Importance of Catchers Gear

The masks, shin guards and chest protectors that catchers wear have an important purpose---preventing injuries from wild pitches, foul tips and collisions with base runners.

  1. Shin Guards

    • Over the years, the design of shin guards, which protect the legs and knees from the baseball and collisions, has evolved from stiff one-piece units to flexible hinged ones that are more comfortable to wear.

    History

    • New York Giants catcher Roger Bresnahan wore the first set of shin guards in 1907. He received a chorus of boos from the fans, who though he was a "sissy."

    Features

    • The modern chest protector has such features as foam padding, polyester backing, a collarbone stabilizer and a lightweight design. These are all important features that afford maximum protection to the player.

    Improvements

    • Some catchers still wear the mask with a backward helmet.

      The newer catcher's helmet, which is made of polycarbons and combines a mask and helmet into one unit, offers safety and protection for the entire head. Modeled after the helmets worn by hockey goalies, it is much more advanced than the simple cage mask and backward helmet that catchers wore for decades.

    Effects

    • Most catchers today catch the pitch one handed, exposing their throat to a potential foul tip. After catcher Steve Yeager of the Los Angeles Dodgers took a bat in the throat in 1979, a flap to cover that area became popular with catchers.