Baseball term for the protective equipment worn by the catcher. So named because the catcher is in physically the worst position on the baseball field, the balls are pitched straight at him, the batter is swinging his bat very near his head, and runners coming to home plate are charging straight at him. It's an interesting dichotomy because the person 'ignorant' enough to place himself in this position must be one one of the smartest players on the field because of his responsibilities.