Umpire Makes Catcher Change Helmet

[EdLovrich]

Which manufacturer?

Knock yourself out here:

https://dt5602vnjxv0c.cloudfront.net/portals/26162/docs/helmet%20decal%20policies.pdf

I stand corrected in many cases, Though it does look like Schutt has tested with specific sticker manufacturers and warns against others. I WAS confusing the sticker issue (as an add-on) with c-flabs and other additions, (nearly) all of teh helmet manufacturers only test and certify with their oen products.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I stand corrected in many cases, Though it does look like Schutt has tested with specific sticker manufacturers and warns against others. I WAS confusing the sticker issue (as an add-on) with c-flabs and other additions, (nearly) all of teh helmet manufacturers only test and certify with their oen products.

Correct ... actual alterations to the equipment are what we are concerned about as umpires. I have heard about the "painting" thing, but I honestly feel the potential for quantum entanglement or a chemically induced nuclear reaction is above my pay grade (and education).

Using one manufacturer's mask/c-flap on another manufacturers helmet is illegal, as these pieces of equipment were not designed to be used together and were not tested together.

Drilling holes into the helmet to attach a different facemask/c-flap is definitely compromising the integrity of the shell.

Technically, using a non-OEM (to steal a car term) screw to fix the helmet is an alteration, but I would rather a parent did this than sent their kid out there with broken equipment.

The most egregious example of altering equipment I ever encountered was a local softball team who had pulled all of the padding out of their batting helmets and replaced it with gel packs. I was not going to let them use them, but the coach swore that they bought them this way. I could not say with 100% certainty that he did not; they were ALL like this and there wasn't residue or bits of foam still in place. To this day I still have never seen another one though ... never in another team's dugout, on another team's player's head, in a store, or online.

 

[eddieq]

As the umpire who generally is the one telling them they need to fix the equipment or not use it, I'm going to side with the one who said you cannot use that helmet unless repaired. More times than I can count, I've been told, "Never heard of that rule. You're the first umpire all year to say that." Sometimes it's the same coach I have had a few times that season and they still act surprised that I tell them the masks must be secure, bats must be uncracked, undented, etc.

As noted above - I'm not leaving myself open to litigation because I let softball mom talk me into letting their little angel use damaged or uncertified gear.

 

[MoJo]

That’s why I brought it up. As a fan/scorekeeper, I never talk to umpires during the game. Except the one time our opponent came out with a batters helmet on. I got the umpires attention to tell him that wasn’t legal or safe. He listened to me and told me I was wrong. I caught him and his partner after the game and the partner corrected him. Safety is more important than procedure at that point.

Another ump that is winning hearts and minds.

 

[Chilixa]

To add a little bit of education to this piece (and I suggest using this in your future, @Agcy) ...

A fielder's mask or a batting helmet is NOT acceptable for warming up a pitcher (on or off the field). Neither of these pieces of safety equipment were designed for that use. Neither one provides ANY throat protection, let alone adequate throat protection.

I will be honest I have never fully understood requiring a catchers helmet to warm up a pitcher. I don’t really see the difference between that and the first basemen not being required to wear a mask at all. Both are having balls thrown at them and could have balls bounce up at them. To me the real danger to a catcher is a foul ball. That is obviously not a concern when warming up a pitcher. I am all for safety and fielding masks etc…. It is just one rule that I never fully understood that is required while they let a third basemen creep way up the line and don’t require her to wear a mask.


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[Lance Steckler]

ask every bull pen catcher at every level why they are required to wear a mask to warm up pitchers and there's your answer.

takes 1 drop ball hopping up, 1 curve of the tip of glove to the face and ER trip is in your future.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I will be honest I have never fully understood requiring a catchers helmet to warm up a pitcher. I don’t really see the difference between that and the first basemen not being required to wear a mask at all. Both are having balls thrown at them and could have balls bounce up at them. To me the real danger to a catcher is a foul ball. That is obviously not a concern when warming up a pitcher. I am all for safety and fielding masks etc…. It is just one rule that I never fully understood that is required while they let a third basemen creep way up the line and don’t require her to wear a mask.


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While I agree it makes sense to wear a fielder's mask, requiring someone to do so opens up more liability since there is NOT an industrial safety standard on fielder's masks (there is on catcher's helmets).

Think about it like this: what if the law required seat belts, BUT there was no definition or requirement as to what a seat belt was?

It's all cost-benefit and risk mitigation. I was going to post the Fight Club video about recalls. It may be a little heavy, though.

From my perspective though, the rule book says so.

NFHS Softball (2020)
Rule 1 Field and Equipment

Section 7 Catcher's Equipment

ART. 3 . . . (F.P.) Any non-adult warming up a pitcher at any location within the confines of the field shall wear an approved catcher’s helmet and mask combination and throat protector.

 

[Crabby_Bob]

And that right there is the answer. Throat protection.

 

[radness]

I didn't wear a catching helmet travel or college,
but did wear a throat guard.

Except for high school where catching helmet was mandatory. And wore throat guard.