Heart-Guards

Off Topic
#1

I wanted to see what the pitching community thought about this… Was at a league meeting last night when the topic of “heart guards” came up for pitchers (and infielders). I had never heard of them… One of the coaches had brought one – looked like a harness that you wear with a protective tea cup size thing. A couple of comments caught my attention during the discussion…

  1. It was spreading across other leagues (although NOT mandatory yet)
  2. another coach - Insurance for leagues might make it mandatory as some point.
  3. another coach - Since cups are mandatory – then why not mandate full face mask helmets, hear protectors, arm guards, kidney guards, chin guards etc.
  4. another…Was this the “long slippery slope” of endless protectors or was there actual evidence that they can save lives or serious injuries. Know one no seemed to know but “if it would save one kid then it was worth it”

Was interested to see what other thought about this?

#2

Supposedly there have been a few kids who were hit in the chest and died because their heart stopped. But I honestly don’t know if there is any truth to this of if this is one of those “old wives tales”.

In any case, unless this does become an insurance issue which affects whether or not the kids get to play, I would prefer to leave this matter up to each individual player and his parents. Although there would be nothing wrong with informing the parents that such products are available.