Seems like I never learn

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? ?Why is it ,...I just never learn ,...that,.. wearing gear could be a smart move ,while catching my daughter. Is it a pride issue ? Or are we pitchers dads just that dense ?.(Don't answer that) Odds are ,..as many pitches as we catch a year ,..were gonna take the big one now and again . Yes ,..I admit it ,...there's gear in my truck . For what ever reason ,...I think I can heal up ,..just enough to take the next ?one . ?After taking a sledge hammer off my left knee last nite,..I think I finally had a revelation ! ?ATLEAST PUT THE SHIN GUARDS ON YOU FOOL!

 

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I took one to my shin early last spring and I am still dented and discolored in that spot!

 

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It took a broken toe, a broken bone in the foot, and a chip of the ankle/shin - now there are shin guards with the feet extensions as well as full helmet - Ok slow learner!!

 

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I have seen one of our parents take a pitch to the face and broke his eye socket and cheek bone catching for his DD. Needless to say he has since got a facemask and other gear.

 

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I learned to wear gear the hard way. Pitching instructor used an oversize cone to simulate a batter. You'd be suprised at how quick the ball deflects off that cone.

 

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The drop ball is my favorite. A good bounce off a gym floor - ouch...

 

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Dont think its a pride thing, just the older our dd's get the faster they become, the older the dads get....well the less fast we become....lol and who wants to admitt that!! ;D

 

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2 broken toes, 1 Big toenail ripped right off through the tennis shoe, hit in chest twice, beautiful riseball off the forehead.
I now wear shin guards, full helmet, chest protector.
Also I couldn't believe it but I also found steel toed tennis shoes.
$25.00 at Walmart. Alot cheaper than the 300.00 plus ER bill.
Also learned to slide back on the bucket for the drop ball, one very embarassed dd when dad is rolling on ground hanging on for dear life.
Also have seen 3 different umps that weren't wearing a cup after a foul tip bounces under the catcher.
Even had 1 ump that at 10u was warned that dd threw pretty hard then decided that he didn't need a face mask get his ear clipped on a high fastball that the catcher couldn't keep up with.
He put it on in a hurry after that (this was rec at the time).

 

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A number of years ago at a nationals, I was catching my 18U fireballer between innings while my catcher suited up. I just got tri focals the week before. Long story short, I put my glove where I thought the ball was going but it was my mouth and front teeth that actually caught the ball. Those with tri focals know what I am talking about.

Talk about pain..... Now I use my assistant if needed between innings... lol

 

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Evil Dad ,..Your crackin me up . How stylish are those steel toed tennis shoes ? I'll bet your daughter razzes you about those. I think im gonna have a helmet ,chest protector and shin guards custom made into a Darth Vader outfit . May the Force be with me !
Without the force ,..I may not make it much longer .

 

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What is fun is taking one in the shin one day and then getting hit in EXACTLY the same spot a day or two later. Can a bruise get another bruise?

I just took one this past weekend that caught the edge of the plate and skipped off of my jaw which made be bite a small hole in the side of my tongue. Mmmm. Is that blood I taste?

 

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Rod03,

Yep they make steel toed tennis shoes ( and they actually don't look that bad). Got a pair after having my toe nail removed on my big toe after a missed drop ball ... could'nt believe how much that hurt.

Here's another tip ... don't keep your expensive digital camera in the bucket that you sit on ... :'(

 

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Rod,

I just had to become a better catcher! You'd be surprised how quickly you can deflect a ball away from your face when necessary. 20/15 vision doesn't hurt either. BUT I agree the drop ball is the worst and you have seen the bruised knots on my shins to prove it. Oh well, I am just too lazy to put all that stuff on. After my first concussion, I will finally relent I guess. :'(

 

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Oh yes I have seen that... My sister's dd is a pitcher and it was our Mom's 75th birthday when we were having a party in Orlando. Sis was warming the 10 year old up who throws very well for that age and wham right in the eye. I told her I needed a photo before I went and got the ice...... But the eye was the talk of the afternoon I tell ya and she has learned from that one....

 

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I'd love to say it's just the pitcher's dads who are the prideful boneheads and think they are invincible, but as a pitcher's mom I have to say I've been hit plenty of times! The worst part is that I was a catcher in college (oh so long ago.... ?:'(). ?I also have wondered if you could have a bruise on a bruise! ?OOUUUUCCHHH! ? I guess I'll learn, but I'm still a bit hard headed (don't tell my husband). ?It is kind of ridiculous since I would never have caught the pitchers in college without my gear, so why do I think I can do it now!? ?Hey, my DD is only 13 so I should be able to catch her a few more years without gear before I have to get stitches or teeth replaced....don't you think? ? ;D Definitely misguided pride. ? ? ?

 

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Dent in the shins have proven the worth of shin guards The worst has been a ball that bounced and then went off the bottom of the glove and then pinched between the bucket and the softball :'( :-X :'( and Dad is now rolling in the grass with a VERY high pitched scream !!!!! The one I have not figured out yet is how to protect my back from the richocet off the gym wall ;D ;D ;D I beleive it has to pride or that they do not make equipment that comfortably fits daddy size!!!!!

 

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Yes, you can get a bruise on a bruise!! A local team asked me to ump a practice scrimmage they were having. Pitch came and catcher moved and I took it right to the shin. Two pitchers later, catcher moved again and it hit the same spot :'( I had to drop my glove and say I was through. I had a softball on my shin for a week! My catching career ended that day. :'(

 

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After all of the shin bruises from the drop balls I have wisely invested in shin guards. ? ? I too have not found a way to protect from the richocet off of the gym wall. ? ?These seem to happen on the wild riseballs. ? Why do we resist wearing face masks after all of the bruises and hits to the head. ?Maybe we have becom silly from all of the blows to the head. ? ;D ?Us dads do learn to sit on the back edge of the bucket after a dropball that comes up off of the plate or any other pitch that does that. ?Our pride does make us foolish. ?I too have seen the guy that got hit in the eye socket with the ball. ?But I still believe myself to be good enough to handle the pitches in the high 50's. ?I may learn someday... ?no I'm too proud!! ?;D

 

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I wear my steel toed boots when I catch her, I dont wear shin gaurds I should. I will tell you one story. My DD was in 7th grade, I was sitting on the edge of my bucket and she crossed me up, hit me right where men dont like to get hit. I fell over in pain then looked up and my DD was on a dead sprint into the House! I yelled where are you going and she said In the house , I'm done I now wear a cup!

 

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Uber--she told me that was on purpose!