maybe japan has seen the light

[dumbdumb]

scroll and read the first 2 NPL articles about the incident. apparently it has taken this recent charley lau back swing incident to wake Japan up on cranial equipment issues.

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/scary-scenes-erupt-umpire-struck-171921803.html

[Velho]

Here is the play. Warning - it's ugly.

 

 

[dumbdumb]

still in a coma

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/troubling-japanese-umpire-being-hit-122207551.html

[Thatsnotyou]

I’m going to join the skull cap wearing crew. 

[Rock Bottom]

18 hours ago, Thatsnotyou said:

I’m going to join the skull cap wearing crew. 

After switching to one I don't know how people ump with a traditional mask without one. Even safety aside (which is a huge thing to put aside) I find wearing the mask is much more comfortable with the skully (I use the All Star Cobalt - looks-wise I know it's not the best, but the padding and comfort if far superior from the other models I've tried) and you don't need to but a ton of hats.

[MadMax]

19 minutes ago, Rock Bottom said:

After switching to one I don't know how people ump with a traditional mask without one.

1. I haven’t produced my design yet. 

2. I’m simply used to having a conventional hat on. 

What I don’t understand – whatsoever – is how there are assigners / “evaluators” who state – not claim, state – that wearing one is a “bad look”, and if you want to “advance”, don’t wear one. 
🤨 

Trust me, I’ve heard them. In person and by proxy. They espouse this 💩, often by loading it with this implication that you’re a 🐈‍⬛ if you wear this, or any other additional protective equipment or accessories. 

I appreciate All-Star making a hardhat for us; I just don’t appreciate being lied to (fibbed) about why it’s laid out the way it is. 

I also find it peculiar and intriguing – the MLBUs who are wearing hardhats are taking them off – completely – with the mask. I wonder why that is? 🤔 

[Thatsnotyou]

2 hours ago, Rock Bottom said:

After switching to one I don't know how people ump with a traditional mask without one. Even safety aside (which is a huge thing to put aside) I find wearing the mask is much more comfortable with the skully (I use the All Star Cobalt - looks-wise I know it's not the best, but the padding and comfort if far superior from the other models I've tried) and you don't need to but a ton of hats.

I grabbed the one with the longer bill from all star - the axis pro or whatever it’s called. 

[Rock Bottom]

6 hours ago, MadMax said:

1. I haven’t produced my design yet.  🤔

🤔

Any estimate on when yours is coming? Working with Gerry Davis maybe?

[wolfe_man]

Anyone see that shot to Scott Kennedy  this weekend? I wonder if a skullcap would have prevented the knockout?

I know I’m sold on wearing it. After four years, I won’t go without it.

[Marcus6]

Are the MILB umpires required to wear one? Seems like they all do.

[tpatience]

56 minutes ago, Marcus6 said:

Are the MILB umpires required to wear one? Seems like they all do.

Yes, started last year. Not because of concussions though, more for thrown bats and blows to the side of the head 

[MadMax]

52 minutes ago, Marcus6 said:

Are the MILB umpires required to wear one? Seems like they all do.

Those in Rookie / Complex / and both Levels of A are (now) required. 

Those who were in AA were, I believe, encouraged. 

Those who were in AAA were exempted, but again, encouraged. 

With all the "convalescent vacations" to the MiLB campus in Phoenix (I know where it is, but have not visited it myself) by those in the Minor ranks, I think a lot of the guys are voluntarily taking on a hardhat / skullcap. To be forthright, it's a bandaid or crutch measure. I'm not saying it's not valid or beneficial, but it's not going to solve "the concussion problem". 

2 minutes ago, tpatience said:

Not because of concussions though, more for thrown bats (and broken bats) and blows to the side of the head 

Ah, well-timed from my fellow gear-geek and colleague. Thanks T. 

[tpatience]

37 minutes ago, MadMax said:

Those in Rookie / Complex / and both Levels of A are (now) required. 

Those who were in AA were, I believe, encouraged. 

Those who were in AAA were exempted, but again, encouraged. 

With all the "convalescent vacations" to the MiLB campus in Phoenix (I know where it is, but have not visited it myself) by those in the Minor ranks, I think a lot of the guys are voluntarily taking on a hardhat / skullcap. To be forthright, it's a bandaid or crutch measure. I'm not saying it's not valid or beneficial, but it's not going to solve "the concussion problem". 

Ah, well-timed from my fellow gear-geek and colleague. Thanks T. 

All current minor league umpires are required. Only call ups have the option and all but maybe one are still wearing it 

[umpintosh]

21 hours ago, MadMax said:

I also find it peculiar and intriguing – the MLBUs who are wearing hardhats are taking them off – completely – with the mask. I wonder why that is? 🤔 

Looks, wearing a skully without the mask on is an interesting look.

