I think the point 29dad was making was that if you go by the principle that disabled persons should not be treated any differently, then you have to accept the blind third baseman with no face mask. After all, we certainly can't discriminate. Why do they have that game of baseball or softball for the blind, where the ball makes a noise? Is that bigotry against the blind, or is that a reasonable and welcome accommodation that allows blind people to play ball?
At some point, one's handicap makes it dangerous to do certain things. This is not bigotry, it's just a fact. I don't understand why many who purport to advocate for the handicapped want to insist that society pretend that handicaps don't force physical limitations, when by definition this is exactly what they do. Why not acknowledge the handicap presents limitations and work to make reasonable accommodations for the handicapped?
We are talking realistically and bringing in a situation of a blind girl playing is beyond goofy. Want to bring up a quadriplegic next.
Are we children or adults debating here?
Now a girl with one arm can realistically happen and it has but you all avoid answering this question:
A. Is the girl who is playing third at around 20-25 yards and creeping in MORE - LESS - EQUAL able to defend herself against a hard line drive than the pitcher at 40 feet?? Joe what is professional opinion, which one can defend themselves better?
Now the girl in question, again shouldn't be playing with-out a mask but should she be banned when girls without disabilities get in more dangerous situations and are not? How are her reflexes? Doubt the ump who knew her for 5-10 minutes would know.
Surprised you are bashing the handicapped. What "special treatment" did she ask for? None, she just wanted to play like everyone else with the same set of rules. No one is pretending handicaps don't force physical limitations. She has one less arm to defend herself so she IS at more risk than a girl with two arms. How much more depends on her reflexes. The handicap is acknowledged but why should she be singled out when others get in equal or more dangerous situations and are allowed to play?
UNLESS you want put in print that the girl playing in close at third with her arms hanging down by the ground ready to field a bunt can do better at defending herself against that line drive than you are discriminating. UNLESS you want to say you know that the girl in question doesn't have the reflexes to do better than another girl with two arms but very slow reflexes than you may be a redneck. ha jk discriminating.
How many two armed pitchers get hit in the face every year? Why were they allowed to pitch? How many corners get hit in the face every year?
And I REPEAT I think this girls parents are ignorant to let her pitch without a mask but I think that about every mask-less pitcher's parents. This isn't a debate about that, it's about whether the ump should be the one deciding if a girl playing with-in the rules should be able to play with a handicap based on their limited knowledge of the players ability. At some point maybe (the quadriplegic), but at this point?? Shouldn't the decision be the parents and coaches? And if the decision is the ump's shouldn't it be carried over to the corners? Ump keep them from playing too close.