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I honestly think USA Softball would do itself a favor and either allow jewelry just like NCAA, or completely disallow it just like NFHS. Or maybe compromise and allow it for 14U and higher, similar to the metal cleats rule.
Unfortunately with the way it is now, players don't have a clue what to do with their jewelry from one game to the next when they play in a weekend tournament or showcase. This sort of inconsistency amongst umpires makes us look like we can't get on the same sheet of music.
As for protection from litigation when it comes to "the golden question", don't let that fool you. I've read where umpires are part of a lawsuit in youth baseball when a player gets hurt by a batted ball just because the parents felt the bat used was too dangerous. It didn't matter that umpires inspected it before the game and found it perfectly legal, nor did it matter that the PU asked "the golden question" at the plate conference. After the injury, the parents would sue the bat manufacturer, the parent organization of the league, the league itself, the parents and coaches of the kid who hit the ball, and the umpires.
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"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker
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