▁agreement ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁required ▁all ▁remaining ▁hel met - less ▁officials ▁to ▁wear ▁one . ▁ ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁rule ▁ 1 . 1 6 ▁requires ▁players ▁who ▁were ▁not ▁in ▁the ▁major ▁le agues ▁before ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁to ▁wear ▁a ▁batt ing ▁hel met ▁with ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁ear f lap . ▁The ▁last ▁player ▁to ▁wear ▁a ▁fla pl ess ▁hel met ▁was ▁the ▁Florida ▁Mar l ins ' ▁Tim ▁R aines ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁( care er ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ). ▁The ▁last ▁player ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁was ▁Jul io ▁Franco ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁( care er ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ), ▁although ▁he ▁opt ed ▁to ▁use ▁a ▁fla pped ▁hel met . ▁ ▁The ▁NFL ▁out la wed ▁the ▁one - bar ▁fac em ask ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁season ▁but ▁allowed ▁existing ▁users ▁to ▁continue ▁to ▁wear ▁them ▁( even ▁though ▁by ▁that ▁time , ▁the ▁mask ▁had ▁mostly ▁fallen ▁out ▁of ▁favor , ▁save ▁for ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁kick ers / p un ters ). ▁Scott ▁Player ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁player ▁to ▁wear ▁the ▁one - bar ▁fac em ask ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁For ▁many ▁dec ades , ▁American ▁League ▁( AL ) ▁u mp ires ▁working ▁behind ▁home ▁plate ▁used ▁large , ▁bal lo on - style ▁ch