ASA ump says "take off your sunglasses" - Flag City tournament in Findlay

backstop09

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Thought I had seen/heard just about everything but this weekend in Findlay was a new one. Playing 18U on the Swale Park fields on Saturday morning. Bright sun mixed with periods of being overcast. The home plate umpire stopped the game and told the right fielder and first baseman to either put their sunglasses on their face or take them to the dugout. At the time it was rather cloudy so the players had them on top of their head. The coach went along with it and took the sunglasses from the girls but when he asked the umpire why, he told him that when they were wearing them on top of their heads they were not legal equipment. Anyone ever hear this one before?
 

daboss

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I believe this is a correct call and would go along with it for safety reasons. Fielders glasses are made to leave them on your face in the proper position but the lenses are made to flip upward out of view when you don't need them. They are not expensive in the sunglasses world and very functional.
 

BretMan2

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I've never had an ASA official tell me this before.

I've never seen an ASA official enforce this before.

Searching my PDF copies of both the ASA rule book and case book shows that the word "sunglasses" does not appear in either one.

Based on that, I would say that this official was being overly-officious.

There are some blanket rules about equipment being work properly as intended by the manufacturer, but nothing specific about sunglasses. Personally, I would not enforce this unless instructed to by higher-ups.

I'm not 100% sure- would have to look for it- but there may be a ruling about this for high school ball.
 

Hilliarddad3

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That's a BS call! I'd say they flip them down during fly ball like flip downs used to be..... Play ball it's not about you blue.....
 

mightymouse

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During 14u game at Stars & Stripes this weekend, the ump told opposing Centerfielder to turn her hat around. (She had on backwards)
Said "If you wear it, wear it right."
Have NEVER heard that one!
 

BretMan2

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Now that actually is an ASA rule. Uniforms must be worn "as intended by the manufacturer", which means hats must be worn bill forward.
 

Hilliarddad3

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So wait Bretman, let's say a catcher had a hat and old school mask, she'd have to wear it forward? :)

Just teasing.....
 

mightymouse

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Now that actually is an ASA rule. Uniforms must be worn "as intended by the manufacturer", which means hats must be worn bill forward.

Good to know! The players dad was not happy. He aggressively questioned the umpire, who simply stated "Doesn't matter what you think, its my call to make!"
(He wasn't being rude about, just very to the point!)
 

longball00

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My DD was told to remove her sunglasses while she was pitching because of the Red/Orange (Oakley) lenses. When asked why, he said they were a distraction. We calmly asked if the distraction was greater than her need to see, and he wouldn't budge.
 

BretMan2

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We've been told specifically to NOT ban sunglasses. The only one-in-a-million situation where we could call it a possible distraction would be if the glasses were so reflective, and the sun was hitting them just right, that it caused a glare into the batter's eyes.

I would also note that the rule says nothing distracting can be worn on the pitcher's fingers, hand, wrist forearm, elbow, or thigh. No mention of the face!
 

snoman76

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What about those arm sleeves? I have a pitcher that wears one and an umpire said that it cannot cover the wrist. She can wear it but her wrist must be exposed. Now, what about those chilly fall nights when they are wearing a long sleeve under armor.. Does she have to pull the one sleeve up to expose the wrist?
 

FastBat

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...the umpire, who simply stated "Doesn't matter what you think, its my call to make!"

That's true. Any "grey" area is left to the interpretation of the ump, including but not limited to balls and strikes, that's why you can't argue that.

Also, this reminds me of the 1990's. Our coach bought us "foam visors" (I'm aware completely nerdy, lol!) to wear if needed. So, we had the option to scrunch up the visor and put it in our back pocket, if not needed. If sunny, wore it. No umps warned us about anything, ever.
 

cobb_of_fury

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What about those arm sleeves? I have a pitcher that wears one and an umpire said that it cannot cover the wrist. She can wear it but her wrist must be exposed. Now, what about those chilly fall nights when they are wearing a long sleeve under armor.. Does she have to pull the one sleeve up to expose the wrist?

My daughter was pitching - 0-2 count the ump comes out and tells her that her Play call wrist band was a distraction and she had to turn it around the two questions I did not bother to ask -
1 - "How did it only become a distraction after the first out and the second batter went down 0-2?"
2 - "Why was the other teams pitchers wrist band not a distraction?"

Post script - She got the second batter out on a ground ball and struck out the third with out the aid of the distracting wrist band.
 
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Captain_Thunder

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We are down at the USFA World Series in Panama City......Umpire before this mornings games Says All the girls need to have their jewelry off - said it was discussed among them last night.....I told him we were 18U & they are all use to playing with it on all season........But I told the girls & said I would talk to TD after our games........

TD gave me what I thought was the Greatest Answer - "Umps want to enforce this - but if they would focus a little more on getting the calls right & a little less about the things that don't really matter, everything would be a lot better!"

It does make me wonder when an Umpire will worry more about glasses or earrings then hustling to get in place to make the proper call...........
 

Shaggy

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Going back to
...

I would also note that the rule says nothing distracting can be worn on the pitcher's fingers, hand, wrist forearm, elbow, or thigh. No mention of the face!

What about uniform shirts that are the same color as the softball? My DD's team came up against a winter ball team that wore these shirts and were complaining about picking up the ball from the pitcher.
 

Chardon Storm

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The umpires at that tournament were as "overly-officious" as any that I have ever seen. I understand the need for structure, but the crews in Findlay took it to another level that I'm not sure is necessary for 8-14 year old girls.
 

manitoudan

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Speaking of pitching and distractions I started a thread on this last fall but will mention again , we saw a great college freshman pitcher this past fall and she screams , not a grunt , but a true scream like a martial arts karate scream with each and every pitch . I found it hugely distracting , but the head of the umpires of our conference saw no problem with it ( per private conversation with him days after the game)
 
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Every time I am in Findlay it seems we get the same 2 or 3 crews who want to be the center of attention, despite not having clear interpretations about the rules.
 

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