What to do when umpire makes his own rules?

[Pigskinguru34]

High school game - follow NFHS rules which approved gorilla grip for use in 2014. fourth inning opposing coach says pitcher is putting foreign substance on the ball by using gorilla tape. Umpire goes out takes gorilla grip from the pitcher. Umpire is told the NFHS has approved Gorilla Grip use and he says it is not legal and will not be allowed in play.

coach asked the umpire to check the rules and he said no. He asked then if the umpire gets to make his own rules and umpire mode it known if he said another word he is ejected.

so what is the appropriate thing to do in the situation since the umpire refuses to educate himself and check the rule book?

 

[Comp]

Call his assignor and lodge a complaint.

And for the record, last I knew the rulebook does not say a word about gorilla gold, but it is listed as being accepted in the nfhs rulings.

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[EdLovrich]

Inform the umpire you are playing the game under protest, if this is allowed under your state association. Contact state association about what happened, contact the officials assignor/officials association. (BTW, NEVER tell a coach if he says one more word he will be ejected. all it takes is for the coach to say "Ok, Sir I understand," and you are between a rock and a hard place as the umpire. Also, it is my understanding that NFHS approved Gorilla Gold Grip Enhancer, the tackified towel. . “The GG towel may be kept in the pocket. The pitching hand needs to be wiped off before taking the ball from the glove,” In the current ruling, pitchers cannot have residue on the ball. Like rosin, Gorilla Gold does not affect the ball, only the fingers or hands to which the drying agent is first applied. So, if the pitcher was NOT wiping off and WAS leaving residue on the ball, then the umpire made a correct ruling.

EDIT: opposing coach says pitcher is putting foreign substance on the ball by using gorilla tape. Not sure what you meant by gorilla tape here?

 

[Comp]

Where are you getting that the hand has to be wiped off after using gorilla gold? The only requirement to wipe the hand in the rulebook other than NCAA is after licking fingers.

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[Pigskinguru34]

In the current ruling, pitchers cannot have residue on the ball. Like rosin, Gorilla Gold does not affect the ball, only the fingers or hands to which the drying agent is first applied. So, if the pitcher was NOT wiping off and WAS leaving residue on the ball, then the umpire made a correct ruling.

pitcher has it in back pocket and wipes towel, wipes leg, goes to ball and pitches.

by definition they are following the rule book and playing within the rules. I argue any umpire that gets the ball from a pitcher using gorilla gold grip enhancer will feel the ball is stickier.

First encountered it in PGF nationals as pitcher said the ball is all sticky. That is when we were educated by the umpire who says the substance making the ball sticky is gorilla gold grip enhancer and it is legal and the pitcher was wiping off after every pitch that she went to it so he was not going to do anything because it is legal and the pitcher was wiping off.

 

[radness]

imagine if residue made it onto the ball it would have been noticeable to the touch.

Did the umpire check game ball?

 

[EdLovrich]

If there is residue on the ball that is noticeable then that is a violation of the rules. Either GG has changed something with their product (in which case NFHS, NCAA, USSSA etc. have to re-evaluate OR the P is not wiping off very well OR the P is way overdoing it. GG is intended, like rosin, to be a drying agent for the hand, NOT to be stickum like Lester Hayes used it (kids, go ask Dad about this reference)

 

[Comp]

There is no requirement to wipe the hand after using an approved drying agent, and gorilla gold is an approved agent.

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[EdLovrich]

From the original press release:


Lewiston, Idaho (January 26, 2014) The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has included Gorilla Gold Grip Enhancer, the world’s leading producer and marketer of resin-tackified grip towels, as an approved drying agent that can be kept in a pitcher’s pocket.
The approval aligns the organization with the majority of softball governing bodies including the NCAA, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), the International Softball Federation (ISF), as well as others. The NFHS has also approved Gorilla Gold for use by baseball pitchers.

“We have determined that this product meets the specification in the rules,“ Theresia Wynns, Director of Sports and Officials Education for NFHS said. “The GG towel may be kept in the pocket. The pitching hand needs to be wiped off before taking the ball from the glove,” she added.

In the current ruling, pitchers cannot have residue on the ball. Like rosin, Gorilla Gold does not affect the ball, only the fingers or hands to which the drying agent is first applied.
According to Wynns, “The NFHS does not endorse Gorilla Gold, but would attest to the approval of a pitcher using the product.”

Bold and Italics added for emphasis

 

[STRIKE3]

There is no requirement to wipe the hand after using an approved drying agent, and gorilla gold is an approved agent.

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My understanding as well. But always open to learning if I am wrong. Good post!