USSSA Non Approved Ghost Sighting

[The Man In Blue]

This weekend we played a PGF and I know one girl hit with an illegal Ghost and was ruled out. The other came out to hit, but the umpire noticed before she actually did. She just swapped her bat out. Anyone know what the PGF rules say about that? Neither game was ours and it wasn't any of our players. Just curious.

My understanding (no direct experience with PGF) is that PGF uses NFHS rules. NFHS allows ASA stamped bats, so the gold Ghost would be illegal since it does not bear the ASA stamp.

NFHS ruling:
Rule 7 Batting
SECTION 4 BATTER IS OUT
ART. 2 . . . The batter enters the batter's box with an illegal bat or is discovered having used an illegal bat and the infraction is detected before the next legal or illegal pitch (only the umpire or defense may detect an illegal bat).
PENALTY: The ball is dead immediately. All runners must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch. When the illegal bat is an altered or nonapproved bat, the batter and head coach are also ejected. Runners would not return if they were put out on the play.

So ... if caught after the fact and after a pitch has been thrown, it’s nothing.

If caught in the box before hitting, the batter is out and ejected and the head coach goes with her.

If caught after hitting a ball, but before the next pitch, the batter is out and ejected, the head coach goes with her, and any runner advancement it nullified (NOT runners who got out though - they are still out).

Interesting side note: I interpreted the title as a gold (USSSA) Ghost being used elsewhere, not as a blue Ghost being used in USSSA.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Ghost sighting at USSSA take two... yesterday home plate umpire did not know USSSA courtesy runner rule early in game. Tournament director UIC watching later in game - DD identifies another Blue Ghost - umpire asked why it was illegal... field umpire brought in... he didn’t know and USSSA official watched the whole thing. Player allowed to switch bats, opposing coach eventually yelled at the girl for almost getting him thrown out. Our coach officially protested and umpire didn’t know that rule and forced game to continue. We lost, should have lost - but after a lot of chaos all I can say is that USSSA local did not handle properly. And there were no consequences to opposing team that we know of. SMH


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Others may have different experiences ... but as an umpire in an area where USSSA is trying to get a foot in the door, I am VERY unimpressed with their umpire licensing process, total lack of training, and complete lack of support. What you described could very well have happened here.

 

[marriard]

Others may have different experiences ... but as an umpire in an area where USSSA is trying to get a foot in the door, I am VERY unimpressed with their umpire licensing process, total lack of training, and complete lack of support. What you described could very well have happened here.

Like every other sanction, USSSA is very regional and it really depends on local leadership.
Lets face it, NFHS sanctioning is an open book multi-choice test. ASA is a joke. PGF relies totally on other sanctions. And so on... Even some of my college sanctioning stuff was somewhat straightforward.

Personally I am lucky to have great leadership locally across most sanctions. Not everyone is so lucky.

I know the guys running officials nationally for USSSA would LIKE to make it better, but there just getting umpires is such an issue. I am fairly embarrassed by some of the undefendable umpire actions people post online, but I know that for many regions it is such a challenge just finding bodies to officiaite.

 

[Cornbread]

Tournament directors need to specify which ghost is legal and which is not to the head coaches. Seems to me Easton has found a way to make you by every ghost out there

 

[The Man In Blue]

Tournament directors need to specify which ghost is legal and which is not to the head coaches. Seems to me Easton has found a way to make you by every ghost out there

Not the Tournament Director’s job to make sure your equipment is legal.

When you sign up for a tournament, you know whose sanctioning it falls under. Follow those rules. It’s not rocket surgery or brain science.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Very good points marriard, and I should have acknowledged the “regionality” of it all.

Around here, USA does require you to attend an annual clinic. It is usually 2 - 4 hours long and ... well, the value depends on who is running it. They also offer a “State School” each year, which is a two-day session. (I am planning on attending one of the National Schools next season.)

USSSA I paid my fee online and got a rule book in the mail. Their website is a mess and nearly impossible to navigate for officials. Their one and only uniform vendor was out of shirts and hats most of the season. I will give them a thumbs up for the regular (bi-weekly?) rules interpretation e-mails. Guys who have traveled to their tournaments this year have not come back with good things to say.

Local NFHS organization is a fee paid online and an open book test once a year. They require a clinic once every three years. I try to attend one annually, but I try to attend them in different cities every year. Like the USA clinic, the value depends on the host. They also require an online concussion protocol class every 2 or 3 years (I forget exactly).

Like you said, local people are what drive the value. If your local people aren’t very strong, the rest wont be either.

 

[Westwind]

MIB, hats off to you for working hard to be able to do a good job.

Watching a well officiated game is something I have learned to appreciate.

 

[grcsftbll]

Tournament directors need to specify which ghost is legal and which is not to the head coaches. Seems to me Easton has found a way to make you by every ghost out there

Genius, right?

 

[marriard]

Tournament directors need to specify which ghost is legal and which is not to the head coaches. Seems to me Easton has found a way to make you by every ghost out there

Yeah... the huge amounts of emails and tournament packets and published rule books and weekly tournaments and thousands of various social media posts are not big clues.

Every competent umpire says something like 'Do you certify your team is equipped to play XXX sanction softball' and waits for the coach to say "Yes'.

That is because it is on the coach to know. It is on them to ensure their team is properly equipped. It is part of being the coach.

 

[The Man In Blue]

MIB, hats off to you for working hard to be able to do a good job.

Watching a well officiated game is something I have learned to appreciate.

Thanks for the compliment! This really has become a “passionate hobby” of mine.

I agree ... when I try to watch a game, I find myself watching the officials to see what is happening in the game that most people aren’t seeing.