Batting helmets are used at all levels of organized baseball, so it's hard to imagine a time when they weren't a standard part of the uniform. And even though it's called a batting helmet, the protective headgear is worn by players in the on-deck circle, at the plate and running the bases. In 2008, even the third- and first-base coaches were required to wear them in professional baseball.
Early Models
The first reported use of batting helmets in Major League Baseball dates to 1941, when Brooklyn Dodgers teammates Pee Wee Reese and Joe Medwick wore them after they had both taken hard pitches to their heads. Dodgers general manager Larry MacPhail made all the players wear batting helmets, which at the time resembled jockey helmets.
Rule Changes
In the 1950s, Pirates manager Branch Rickey helped develop a new model of batting helmet, one that fit over the cloth caps the players wore in the field. In 1956, Major League Baseball made batting helmets a requirement. Over time, helmets were modified to include an earflap to help protect the ear facing the pitcher. By 1983, such helmets were required by Major League Baseball, though players who had been in the major leagues and worn a flapless helmet could continue to wear that kind of helmet.
Innovation
From the plastic inserts that some players stuck in their caps in the 1950s, through the modern helmets, both with and without an earflap, batting helmets have been tinkered with considerably through the years. One of the more well-received innovations was the Rawlings CoolFlo batting helmet, which has 15 strategically placed holes in the helmet to improve air circulation and help players stay cool.
Coaches' Requirements
When minor-league baseball coach Mike Coolbaugh was killed by a foul ball that struck him in the head in 2007, major league general managers decided to require on-field coaches to wear batting helmets, too. Those included first- and third-base coaches. While some coaches complained, the rule remained in place in an effort to protect them.
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