Is dirt an illegal substance?

[default]

I know this might seem like a silly question, but I have a pitcher who, when her hand gets sweaty sometimes bends over and scoops up some dirt. Yesterday she didn't wipe her hand after doing so and was called for putting an illegal substance on the ball. I have seen it when a pitcher licks their fingers and forgets to wipe their hand, but have never seen it called with dirt. Anyone else ever hear of this?

 

[default]

I also seen that yesterday. First time EVER

 

[default]

In the ASA book I think it even calls out dirt as an illegal substance.

 

[default]

NO.... Unless you use it to deface the ball in some way!

 

[default]

I have only seen this called one time. We were in Columbus at a tournament about 4 years ago.

 

[default]

Yes I have also seen it called.
Dirt on a ball diamond seems odd!

 

[default]

DD played for the Lasers Gold 18U in 2006, and had made it to the championship game of the NSA A World Series, being held at Berliner Park. Our pitcher at the time (Allison Cox) had pitched at least 5 straight games, all back to back. It was very hot and humid all day and she had been doing the same thing all day (picking up dirt, throwing it down and wiping her hand off), and had not been called for anything, all day long....nothing illegal about it. Well in the 3rd or 4th inning of the championship game, she does what she has been doing all day long, and the first base umpire calls "illegal pitch",.....just happened to be a runner on third, who was awarded home.....time ran out in the 5th inning of a "timed" National Championship game.....we lost 1-0!! I know, I know, I need to just get over it, lol....well, I am over it, but I'll never forget it!! LOL!!!

 

[default]

I know this might seem like a silly question, but I have a pitcher who, when her hand gets sweaty sometimes bends over and scoops up some dirt. Yesterday she didn't wipe her hand after doing so and was called for putting an illegal substance on the ball.

So, yes it is an illegal pitch.....if she didn't wipe her hand off!

 

[default]

The ASA rule book says that a defensive player may at no time apply a "foreign substance" upon the ball.

Was it American dirt?

Seriously, it is strange to think of dirt as a foreign substance, when the field is made of dirt and the players and their equipment are covered with it. But dirt can be considered a "foreign substance" in the respect that it is not an intristic part of the ball itself. New balls do not come with dirt already applied to them!

The rule applies only when a defensive player purposely applies the substance directly to the ball. And that is the distinction we have to make. Is the dirt getting on the ball through the course of normal game play? If so, then that is legal. Or, is the dirt being applied directly and purposely to the ball by a defensive player? That is illegal.

If the pitcher gets a handful of dirt, then goes directly to the ball without wiping off her hand, the umpire may interpret that as purposely applying the dirt directly to the ball. If she wipes off her hand before touching the ball, she should be good to go.

 

[default]

Had an illegal pitch called on my dd this year for this. Umpire said when she grabs a hand full of dirt to at least make it look like you make an attempt to wipe it off on her pants and she would be fine.

 

[default]

Seen it called a number of times this season, all when a pitcher didn't do a wipe on the jersey afterwards but it's ironic that it's O.K. not needing to wipe after handling the rosin bag. I had no idea dirt was that much superior to rosin. lol!

 

[default]

This weekend at the Nailbiter, the blue stopped the game and went out to the rubber for a similar reason. During the first inning of the game, probably third batter, my dd (10U) bent over and rubbed the 'new' ball in the dirt. Blue yelled time, and then proceeded out to the rubber. He took that ball from her, grabbed a new one, threw the new one in the dirt and then used his shoe to scuff the new ball, and then handed her the scuffed ball and then yelled, "you have been warned" (with a wink). I found out afterwards that she was told not to use her hand to put dirt on the ball...that she could touch the dirt with her hand as long as she wiped her hand on her shirt prior to touching the ball. I will say that the blue handled the situation wonderfully as the whole incident did not seem to shake up her pitching at all.