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TOPIC: BAT RULES AND NEW STAMP |
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| Smitty77
November 6, 2012
7:41:54 AM
Entry #: 4007270
| http://www.usssa.com/usssa/usssa-general/NewUSSSASoftballBatMarks.pdf
NEW EQUIPMENT RULES FOR 2012/2013
1. New Mark Bats and the New Bat Standard.
Please see this link for the new rules for which bats are allowed in USSSA Softball beginning in 2012.
2. New Equipment Rules (including enhanced suspensions) for Altered Bats and Balls.
In addition, also attached is a copy of the revised Equipment Rules on bats/balls effective beginning in 2012 including enhanced suspensions for those who own, use, or even fail to cooperate in ridding our game of altered/illegal bats or balls. The suspension for not allowing a USSSA director to have your bat inspected to see if it is altered has in general been increased from one year to two years for first time offenders. And for those who do allow inspection and are found to have owned or used an altered bat found in a USSSA facility, the first time offender in general is suspended for up to 5 years. Second time offenders in either case can be suspended for life. And for the parents or coaches of youth players, there are also clear penalties set forth. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. If you use, or even enable the use of, altered equipment, your participation days in USSSA will be ending.
3. No Intent Required.
To be clear, the equipment rules in general will be enforced without regard to intent or knowledge. So if you buy a used bat on EBAY or SCREAMINGHOTBATS.COM, and it turns out to be altered, you will be suspended even though you did not “know” the bat was altered. You are responsible for the equipment you use or own and as a coach or parent you may be similarly responsible whether you have actual knowledge or not. It is the policy of USSSA that the owners, users, coaches and parents are the individuals who are first responsible for making sure that only legal equipment is used in USSSA play. To say, you didn’t know is not acceptable. You must know if the equipment brought into a USSSA facility is legal or not. If you don’t know, don’t bring it to the park and don’t use it. The fact that an individual did not know that the bat was altered is not a factor in imposing penalties. The question is only whether or not the bat is altered. If you do not read the rules or do not understand the rules, there will be no one to blame but yourself when a penalty is imposed or a suspension occurs. The rules are clear and the penalties severe. Make sure that you have nothing to do with the use or presence of altered or even illegal equipment at a USSSA facility.
4. Compression Testing and Removal of Illegal (Damaged/Abused)Equipment from USSSA Play.
In addition to revised rules on equipment beginning in 2012, USSSA will have compression devices available for use at many of its facilities beginning in 2012. The penalties for continued use of, or repeat offenders in using, too soft or otherwise damaged, foreign substance or abused bats has been clarified as being unsportsmanlike conduct that can be result in suspensions by the USSSA state director of up to one year. While a bat that is too soft, is damaged, has been abused or is a foreign substance bat is not necessarily an altered bat, it is all the same illegal in USSSA play. If a bat is found to be illegal it will be removed from play and may result under the rules in the batter being declared out and in other penalties (including suspensions) being imposed under the rules. Once informed bat is illegal, it may not be used again in USSSA play without the potential of a suspension under the rules. Again you are responsible for the equipment you use or enable others to use in a USSSA facility. And the rules will be enforced without regard to intent or knowledge.
If you have any questions regarding these rules, please contact your USSSA state director.
Announcement published December 18, 2011
2012 Equipment Rules for Bats and Balls
(Excerpted from the 2012 Slow Pitch Rule Book and By-Laws)
Rule 2 Sec. 2 Bats
Sec. 2. THE OFFICIAL BAT shall be round in cross section, straight in length and measure not more than 34 inches long, including tape or other grip additions to the bat, shall have a knob at the end of its handle, and not more than 2-1/4 inches in diameter at its largest part. Its weight shall not exceed 31-ounces, including tape or grip addition to the bat. The bat shall have a grip of tape or some other material to facilitate holding the bat during the batter’s swing. The grip shall be not less than 10 inches long, nor extend to touch the taper or barrel of the bat. All key graphics, including USSSA and BPF markings, must be permanent and cannot be applied as decals or by any other method that would allow the key graphics to be easily removed or added to the bat.
A. Material. THE BAT may be made of hard wood of one piece, or laminated from sections of hard wood bonded together with adhesive in such a way that the grain directions of all the pieces are essentially parallel to the length of the bat. THE BAT may also be made of aluminum or other metals, fiberglass, graphite or composite materials.
B. Construction. The bat may be made in pieces from different materials but must have a closed barrel end, a taper, a handle and a taper. The bat may be modular with interchangeable parts, subject to additional safety and tampering requirements as set forth in the standard USSSA Bat Licensing Agreement. The knob portion must be welded or mechanically attached to the bat. Only USSSA approved bats, USSSA approved weighted bats or USSSA approved bat weigh attachments, may be used by the on deck batter while loosening up on the field.
