Third baseman hit in face by ball during High School game last night

[cobb_of_fury]

This is an excerpt from an article - does it sound familiar?
"Back in the day coaches believed that a mask would limit ...field of vision, however they would wear them in practice. They also believed that <PLAYERS> were supposed to be fearless type (not to shy away from <THE BALL>). Also there was that macho mentality among players in the league (not wanting to be seen as weak, injured, or "scared"). Masks became necessary when <COMPOSITE BATS> were introduced . With <ALUMINUM BATS> players couldn't really get much speed or lift, thus making masks less vital. Jacques Plante was the first <PLAYER> to ever wear a mask ..., after demanding to wear one for a long time. He wasn't allowed to wear it until he took a shot off of the nose that took 45min to stitch up. It was during this time that he gave his coach an ultimatum: either let him go on with his practice mask on, or lose the best <PLAYER>. So, he wore his mask."

The original artical was on the Implementation of the goalie mask in 1959/60 NHL season,
The same STUPID argument was made by coaches and players in the NHL back then- so Stupid is timeless

 

[Pacerdad57]

Change is definitely happening in the college game which is great. But unfortunately most college coaches will not recruit a kid who wears a mask.

In my daughters case a new coach was brought in after her freshman year, and this new coach asked her to no long wear the mask. This coach was fully aware of the facial injuries she experienced after a line drive to the face a few years earlier. After asking her again weeks before the season started if she could return to wearing the mask the coach made her life a living hell for the entire season from that day on. After this season of hell my daughter chose to hang up her cleats.

It was a sad ending to a wonderful career for her, and her friends and family.

btw the coach is Kristen Butler at the University of Toledo.

I have heard some college coaches saying that they could care less if a kid wears it.
Not a reason to not play them or give them a hard time about it.
These coaches are what the game needs.

 

[Pacerdad57]

I am not a big on having governing bodies mandate saftey but more and more - I am leaning in that direction. They have made other safty equipment manditory this is just the next step.
I prefer NFHS or the governing bodies for each athletic conferance mandate it rather than a governmant mandate.

we will see.

Definitely not talking about "government" mandate, but the Sanctioning bodies need to step up and protect their players.

 

[Dad of Daughters]

2 of my 3 pitchers on the Ohio Outlaws 16u Premier wear masks while pitching, BOTH verballed D1.

Nice, thanks Chris.

 

[CoachB25]

My dd is a big strong girl. In college she was hitting and the pitcher threw an inside FB. DD really tagged it and hit the 3B in the face. It was horrible. Fast forward to the next year. Playing the same team but with new coach. 3B is playing even with the bag as dd hits. New coach yells for her to move in. She takes a step. Coach is upset and tells player to move in more. Player ask for her mask. Umpire is getting a little upset at time going by. Coach says no. 3B starts to cry and tells new coach what happened the year before. Coach doesn't care. 3B walked off of the field. I felt so bad for her. After the game, I talked to her parents in the parking lot. Their take was that they would rather their dd get benched and live than to walk in and take another shot off of the bat of my dd. What a moron for a coach. I have no respect for that coach.

 

[yossarian]

Definitely not talking about "government" mandate, but the Sanctioning bodies need to step up and protect their players.

I agree and can't understand why it's not done already.

 

[snoman76]

As far as helmet masks go, they seem to care about safety before you get to college but not once you get to that level? According to a college coach, they have them available but none of the girls want them. My opinion is that they give them a helmet without the mask and the girls are too embarrassed or whatever to ask for it because they don't wanna be picked on by the other girls on the team. The helmet mask saved my DD last weekend. A pitch caught the mask and ended up hitting her just below her throat. I think this mask should be mandatory along with pitchers and corners.

 

[coachtomv]

2 of my 3 pitchers on the Ohio Outlaws 16u Premier wear masks while pitching, BOTH verballed D1.

There you go! Smart and talented young ladies.

