Quote:
Originally Posted by Dakota
Sentences in the two quotes of the same color are directly contradictory.
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At least my point wasn't so vague that nobody got it!
The rule you quote from 2007 was edited in the 2008 book, and reads the same in 2009, as I quoted above. Instead of saying, "FP catchers cannot wear the plastic face mask/guard", it now reads, "Fast pitch catchers cannot
merely wear the plastic face mask/guard".
Somewhere along the the line, the rule was modified. Somebody purposely and consciously added the "merely" in there. That changes the context of the rule. The old rule flat-out prohibited this type of mask. The newer version suggests that the plastic guard, alone by itself, is not acceptable but could be worn in conjuction with an "approved" helmet.
We have a rule that suggests the "Game Face" type guard is acceptable, along with a Safety Guide that explicitly says it's acceptable. The Safety Guide also says that a "batting helmet" is acceptable headgear for a catcher.
If a catcher came out in one of your games wearing a batting helmet and a Game Face mask would you allow it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA
The Game Face or similar products to not carry NOCSAE-approval stamps, therefore would not be considered "approved".
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The equipment rules specify that batting helmets worn by offensive players must be NOCSAE approved, as do face masks attached to those helmets.
They do not specify NOCSAE approval for catcher's face masks, catcher's helmets or for any helmet worn by a defensive player in the field. So what does "approved" mean for those?
To answer my own question, I take it that "approved" in this sense means equipment that is acceptable through custom and practice. We know what a commercially available catcher's mask looks like and if what the catcher is wearing looks like one in good working order, it fits the bill. Absent a rule-specified standard, the "approval" is at the discretion of the umpire or game administrators.
No, this isn't something I'm going to lose any sleep over or expect to have a huge headache with once the season get underway. It's
merely an observation on the title subject- the 2009 rule book.
Why publish a Safety Guide that contains information that conflicts with the printed rules? But, enough on the subject. I'm typing this post on my laptop while enjoying a good soak in my hot tub. The battery is running low and I'm going to need to reach over and plug in the power cord...