C. Official Softball. Authorized bat manufacturers shall mark their products with the words “Official Softball”.
D. Other Criteria for Legal USSSA Bats.
1. The performance standard for all non-wooden bats will be a Bat Performance Factor (BPF) of 1.20, or less under the ASTM BPF test as applied under the standard USSSA Bat License Agreement. Until January 1, 2013, a list of those bats licensed by USSSA and complying with this standard and therefore legal in USSSA sanctioned play shall be kept by USSSA and published and made available by means including, but not limited to, the USSSA website. Prior to January 1, 2013, only bats on the published list and marked “USSSA BPF 1.20” or “1.20 BPF USSSA” are legal in USSSA sanctioned play. Wood bats made on the approved USSSA bat manufacturer list shall be legal without regard to this section D.1.
2. After December 31, 2012, bats will be legal for USSSA sanctioned play only if the bat is manufactured by an approved USSSA bat manufacturer on the USSSA approved bat manufacturer list (kept by USSSA and published and made available by means including, but not limited to, the USSSA website) and has the new USSSA mark (kept by USSSA and published and made available by means including, but not limited to, the USSSA website) on the taper of the bat. Wood bats made on the approved USSSA bat manufacturer list shall be legal without regard to this section D.2.
E. Altered Bat Director Inspection and Suspension. A USSSA Director may at any time ask to inspect a bat that has been brought into the location of a USSSA sanctioned event or any other USSSA facility. The owner and/or user may either:
1. Withhold the bat from inspection and accept an immediate two year (automatic life for second time offenders under EI and/or E) suspension from USSSA sanctioned activities with no right to appeal or,
Announcement published December 18, 2011
2. Allow the Director to inspect the bat and reach a conclusion as to whether or not the bat might be altered.
EI. Altered Bat Determination by Altered Bat Committee Chairman or Manufacturer. If, after making the inspection of a potential altered bat, the Director in his discretion decides that the bat might be an altered bat, the suspected offending owner and/or user and may either:
1. Withhold the bat from further examination by the USSSA Altered Bat Committee Chairman or Manufacturer of the bat and accept an immediate two year (up to life for second time offenders under sections E and/or EI) suspension from USSSA sanctioned activities with no right to appeal or
2. Allow the Director to send the bat to the USSSA Altered Bat Committee Chairman and/or Manufacturer of the bat for a determination as to whether or not the bat is altered. If the Manufacturer or the USSSA Altered Bat Committee Chairman determines that the bat has been altered, the Altered Bat Committee Chairman in consultation with the Director who inspected the bat at the USSSA facility may suspend a first time offender for up to five (5) years from USSSA play. For a second time offender under E and/or EI, any such suspension will be for to life.
F. Ownership and Knowledge of Bat Being Altered. The responsibility for knowing whether a bat is altered is that of the users and the owner of the bat. If an individual uses an altered bat in USSSA sanctioned play or is the owner of an altered bat that is brought into a USSSA facility, the suspensions under this Rule 2, Section 1 will be imposed without regard to what the individual actually knew about the altered bat. An individual must know that his bat is not an altered bat, if he brings it into a USSA facility or used it in a USSSA sanctioned activity. If not, the individual can be suspended from USSSA activities for using or owning an altered bat. The fact that the individual did not know that the bat was altered is not a factor in imposing the suspension. The only question is whether the bat is altered or whether the owner/user has refused to let the bat be examined to determine if it is altered. After the Director, Altered Bat Committee and Manufacturer examination of a bat to determine if it is altered have all been completed, or upon the decision of the owner/user to not allow further inspection of the bat under E or EI, above, the bat shall be returned to the owner. If no one claims to be the owner, USSSA shall retain the bat. Once the bat has been returned to the owner, no appeal can be made with respect to whether the bat is altered or not.
G. Investigation Cooperation. Any coach, manager, player or other person who fails to cooperate in the investigation by USSSA of a potential or actual altered bat shall be subject to an unsportsmanlike conduct suspension. A manager or coach of a team that has more than one of his team’s bats determined to be altered (or not allowed to be inspected upon request for an altered bat inspection under E and/or EI, above) shall be subject to an unsportsmanlike conduct suspension.
H. Awards and Coach Suspensions If an owner/user chooses to submit a suspected altered bat to the USSSA Altered Bat Committee or the Manufacturer no awards will be given to the team until the bat is determined not to be altered. If the bat is found to be altered, no awards or berth will be given and the team will be placed last in the standings and the listed manager and coaches may be suspended for unsportsmanlike conduct.
I. Participation in, Profits from, or Encouraging the Altering of USSSA Marked Bats. Any one who participates in, profits from, or encourages the altering of USSSA marked bats shall be suspended indefinitely from all USSSA activities, until the offending party has satisfied all requests of the Altered Bat Committee with respect to his altered bat activities including but not limited to publicly swearing under penalties of perjury to never again participate in, profit from, or encourage the altering of USSSA marked bats. Violation of such an oath shall result in permanent suspension from all USSSA activities.
J. Compression Testing. Failure of a USSSA approved compression testing device test shall result in the offending bat being removed from play for the duration of the tournament or league game, not longer
Announcement published December 18, 2011
without the permission of the owner/user—such as in the case of an allowed USSSA altered bat determination under section EI. Multiple failures of such USSSA compression testing may in the discretion of USSSA be viewed as unsportsmanlike conduct of the owner/user, coaches, manager and team.
