tape on bats

[rmstone]

I'm an student manager for a D1 NCAA team... and yes it is still an NCAA rule that bats must have a mark at 18"... most bats these days have the paint change color there but at the college levels coaches tell the players to put a tape line there or the bat will not be allowed... And the umps do check those bats prior to game to look for the tape line...

They also do use a pine tar type substance, even on metal bats...