Abstract: A protective helmet is provided with a detachable wire face guard firmly secured in protective relation to the sides and peak of the helmet in mutual reinforcing relation therewith. The lightweight, fully ventilated mask affords a high degree of protection, with a wide, substantially unobstructed field of view, and is well suited for use by game playing youngsters such as those playing in the Little Leagues. A close coupled upper beam portion of the mask positioned, in use, above the normal field of vision of a user has a plurality of stiffening web members extending between upper and lower chord members of the upper beam portion of the mask. A mask lower beam portion is spaced downwardly from the upper beam portion in relatively inclined relation thereto and defining in use a major visual field therebetween, being spaced apart a distance sufficient to prevent substantial ingress of a predetermined standard sized object such as a baseball therebetween.