[Velho]

11 minutes ago, umpintosh said:

Looks, wearing a skully without the mask on is an interesting look.

But if I take off my skully I'll have to stop the game for the induced blindness of the players

[Marcus6]

This is what got me to thinking. Brian Walsh was hired full time before the 2026 season. One pic is from 2026, the other from 2025.

[boyinr]

After watching the video and reading the posts I bought an All Star helmet. I honestly never thought I would go with one.  I’m going to give it honest try. For me it’s like the dangling TG. Why take a chance?  So far it’s been pretty easy to wear and get used to. 

[Thatsnotyou]

Did the same, just got it today. Seems to fit well. Will break it out next game. I’m over caring what people think and too old to care. I thought about it this way. Some people may think it looks weird or whatever. How many of those people would visit me in the hospital, or worse?  

[WIUMP]

I've worked about a dozen games with mine. Still getting used to it. I still get the feeling that the mask is resting on the brim rather than secured to my forehead. That may be a function of the bulky padding and weight of the F3 mask. The UE-endorsed solution is probably to buy a different $300 mask but with high school season winding down, so are the game checks.

So far, no strikes from a bat. Two foul balls have bounced off my head after hitting backstop netting extending over live-ball territory. 

[Thatsnotyou]

First game wearing the skully is in the books. Universe was aware - took two good shots off the mask bottom one. Didn’t feel much. I’m sure the helmet helped a bit. It couldn’t have hurt, I figure.
 

I wear a F3 with the original harness. I had to really focus more on pulling way out so I didn’t take the bucket with me. I have the axis pro, so the bill feels somewhat normal length. 
 

One of the shots took my mask off to the ground to the right of me. I think I understand why. I had to open up the harness a bit to get the elastic part to go lower on the back and stay secure. The mask wasn’t loose or sitting on the brim, to be clear. But with it stretched further, any hard movement - combined with far less friction than a hat (and mine is smooth, not sandpaper finish) - is going to want to snap the harness up and off that spherical, smooth finish. 
 

My question is this - should I go to a different harness than the stock F3? Will a delta flex style hold better? I know there are options from all star, force 3, ump life.
 

Any other adjustment to make? Pull it down even more (it felt like it was almost to the bottom of the cap when I’d pull it on and make sure the band was sitting flat on the back and all the way down)?

[WIUMP]

5 hours ago, Thatsnotyou said:

My question is this - should I go to a different harness than the stock F3? Will a delta flex style hold better? I know there are options from all star, force 3, ump life.

I have the premium F3 harness. Using it with the skully. It grips the helmet really well. So well that sometimes is difficult to pull it on quickly. It doesn't slide nicely over the helmet as I pull it back. 

[boyinr]

My first game is in the books too. I really didn’t notice it after the game started.  I wore a A-S scully with an FM4000 Mag mask with the traditional harness. Took a little getting used to pulling the harness over the extra width of the helmet.  

[dumbdumb]

japan follow up. new dangerous swing rule and all umpires must wear helmet.

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/japan-baseball-punish-dangerous-swings-064855546.html

[umpintosh]

On 5/7/2026 at 10:51 PM, boyinr said:

So far it’s been pretty easy to wear and get used to. 

I wore an all-star helmet (the umpire-specific one) during the fall travel ball season, and they are becoming increasingly common among travel ball umpires here in Atlanta. I liked wearing it, although I have moved away from it since it requires my hair to be shorter than I'd like, or it will slip off the back of my head when I remove my mask.

If anyone has a fix for this or has experience with a Coolflo or another helmet, let me know.

 

[wolfe_man]

8 hours ago, umpintosh said:

I wore an all-star helmet (the umpire-specific one) during the fall travel ball season, and they are becoming increasingly common among travel ball umpires here in Atlanta. I liked wearing it, although I have moved away from it since it requires my hair to be shorter than I'd like, or it will slip off the back of my head when I remove my mask.

If anyone has a fix for this or has experience with a Coolflo or another helmet, let me know.

 

Perhaps try going down a size.  I did hear that you can buy padding direct from an AS rep like @Matt Arcovio.  If that's still an option, you could possibly use the same helmet and simply adjust the padding to make it a snugger fit.  Matt may have some suggestions here too, I tagged him.

In my area, skull caps/helmets are still relatively unseen, in spite of me encouraging every partner to wear one.   I've had 5 mask shots this year, way up from normal but I'm only doing plates as I recover so I'm seeing more pitches and doing lower level HS with new F2's, with no ill effects thus far.  I am a big believer in the skully adding another layer of protection for your brain. I'd rather have inertia from the baseball knocking my mask off and then to my helmet than to my head & neck.