- Jun 22, 2008
- 3,438
- 48
Yes, SC plays under FED rules. The reason the lawyers were able to get involved in this case was the umpires did not follow the appropriate rain delay procedure. If they had waited the required time, and informed the teams properly, it would not have been challenged by the legal system.
It did change the umpire instructions for rain games thereafter in my opinion. We played shortly after (4A division). Very important game. As soon as there was any amount of rain, they immediately suspended the game. Waited, the rain stopped, and we continued. Previous instructions were to always try everything to get the game in, even if shortened.
That was the other aspect of the 3A game in question. The rain was coming down so hard in the 5th, when team #1 gained the lead, it should not have been played either.
In my opinion also, the game changes so much for the pitchers to grip a wet ball, that important games (like HS where communities get involved, and hire lawyers) it is better to stop games when it is obvious the game is being effected by a wet ball.
Load of crap. Either the field is playable or it isn't. Unless there is some ridiculous rule requiring umpires to wait a specific amount of time (which is absurd), the umpires did nothing wrong or improper as described. For that matter, it sounds as if they handled it perfectly.
Equally absurd is getting lawyers involved in a sporting event. What a waste of time and money involving the judicial system and even they screwed it up.