Tango was drinking in a bar with a friend, who got in an argument with one of the locals. On the way out Tango was attacked by a small man with a bat. He blocked the down stroke with his left forearm, grabbed the bat with that hand between the batter’s hands, grabbed the head of the bat with his right hand, and wrenched the weapon free, discarding it as they left. His left forearm was injured, but not broken.

This was one of many successful bat defenses by larger men being attacked by individual women and smaller men. The bat seems to be the weapon that requires the most size, surprise and numbers to make it effective.

The thick end of the forearm below the elbow caught the bat lower than the sweet spot. This is a boxing wing block done on the highline. As the head of the bat rolled off the forearm the hand, which was facing down on a diagonal line on an even plane with the bat, grabbed the handle between the batter’s hands. The other hand then slid under the blocking forearm and up to grab the head of the bat. With a counter twist motion the bat was spun out of the wielder’s hands. For this to work you have to be more athletic and bigger than the batter.