Authorized and Official Baseballs

[Stan W.]

In a coach discussion forum, a few coaches were discussing the state rule that requires the use of a certain baseball......Just a few quick questions, has anyone ever enforced or been asked to enforce any official ball rule in any of your games...???

In Pa, the Wilson A1010PRO-RS SST is the official ball, however they also state that Member schools are reminded that the adoptions are for use during PIAA participating Districts and PIAA Inter-District (state) Championship play only. Schools are not required to use these balls during their regular season contests....

NFHS rules say that we are to use only baseballs with the NFHS authenticating mark.....(rumble interp states we should play a game without official balls then report them to the state association).....

Now that being said, If I show up and we have 2 teams and 3 baseballs, we are going to play......I have also umpired in some fairly rural schools where I had to go my car and supply 2 new baseballs to get the game in.......no one had remembered to bring any......(they were PONY league balls)..... I brought them back and told both coaches I had 2 new pearls....did they agree to use them?.....of course they did..........and we got the game in....

I am not holding a game up over marks or branding on the baseballs...and pretty much am not going to call the state over it......

[BrianC14]

I am not holding a game up over marks or branding on the baseballs...and pretty much am not going to call the state over it......

We have the same "shall use" state rule here. I let this vary depending on the level of ball being played. If it's JV, we're lucky if we get relatively clean BP balls; if it's 4A or 5A varsity, then we get the goods, and so far, I haven't had a problem with using the stipulated ball.

[UmpJM]

Stan,

I actually had this come up in a game my first year of umpiring.

I was working a Frosh-B game. Somewhere around the 4th inning, the Visiting HC complains that the baseballs are "illegal" - because they lack the "NFHS Authenticating Mark" (which they did lack).

The baseballs were new, regulation in size and weight, but the cover was slightly "slick" - IMHO.

I believe that the thought that passed through my mind when the Coach brought this to my attention was along the lines of...

"You've GOT to be F***ing Kidding Me! This is a F***ing Freshman-B Game!!!"

I believe I tried to telepathically convey this thought to the Coach and I also may have had a somewhat pissed-off look on my face. But, using my better judgement (plus, I had just finished reading "Verbal Judo, recommended during the "Situations" session during our pre-season clinic) I refrained from expressing these thoughts.

After some pissing and moaning by both coaches, I informed the complaining coach (authoritatively, I might add) that the IHSA ruling on this situation was that the game would continue with the non-sanctioned balls and he could file a statement with the IHSA office after the game if he so chose. I assured him that it was definitely NOT grounds for a forfeit (he actually suggested that), and that the IHSA has chosen not to entertain protests.

I then suggested that it would be fine with me if he chose to provide some "sanctioned" baseballs if he had any and would like to.

He did, and he did. The game proceeded without further incident.

I must say, this pretty much caught me off guard when it happened, and I felt like I was kind of "winging it", but it seemed to turn out OK.

JM

[LMSANS]

Good solution, JM.

I can't believe the coach gave up 2 baseballs so easily. Around here, getting 2 baseballs in any usable condition from a freshman team is casue for celebration. Very few coaches give up baseballs as the visitor. "...baseballs cost money..."

[DonInKansas]

Very few coaches give up baseballs as the visitor. "...baseballs cost money..."

This is usually the way to go for a relatively pain-free solution. For smaller schools with limited resources, clean baseballs are like gold. If they don't want to/can't provide anything better and want to keep playing, then we go with what we got.

[catoblue]

We always check the game balls for LL games. Regular season must have the LL Logo and RS or RS-T stamped on them. Tournaments require the logo and RS-T.

We require a minimum of two "new" game balls to start play, but will allow "reasonably clean" used balls to be used as replacements during the game, should the game balls not be returned after being hit out of play.

[willv28]

We always check the game balls for LL games. Regular season must have the LL Logo and RS or RS-T stamped on them. Tournaments require the logo and RS-T.

We require a minimum of two "new" game balls to start play, but will allow "reasonably clean" used balls to be used as replacements during the game, should the game balls not be returned after being hit out of play.

Pretty much the same here. We like a "two in the pocket, one in the field approach" but we'll take what we can get. Everyone knows that we expect RS or RS-T at any game. It prevents coaches who aren't familiar to show up with any ol' ball. Though the game at the next field over tonight were using the Rawlings ROLB "Official League" balls. Correct size and weight and are raised seam, almost 100% identical might even have the same core as RS-T marked balls except the cover was different, so it wasn't that bad. It is annoying to get the RLLB marked with RS or RS-T here like one store in 20 miles carries them and they're $4 each.

They are also obviously expected to have RS-T baseballs at any tournament game.

[moblue]

I saw the type of ball challenged at a HS Varsity game this year. Once it was brought up, you could tell from the stands it was a new "practice ball." It was much whiter than your typical game ball is. It was replaced after some discussion.

