WFXG Fox54 Augusta-Your News One Hour EarlierTwo Augusta umpires create new helmet designed to reduce concussions

It's a scary part of the game- foul balls ricocheting off the head and face of catchers and umpires.

"On an average, every other game you're going to get hit once," says umpire Tom Lewis. "Some games you're going to get hit three or four times."

But now, two Augusta umpires have created a new helmet designed to reduce head injuries.

"The concussion issue is huge," says Black Knight helmet creator Jo Martin.

Martin says his new helmet differs from old protective masks by the way it handles impact.

"We're getting away from that energy absorption part of it, and going to the energy deflection part of it," he says.

A Richmond County deputy, Martin says he got the idea from police bullet testing.

"If I could get that baseball to do what that bullet will do on a windshield, and just deflect off the windshield," Martin remembers. "That's actually what brought it to light."

Lewis umpires college and high school baseball games after spending several years officiating Minor League games. He also assisted on the Black Knight project.

He says not only does the helmet protect better, it allows better visibility- a major factor for catchers and umpires.

"Visibility on my old helmet was very, very minimal," Lewis notes. "This one, I catch everything. I see everything. Literally, I see everything."

Martin says, as an umpire and fan of the game, he wants the fastballs thrown his way, but understands the risks.

"We want that kid throwing 100 miles an hour, you know? We want it. It's just the beauty of the game," he says. "The problem is, if you get hit with an 86-mile-an-hour fastball, it's going to knock you out, and the concussion rate's going to go up."

But both say the elevated protection allows them to continue to officiate the game they love.

"To stay here and do another game tomorrow, or a double header, that's huge," says Lewis.