 

[psufan]

If you set up a date to discuss the topic of face masks on a future radio show you should contact the University of Toledo and invite the coach to join the discussion. I would guess if would be a very interesting discussion.

 

[DougA10]

If you set up a date to discuss the topic of face masks on a future radio show you should contact the University of Toledo and invite the coach to join the discussion. I would guess if would be a very interesting discussion.

There is no way she would participate, but I would love to be a guest also if she did.

 

[Louuuuu]

Is this something that you would suggest DD try to get clarification on before ball even starts up in the fall? Or just go with it and wait to see what if anything is said on the part of the coaching staff?

Definately get clarification.

It's tricky, I know. But better to be a little uncomfortable asking now, than riding the pines for four years because of unstated policies on both sides.

 

[coachjwb]

As interesting as that would be getting an anti-facemask college coach on the radio show, I can't see us doing it, at least now. But I am wondering if those of us who feel strongly about the subject should go another route ... something like petitioning the sanctioning bodies and/or OHSAA and/or the NCAA to require them. The hockey analogy is perfect ... and I'm sure we could find others such as the use of helmets in baseball and football, where it didn't happen until it was mandated. We're not talking government mandating, folks, so I don't want to hear big brother arguments, etc. We also could use a spokesperson who has lived through the horror of having their daughter badly injured. Who would be willing to work with me to explore ways to make a difference? PM or e-mail me at jffbaker3@gmail.com if you're interested in maybe just saving a life one day ...

 

[Scott_K]

Just seen this one.....

https://www.facebook.com/FirecrackersSteiner14U/?fref=nf

 

[WWolff]

From the young lady hit in the face! it is posted on my Facebook (Warren Wolff) as you can see she has some words of advice!

This is me playing third base I currently have a concussion but all will be okay. Thank you to the ones who share there concern but I am alright. Thank the good Lord that it was not worse and thank you to my mom who taught me very well to wear a face mask. Thank you also to my amazing coach who told me to wear a mouth guard. Without these things it could have been worse. For all the softball players out there PLEASE WEAR A MASK IF YOU PLAY ON THE INFIELD!!!! Nice hit Miss. Wolff my mom always tells me to use my head I finished this game pitching the last two innings and did pretty well!! I am looking forward to the next time I will be able to play!

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Just saw this story on Facebook as well https://www.facebook.com/FirecrackersSteiner14U/photos/a.966767050081476.1073741828.966762383415276/1014779058613608/?type=3

 

[WalkOffHR]

It would just be simpler to mandate it across the board. For crying out loud if a batter wears a rubber band on her wrist the game is stopped and all kinds of stern warnings are issued from umps (saw it tonight). Just mandate it and take the stigma away.

 

[FastBat]

To me it's simple, if a player has her glove on, she also has a fielding mask on. Player's get used to wearing masks, always, no matter what position being played.

 

[wow]

Little league football just proposed 6-14yr olds should no longer participate in kickoff returns as it is too violent to hit a kid a full speed during the return? SMH..

So to recap. Full pads, helmet, and kids being kids is more susceptible to a concussion than a ball of a composite bat at 25 ft?

But no requirement for fastpitch players to wear a mask?

 

[mburk]

I am the coach of the Mayfield team. I used to think that girls shouldn't wear masks. My daughter played college DII softball, she played 3rd base without a mask. It used to scare the crap out of me. She was lucky she was never blasted she played close to the batters. My pitcher last year was hit in the face without a mask please take the time to read the article and have your daughters wear masks....


http://www.news-herald.com/sports/2...coleman-conquers-fear-after-softball-accident
Matt Burk

 

[spirit2]

I agree wearing a mask by the pitcher and the corners should be required. I also think its time softball took the same action baseball has for safety. BBCOR bats. The softball bats are way too hot, if softball took a similar action as baseball it would help with the safety aspect of the fielders. If we really cared about safety we would apply the BBCOR bat standard to softball. Why does major league baseball use wooden bats? Why does high school and college baseball use BBCOR bats? Softball has lagged behind on this standard.