Take me out to the old ball game has been the theme song for America's favorite past time for decades. We're talking of course about baseball! Although many sports need a lot of room or equipment, an informal baseball game is relatively easy to organize with a little effort and some basic baseball and catching equipment. Other sports may actually be more popular in certain areas of the country than baseball but it's this all American game that is tied into our culture through years of play

It's a game that needs little in the way of equipment and many a kid has whiled away the summer playing baseball with the local neighbors using little more than a solid stick, some flattened paper boxes for bases and a ball. Of course, with the growth of the sport, (and the involvement of adults) the number of injuries also have increased, and sometimes dramatically. Even the most informal baseball game needs some basic equipment to be able to play and more importantly play safely.

Two of the most important pieces of equipment that should be considered absolutely necessary for safety are batting helmets and catchers protection. Batting helmets protect the batter from accidental beaning from an errant pitch. Although it doesn't happen often, a wild pitch can happen and cause serious damage.

The same type of scenario can also injure the catcher. Baseball catching equipment should always be available for both teams catchers. Catcher equipment at a minimum should include a full helmet, face guard, chest protection and for the guys an impact resistant protective safety cup for the privates. Knee and shin pads should also be considered and though important, if it's a choice due to limited finances, start at the top of this list and work down.

A final piece of equipment that I consider to be absolutely essential is a mouth piece for teeth protection. All it takes is 1 ball to cause thousands of dollars in dental damage. The pain and cost just aren't worth going without this little piece of plastic that costs around 5 bucks. I wouldn't necessarily expect a mouth protector to be worn by everyone at all times, but would definitely insist it's use when batting, by the catcher and probably the pitcher.

In the end, the right equipment can go a long way to making the great memories of childhood.