors for a game stating "I'm not wearing a pu$$y pillow" - then whined after the game about getting hit.

[carolinablue]

I'm a newer guy so I started with the inside CP and that's all I know. I also know I don't like getting hit but have accepted it as part of the trade. I would never however, make fun of or criticize anyone who uses a balloon. There is at least one veteran in my association that uses one and he has told me at leat twice ( after I got nailed ) that I should give it a try.

[JaxRolo]

We allow our dedicated umpires (LL majors and minors) to buy whatever they want and charge it to the league. To a man they have selected the balloon.

One of the younger guys who does an occasional game once took one of the league's inside protectors for a game stating "I'm not wearing a pu$$y pillow" - then whined after the game about getting hit.

Will you buy a WV Gold and charge it to the league then give it to me???? B)

Just Kidding! B)

[yawetag]

I take my band off for games. I can't ask players not to wear jewelry if I am wearing some. Plus I don't want to have to cut it off. B)

I leave mine on. The jewelry rule isn't for aesthetic reasons -- it's safety. In 99.9% of my games, I never come in contact with a player -- and a ball doesn't smack me in that finger.

However, when my wife and I get new bands for our 10-year anniversary, I'll think twice. My current band cost us about $20 (wholesale from a jewelry catalog), but the new one will be a bit more.

[Umpire in Chief]

I don't take my wedding band off. I know I probably should but don't .

[Penguin]

I don't take my wedding band off. I know I probably should but don't .

Yup - that's what I always said. Going to have mine repaired but have to wait for swelling to go down all the way to have it sized. I will be taking it off from now on. Just needed to learn the hard way. You could probrably go an entire career and never have it happen, but, sometimes once you get hit in a spot - it seems the ball somehow targets the same spot over and over. It's the DARK SIDE of the "force" or something.