Alright, this has like permanently changed my view on catchers in baseball. One time when I was in a little league baseball game, I was the catcher. Usually we went on a rotation on positions in the field, usually I was a baseman. I was stupid and young, and was catcher for the first time so I didn't really know how to catch the ball from the pitching machine.

The coach puts the ball into the machine, and a second later, it comes flying at me. I mean it's like a fighter jet soaring directly to me. So fast, that the batter missed it, so fast that I couldn't catch it. *BAM* right into my stomach, hurt like I got shot by a rifle. Thankfully I was wearing the protection that catchers get, y'know the helmet and torso guard, so the coach didn't accidentally murder one of his players. But dang, that was a rough experience. I mean it hurt so much I was crying and had to be taken off the field. The coach later told me that I and all other players that have to be the catcher in the future can sit off to the side of home plate so were not in the firing line. But the next time I was told to be catcher, I still broke out into tears. I respect catchers in baseball immensely because of this event.

This is a true story by the way, no embellished details.