Posted November 8, 200717 yr GM consensus: On-field coaches must wear helmets Nov. 8, 2007 CBSSports.com wire reports ORLANDO, Fla. -- Major league general managers decided Thursday that first- and third-base coaches will wear helmets during games next season, an action taken four months after Colorado's Mike Coolbaugh was killed when he was struck on the head by a line drive. Coolbaugh, a coach for the Rockies' minor league team in Tulsa, died July 22 when he was hit as he stood in the first-base coach's box during a Texas League game at Arkansas. A former major league infielder, Coolbaugh couldn't get out of the way. Some major league coaches started wearing helmets during the rest of the season. Joe Garagiola Jr., a senior vice president in the commissioner's office, said no formal vote was taken but the consensus was in favor of some type of protection. GMs will decide on the exact form of helmet when they meet next month in Nashville, Tenn. Options under consideration include hard liners under caps, helmets with ear flaps and helmets without ear flaps. AP NEWS The Associated Press News Service Copyright 2006-2007, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved Smart.... :thumbup
November 8, 200717 yr GM consensus: On-field coaches must wear helmets Nov. 8, 2007 CBSSports.com wire reports ORLANDO, Fla. -- Major league general managers decided Thursday that first- and third-base coaches will wear helmets during games next season, an action taken four months after Colorado's Mike Coolbaugh was killed when he was struck on the head by a line drive. Coolbaugh, a coach for the Rockies' minor league team in Tulsa, died July 22 when he was hit as he stood in the first-base coach's box during a Texas League game at Arkansas. A former major league infielder, Coolbaugh couldn't get out of the way. Some major league coaches started wearing helmets during the rest of the season. Joe Garagiola Jr., a senior vice president in the commissioner's office, said no formal vote was taken but the consensus was in favor of some type of protection. GMs will decide on the exact form of helmet when they meet next month in Nashville, Tenn. Options under consideration include hard liners under caps, helmets with ear flaps and helmets without ear flaps. AP NEWS The Associated Press News Service Copyright 2006-2007, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved Smart.... :thumbup Good to hear.
November 8, 200717 yr Author Sad that it took a man's death for this to happen but I'm all for it. Well said...
November 8, 200717 yr I don't think it should be mandatory. This is a rare occurrence and the coaches should have the choice. It is pretty much an intelligence test.
November 8, 200717 yr Everytime something bad happens, something changes.Whats next? nets along the foul lines after a fan gets hit in the head on a liner and dies? :confused So sad, Many things are so preventable.
November 8, 200717 yr Those being facetious in here, can you explain why you would NOT want to wear a hard helmet as a base coach?
November 9, 200717 yr Finally, RIP to the minor league base coach that died last season. This should've happened a long time ago
November 9, 200717 yr I agree that batting helmets for base coaches should be recommended. But mandatory? Instant replay and mandatory batting helmets for base coaches. How about juveniles below the age of 16 are not allowed to sit in Infield Box seats? I vote for a 12 man jury to deliberate on balls and strikes in a close and late game in mid-September too.
November 9, 200717 yr Theres no harm to this rule. The only thing that can happen from this is good things
November 9, 200717 yr Again, facetious/sarcastic people why would a base coach NOT wear a helmet? Someone explain that to me even though it is more fun making sarcastic jokes.
November 9, 200717 yr You gotta admit, being facetious can be a lot of fun sometimes. As far as your question, Im gonna go with comfort. I would bet there are some base coaches who would prefer not to wear a batting helmet in the middle of July in a day game because of comfort.
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