K. Custom Bats. No approved manufacturer may make a custom USSSA bat for a player or a team. All USSSA marked bats made by a USSSA approved manufacturer must be available to the public for purchase. Individualized graphics (such as a team name, different color, player name or number only changes for a team or player), however, do not constitute custom bats for purposes of this section K.
L. Worn/Abused/Damaged/Foreign Substance Bats Not Allowed in USSSA Sanctioned Play.
1. No bat is legal for USSSA sanctioned play, if it is damaged in any way. Damaged bats include those with damage to the knob or end cap, those which have loose knobs or end caps, and those with cracks or dents in the bat material. For example, it the end cap is in any way loose or appears damaged, the bat should be removed from play for being a damaged bat. If an end plug has come out or the knob has come off, the only way that such bat is legal in USSSA play, is if the knob or end cap is replaced by the manufacturer. Replacement by anyone else results in an altered bat with potential suspension for the owner/user of the bat.
2. No bat is legal for USSSA sanctioned play, if any of the graphics of the bat have worn off. For example, even if the only graphics that have worn off are not Key Graphic Information and are only items such as the patent no., a manufacturer logo, or the approval mark of another association, the bat should be removed from play for being too worn.
3. No bat is legal for USSSA sanctioned play, if the paint has been worn through and the actual bat material is showing. For example, if at the end of the barrel next to the taper where there are no graphics the bat paint is worn off and the underlying bat material is exposed, that bat should be removed from play for being too worn.
4. No bat is legal for USSSA sanctioned play, if there is a foreign substance on the barrel or taper of a baseball or softball bat. Foreign substances included among other substances, pine tar, stick-em type products and even dirt or mud, but only if the substance adds to the thickness of the barrel or covers Key Graphic Information such as the USSSA 1.20 BPF mark, the serial number of the bat, the model or manufacturer name, official softball, etc.. Players are responsible for their equipment and must clean such substances off of their bats so that the substance does not add to the thickness of the bat or obscure any Key Graphics Information about the bat. For example, while bats will surely get dirt on them under normal use and may have pine tar added to the grip, if the dirt or pine tar obscures Key Graphic Information or adds to the thickness of the bat, such bats cannot be used in USSSA play until the dirt or pine tar has been removed to the extent necessary to make all such Key Graphic Information readable and the bat not have increased thickness. If Key Graphic Information about a bat cannot be read, the bat should not be used in USSSA play.
5. If any removed bat under these section L rules is brought back into play at any USSSA sanctioned event at any time, the owner and user of such bat may be suspended for up to one year for unsportsmanlike conduct. And if the foreign substance or the wear/abuse/damage is apparent enough that the batter should have been aware of it, the batter may be so suspended for bringing such a bat into the batters box without having been warned in advance. Players are responsible for their equipment and must not use equipment that is even potentially illegal for use in USSSA sanctioned play.
6. In addition to the player being suspended for unsportsmanlike conduct, coaches of youth teams may also be so suspended when their players attempt to bat with such bats. Also, coaches of adult teams which have multiple offenses under this rule may also be so suspended for failing to have his team follow USSSA equipment rules. Please be reminded that unsportsmanlike conduct can result in a game or tournament suspension in the discretion of the umpire or tournament director and up to a year suspension in the discretion of the state director.
Announcement published December 18, 2011
M. Youth Player Altered Bats. The parents or legal guardians of a youth player suspended under section E and/or EI shall be suspended for life from all USSSA sanctioned activities. As such, the player even after his suspension has ended under E and/or EI cannot participate in USSSA sanctioned activities until the player is 18 years old. In addition to any other penalties under this rule 2.1, any coach or manager of a youth team that has more than one suspension imposed under sections E and/or EI will be suspended from all USSSA activities for life.
Rule 2 Sec. 3B Altered Balls
B. Altered balls and the potential of a ball being altered and those suspected of altering, owning or using an altered ball (or determined to have altered, owned or used an Altered Ball) shall be viewed as falling under the same rules in place above for Altered Bats in Rule 2 Section 1 above.
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| DeMonti
November 7, 2012
7:05:25 AM
Entry #: 4007829
| WAAAAANGGGGG WAAAAAAAANNNNNG WANG WANG WANG WAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGG WANG WANG WANG!!!!!!!!!! GOODBYE LIGHT SABERS!!!!!!! PLEASE INJECT ALL PICTURES OF DARTH VADER SWINGING A LIGHT SABER OR SOFTBALL BAT HEAR PLEASE, PHOTO SHOP THEM IF YOU MUST, AND LETS GET OUR LAST GLIMPSE OF OUR FELLOW LEAGUE PLAYERS SWINGING THEIR LITE STICKS HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAA WAAANG WAAAANG WAAAANG!!!!
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| DUTILLY
November 7, 2012
3:42:39 PM
Entry #: 4008155
| fuck this...i retire
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| lb4lb-7
November 7, 2012
6:07:07 PM
Entry #: 4008253
| This pretty much means the 2008 VFW trophy should be handed in. Dutilly broke every rule on that list in 2008 ...some of the two three times....and ...suspended?...Christ, he shouldnt be allowed to place two tires on Phillips Hill Road without the USSSA police pulling him over.
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