The "Soft-Shell" CP Challenge and BBQ in Birmingham

After noticing that 3 out of 3 people, who negatively commented against the soft-shell Pro Nine CP in a thread at umpire.org, had never actually worn them, I offered a challenge that I would set a few aside for demo purposes. This would mean that I would send out this CP at no charge as long as the wearer would test drive it in a game situation then post an objective review on the very same thread... then send it back when they were done. Thought that sounded like a fun thing to do.

Well, none of the commenters themselves took the offer. However, Chuck Maske, veteran umpire from Birmingham, Alabama and assigning secretary of the Oak Mountain Umpire Association who read the challenge humbly offered to do so. Chuck is a wearer of the Wilson Gold hard shell and umpires levels of youth through Div. II. So, he'd be a perfect candidate to judge.

Besides, Chuck is a heck of a nice guy. After I mentioned one of my favorite places to eat down in Birmingham was "Jim and Nick's BBQ", Chuck said that there was actually a better place to eat BBQ in Birmingham...the Full Moon BBQ. So Chuck offered to take me there the next time I was in the area. Because I do get down that way about once every 2 years, I'll eventually take him up on his offer

Then I'll pass on my newfound knowledge by writing an objective review here about the BBQ at the Full Moon.