[IRISHMAFIA]

Equipment Testing and Certification Committee

Rejected all proposed changes to the field (base, pitching distance, pitcher's box) and the return to 12' max pitch height in SP.

Approved the 52/300 as a legal ball, better definitions of an altered bat and safety grip including any attachment be taped.

The new ball will travel just as far as the 44/375. Confirmed by a member of Team USA, while doing some onfield work (in Cincinatti) with the balls, Johnny Mac was carrying his wood bat and Wegman DID hit the ball that left the park high and deep (supposedly over the lights). The ball will travel far. The only issue they had was with the power of the batters in this case, the ball will "go oblong" in flight which means it will "knuckle" going to the outfield. The ball remained intact and playable.

On the 10' v 12' arc. After testing by Dr. Smith, it was determined that the standard pitch at these two heights would only create difference of .0005 seconds which would not give an perceptable advantage to the pitcher in reaction time.

A Trackman system has been developed and studied in Denmark that uses a Doppler radar system to measure all aspects of a pitched and batted ball that can even determine the speed of the ball's spin. They have already been using this system with some amazing results.

At the Hooters this year, all bats were tested prior to the tournament (30 teams). The good bats were held by ASA and those which did not pass the compression test were returned to the players for them to take back to the hotel or wherever. ASA placed holograms on them and retained possession throughout the tournament. Midway through the tournament, all bats were retested. Only nine had improved via normal use. These were taken until the end of the tournament. Any player who took a bat off of the field, including into the dugout, lost the use of that bat until it was retested and reapproved. Without the player's knowledge, all bats were tested overnight prior to the last day of play and all had passed the compression testing.

BTW, ASA's new system checking the bats and ball with the Trackman ($70K initial hardware/software investment with a considerable cost for software updates) is being done in partnership with the NCAA and NFHS.