6-1-4b "the pitcher does not use a rocker action in which, after having the ball in both hands in the pitching position, she removes one hand from the ball, takes a backward and a forward swing and returns the ball to both hands in front of the body;"
I haven't seen this pitcher, but was asked by one of the members of our assiciation if it was legal. The pitch is described as follows:
RH F1 assums the pitching position. The ball is held in both hands at her right hip. F1 rocks back, separates hands and drops her RH back and to the rear. She then starts her windmill, but as the throwing arm comes forward she touches the ball in her throwing hand to her glove in front of her body. As the pitch is described there is no interuption to the windmill, just a second touch of the hands together.
My opinion was that the second touch made the pitch illegal. A respected umpire from another association I described the pitch to felt to call this illegal was "looking for boogers". (Of course he has jumped the fence and is coaching a varsity high school softball team this year, so his opinion must now be suspect! [big grin]}
I thought I'd pole the experts here, and then forward your opinions to our bullentin board.
Roger Greene
|