[treedog24]

Varsity games should have "legal" balls, but in a JV/Frosh game, just give me balls that are round, white, and not made of plastic. :agasp_:

[catoblue]

Pretty much the same here. We like a "two in the pocket, one in the field approach" but we'll take what we can get. Everyone knows that we expect RS or RS-T at any game. It prevents coaches who aren't familiar to show up with any ol' ball. Though the game at the next field over tonight were using the Rawlings ROLB "Official League" balls. Correct size and weight and are raised seam, almost 100% identical might even have the same core as RS-T marked balls except the cover was different, so it wasn't that bad. It is annoying to get the RLLB marked with RS or RS-T here like one store in 20 miles carries them and they're $4 each.

They are also obviously expected to have RS-T baseballs at any tournament game.

The problem with those "Official League" balls from Wal-Mart is the synthetic covering and the low threads - much more slippery than a "real" game ball. They're good for practice balls - I have a bucket of them I bought for coaching BP. I generally won't allow them in a game though.

Our league provides each coach one case of new Diamond Little League RS-T balls at the beginning of the season, two of which are to be brought to each game by the home team. Usually they remember, but now and then someone will have left them home.

I usually end up with at least one lightly used "real" game ball in my ball bag after every game. I hold on to the better ones and bring a couple of them to the field with me, in case neither coach remembered to bring game balls (and it's happened several times). We end up using the balls I bring and everybody is happy.

[willv28]

The problem with those "Official League" balls from Wal-Mart is the synthetic covering and the low threads - much more slippery than a "real" game ball. They're good for practice balls - I have a bucket of them I bought for coaching BP. I generally won't allow them in a game though.

Our league provides each coach one case of new Diamond Little League RS-T balls at the beginning of the season, two of which are to be brought to each game by the home team. Usually they remember, but now and then someone will have left them home.

I usually end up with at least one lightly used "real" game ball in my ball bag after every game. I hold on to the better ones and bring a couple of them to the field with me, in case neither coach remembered to bring game balls (and it's happened several times). We end up using the balls I bring and everybody is happy.

That's what I want to start doing. But I'm not sure if it's appropriate for the umpire to supply game balls and say they will be using them if they bring the wrong balls or no balls.

[ShinySideUp]

The association where I get my assignments has a strict "umpire must return the balls to the team that supplied them" rule. It seems some coaches objected to paying for balls, then not getting to use game-used balls for practice.

I took a single game fee and bought a box of the league-preferred balls. If I bring-em, I keep-em.

[Umpire in Chief]

The association where I get my assignments has a strict "umpire must return the balls to the team that supplied them" rule. It seems some coaches objected to paying for balls, then not getting to use game-used balls for practice.

I got told after an evaluation game once where I returned the baseballs to the home team not to ever do that, just leave them at the plate and dont wory about it. I seldom do this.

I took a single game fee and bought a box of the league-preferred balls. If I bring-em, I keep-em.

Your a good man, I would have never don that.

[Stan W.]

I usually end up with at least one lightly used "real" game ball in my ball bag after every game. I hold on to the better ones and bring a couple of them to the field with me, in case neither coach remembered to bring game balls (and it's happened several times). We end up using the balls I bring and everybody is happy.

I dont recommend "ending up" with a game balls in your bag.....the last thing you want is a coach thinking you are taking game balls... We had an umpire in an old association who was called the ball thief....not sure what he did with them, but every coach in the league made sure they asked him for all the balls after the game.....

[mstaylor]

I have heard of evaluators telling guys to drop the balls on the plate. I never do that either. Drop or roll the balls to the home team dugout. Some leagues want you to split the balls to both teams. Either way return them to the proper dugout. DO NOT get hung up handing them to the coach, it just gives him an extra shot at you if something happened during the game.

[catoblue]

I dont recommend "ending up" with a game balls in your bag.....the last thing you want is a coach thinking you are taking game balls... We had an umpire in an old association who was called the ball thief....not sure what he did with them, but every coach in the league made sure they asked him for all the balls after the game.....

I can see where there are circumstances where that would be a problem. fortunately for me, this is LL, no association involved, and I also coach. The balls that end up in my ball bag go one of two directions - saved for games I call when the coaches forget them (the cleaner balls), or into my team equipment bag (somehow practice balls always disappear over the course of a season - and this helps replenish them). Either way, they get some good extra miles within the league.

[willv28]

I try to always return them, sometimes I forget and walk off with them in my bag. The always end up with the ball in play back.

[Ump Rube]

I always return them from whence they came. Except one time that we could see the sheet of rain coming down the road and everybody ran for their cars. Normally I would be using "ran" as hyperbole, but in this case it is true. GLMs running trying to get to there SUVs before they get wet... worth the soaking. Maybe that is why I forgot the 4 balls in my bags until I got home that night.

[zm1283]

99% of the schools and summer teams here use the Diamond balls with the NFHS stamp on them. They are really good baseballs.

The Rawlings balls are terrible. Seams are too wide and tall.