Yes - I am a kick boxer and if I didn't wear one I would now be an Opera Singer ;)
Wearing a cup is essential for most contact sports. What is unfortunate is many youth of today take their 'invincible' attitudes out onto the playing field (which can prove disasterous).
In Baseball, all players should wear a cup. Foul tips, wild pitches, bullet line drives, sliding/colliding base runners (all at high speeds) can happen too fast for players to try to react in such a way to keep their groin from getting a very unpleasant surprise. Most major-leaguers do (which explains why their grabbing themselves and adjusting themselves just when the cameras are on them).
In football, all players should wear a cup. In some youth organizations, it is a requirement, but high schoolers, college players and pros generally don't. Part of it is the 'macho' thing, some of it because their pants are so form-fitting.
Hockey probably has the highest percentage of cup wearers. Flying hockey sticks and checking are as common as missing teeth. Getting whacked by a hockey stick in that area would likely lead to severe and irreversible injury.
Now, the key to a more comfortable cup wear is picking the right size and right style. Way back when, there was just two sizes and one style. Now there are usually three (sometimes four) sizes and multiple styles. You can still get the flat ones, there are 'banana' styles, contoured styles, and a new style called "The Nutty Buddy." Sizes are in youth (usually age 12 or under), teen (12 to 15 or so); and adult (15 and older). The web is chock full of online stores and options - which may be better than the local sporting goods store (who always seems to be out of the size you need - don't they?)
I've played contact sports most of my life, buy a NUTTY BUDDY! It is worth the extra money. Your "boys" will thank you for it!
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a piece of plastic formed to fit over a mans package and protect the testicles form injury . You slip it behind a jockstrap so your balls don't get crushed playing sports. (Football, Baseball, Karate, etc.)
The size that adequately protects the vital areas of the groin.
Inside joke: In sporting goods stores that sell cups, guys come in and won't buy the "small" or "medium" because they think the size relates to holding capacity not waist measurement. Counter staff of the female persuasion get quite a laugh out of this, but they've learned never to suggest "You look like a 'small' to me."