Took one in the throat...WEARING a throat protector

[SeeingEyeDog]

Well, thank goodness it was an MSBL 60+ game and the ball hit the point of the plate first but...yes. After hitting the point of the plate, F2 waived at it going over his shoulder (Travel ball kids, "That's NOT him! We got ICE, yo!") before it hit me square in the chest and slid in under the throat protector. I wear the AS Mag with the AS Bird Cage throat protector and a Douglas CP cranked up tight against my throat. Short of hanging a sheet of plywood off the chin of the mask, or stop working the plate, I'm not sure what else can be done. I reviewed my stance with my partner...I may need to focus on not having so much forward tilt of my torso which may have been promoting more gap.

Anyway, the REAL purpose of this message is...I took this as a sign. On the way home, I bought a Powerball ticket. It's up to $1.55B for tomorrow's drawing. Or have I used up all of my "luck" wearing one to the throat? Anyway, when my Redneck 401K hits tomorrow and I disappear...well...you'll know what happened.

~Dawg

[Velho]

Glad you're ok. Hopefully someone who doesn't wear a throat guard will see this and reconsider. 

[The Ripper]

Again glad you are ok, as you said there is really nothing you can do when wearing a throat guard. Of course, it had to bounce perfect to hit you in that exact place under the TG. 🤦‍♂️ Sorry it happened! This is a video I found of DJ Reyburn taking a ball to the throat, I believe the next year he switch to a throat guard. Again glad you are ok!

[The Man in Blue]

Other than learning to tuck (ball is going down, you are following it with head movement and closing the gap between mask/TP and CP), not much else you can do.  Assuming you have your TP installed properly ... 

A couple years ago, I took one like the video @UmpWRB4 posted.  Hopped up off the turf and found the magic path.  Fortunately it got more jaw on the upward trajectory than throat on the backward trajectory, but it was enough to make me drop to one knee to "take inventory" and spit out some blood from biting my tongue.

This year I finally added a throat protector to my mask.  It is taking some getting used to, but I figured I should quit tempting fate.

One of the most difficult things for an umpire to learn to do is to take the bump.  Learn to stand still or move into it) and let your gear take the hit it is designed to take.  When we start twisting, turning, and flinching we get ourselves into trouble.  That said ... if there is a gap, a ball will find it.

[ArchAngel72]

SED  Not trying to be critical but how is your TG mounted and how long is it?

 

[834k3r]

I took one off the TG last summer from a foul ball in 19U Legion--the ball hit hard enough it snapped off one of the rubber connecting straps and left stitch marks on the TG. Not a fun experience.

Glad you're okay.

[wolfe_man]

I wear a 6" TG on all my masks now - and wear it as instructed on the bottom bar of my mask, but I still have had a baseball find a way to my throat after deflecting from the CP and TG thankfully.

It hurts no matter what, but after getting hit pretty good before I started wearing a TG it made a believer out of me, I wear one religiously now.

 

[Vegas_Ump]

I have always worn a TG with a conventional mask or a bucket.  Doing Little League, I have been hit there by thrown bats more than by pitches or foul balls.

Mike

Las Vegas

[The Man in Blue]

6 hours ago, Vegas_Ump said:

I have always worn a TG with a conventional mask or a bucket.  Doing Little League, I have been hit there by thrown bats more than by pitches or foul balls.

Mike

Las Vegas

 

You shouldn't take that from those little squirts.  Throw the bat back at them, they'll learn.

[Thunderheads]

On 10/8/2023 at 6:00 PM, SeeingEyeDog said:

Well, thank goodness it was an MSBL 60+ game and the ball hit the point of the plate first but...yes. After hitting the point of the plate, F2 waived at it going over his shoulder (Travel ball kids, "That's NOT him! We got ICE, yo!") before it hit me square in the chest and slid in under the throat protector. I wear the AS Mag with the AS Bird Cage throat protector and a Douglas CP cranked up tight against my throat. Short of hanging a sheet of plywood off the chin of the mask, or stop working the plate, I'm not sure what else can be done. I reviewed my stance with my partner...I may need to focus on not having so much forward tilt of my torso which may have been promoting more gap.

Anyway, the REAL purpose of this message is...I took this as a sign. On the way home, I bought a Powerball ticket. It's up to $1.55B for tomorrow's drawing. Or have I used up all of my "luck" wearing one to the throat? Anyway, when my Redneck 401K hits tomorrow and I disappear...well...you'll know what happened.

~Dawg

The ball WILL FIND YOU!!!!!!    Also, second request ... photo of how you mount your TG on your mask please?

[Thunderheads]

On 10/8/2023 at 9:53 PM, The Man in Blue said:

Other than learning to tuck (ball is going down, you are following it with head movement and closing the gap between mask/TP and CP), not much else you can do.  Assuming you have your TP installed properly ... 

.........which you're taught not to do.........  😉 (posted in jest)

@SeeingEyeDog ........ I've asked this also

[ArchAngel72]

12 minutes ago, Thunderheads said:

.........which you're taught not to do.........  😉 (posted in jest)

@SeeingEyeDog ........ I've asked this also

I also asked..

 

 

Good video explaining proper fit and how to attach as well as WHY it needs to be that way

 

 

[Thunderheads]

3 minutes ago, ArchAngel72 said:

I also asked..

 

 

Good video explaining proper fit and how to attach as well as WHY it needs to be that way

 

 

YESSIR ..........but ............... THE BALL WILL STILL FIND YOU!!!!!!

[ArchAngel72]

24 minutes ago, Thunderheads said:

YESSIR ..........but ............... THE BALL WILL STILL FIND YOU!!!!!!

 

Just like it always finds my cup.  But I swear I get hit in the cup probably 1000 x more than I get hit in the TG  and I have yet to take one to the throat.  ( Knock on wood )