Gorilla Grip

[Halfast816]

9+ years of coaching fastpitch I have never felt as wronged as I do tonight. My Varsity pitchers and travel ball pitchers have been using Gorilla Grip Gold since we were told it was legal at our coaches clinnic. Long story short in our semi-final game were were three outs away from run ruling the tournament host when they brought it to the attention of the umpire my pitcher was touching something on her shorts. My pitcher was asked what it was she replied Gorilla grip. The behind the plate ump said it was good the field ump was unsure and the the UIC was called he declared the substance was illegal and we were to forfeit the game. Documents were produced VIA Ipad and smart phone showing it was legal he would not even look at it. He threatened to have me arrested when I vehemently requested he read up on what he was uninformed of. Then quickly retreated to his vehicle to head for another tournament location. We (team parents) as a collective began a information barrage to the tournament director. We are legal and right on all counts but he hid behind the UIC decision is final. The tournament director then began telling the other teams how he wished someone would have caught us cheating earlier as all our games shouldn't count. I now have a prospect college pitcher labeled as a cheater because she was using a legal substance and the ignorant group of tournament directors and UIC that can't admit when they were wrong. What recourse do I have?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

All it would have been anyway, is an illegal pitch. Right? I mean, I agree with you, that I have been told that gorilla grip is legal. But, let's say that it was illegal. The penalty isn't to forfeit the game.

I see so many things here, that went wrong. Such as the plate umpire, losing control of the game.

Was this ASA?

 

[JAD]

Most tournament sanctions have a 'protest procedure' that you can follow if your team feels that they have been 'wronged' by an umpires decision. Judgement calls are not disputable, but if the UIC incorrectly made the call that Gorilla Grip is illegal, then it sounds like you have a text book case for a protest!

 

[MTR]

All it would have been anyway, is an illegal pitch. Right? I mean, I agree with you, that I have been told that gorilla grip is legal. But, let's say that it was illegal. The penalty isn't to forfeit the game.

I see so many things here, that went wrong. Such as the plate umpire, losing control of the game.

Was this ASA?

How would anyone know it was GG if the pitcher was taking it off her shorts?

 

[Halfast816]

She kept the cloth under the front of her shorts because they had no pockets.

 

[MTR]

She kept the cloth under the front of her shorts because they had no pockets.

Thank you. BTW, I'm sure you meant Gorilla Gold as a Gorilla Grip would most certainly be illegal for a pitch to wear on the pitching hand.

 

[Halfast816]

Yes Gorilla gold, Add insult to injury there were college scouts in attendance the day before and now all they will hear is the shut down pitcher they were watching yesterday was cheating. The tournament director is still insisting she was cheating and that was why she was throwing a 1 hit shut out 2nd of tournament until they were about to be run ruled in the fifth and the sh!t hit the fan. Sad part is an uninformed obstinant UIC may cost this pitcher college looks and possible scholarships.

 

[Halfast816]

She was given Gorilla gold as a Freshman by her Varsity Coach and has been his starter since then. he will go to bat for her but as he said unfortunately the horse has been let out of the barn you can't close the door now. I want written letters of apology and vindication from the umpire the tournament director so she can attach those to any college resume she sends out. Am I wrong in believing this is serious would aquiring an attorney be overkill? It is a girls future that could be affected.

 

[Halfast816]

I could care less about the tournament I am interested in protecting my players reputation. They finished third after after climbing back out of the consolation bracket, when asked by the umpire to accept their medals the team in unison said you can keep the damn medals and proudly walked off the field like true champions as they had beaten everyone soundly that was in the championship game. I was never more proud of a team as I was that day. They stayed and played after the travesty because the just love to play the game..........it was not a friendly enviroment the host team is the one that had the forfeit called. To add to it their second pitcher plays for the same high school our pitcher does and uses the stuff too.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Halfast, I understand your pain. No college coach is going to think that she was cheating, in my opinion. You could write a formal mail to them and explain what happened, if you want.