"FED Legal" Baseballs
 

Gentlemen,

FED Rule 1-3-1 clearly and unequivocally states:

"The NFHS Authenticating mark is required on all balls that will be used in high school competition."

If you are working a FED game as the UIC and there are no baseballs available at the game site with the required Authenticating Mark, though there is an ample supply of baseballs that appear to be otherwise perfectly suitable, what do you do?

Thanks.

JM

Play Ball!

FED Baseballs
 

Play the game and file a report.

Depends if you are tight-a$$ed, black and white, anal rules book umpire, or an intelligent umpire.

I'd play the game. The TABAWARBU would probably enforce the rule. Sad.

I take each of those non-official balls, and I measure them and weigh them to be sure they meet the stringent FED standards. Then I will get out my black sharpee and initial each and everyone of them and the sign an affadavit and fax it from my car to my assigner.

BUTTTTTTTTTTTT, more then likely I will just play with the balls I am given....

You TABAWARBU you!:D

Grab 1 of my back-ups from the car, and find another decent one in each of the team's ball bags. Then tell the HT-AC to get in his car and start driving to the closest {insert name of sporting goods store} and be back in 20 mins. Then... PLAY (ball)!

When this rule came out we were told in our assoc meeting not to play without the correct baseballs. And so, it has not happened.

Here in CT, as long as it is a baseball, play ball. Both coaches are informed that if they agree to play with this type ball, there will be no protests allowed that refer to the type of ball used.

I had a game that involved a Tech school. the HC was also a LL coach and all he had with him was a bucket of LL balls. Guess what? We played 7 innings and I just noted it to my assigner.

DG,

Was this a dictate of your association, or the NCHSAA, or something else?

What do you make of the fact that many of the baseballs listed on the NFHS website as "authorized" (referenced in the same rule that asserts the mark is "required") do NOT have the "Authenticating Mark"?

What exactly is your association's recommended procedure should this happen to occur? (i.e., no baseballs available at the game site with the NFHS Authenticating Mark.)

JM

P.S. DG, do you have a copy of the BRD?

In Illinois, play the game and file a report with the Illinois High School Association. They follow up with an inquiry to the respective schools.

JJ

Same here in L.A.'s association, but the S.F. Valley assn. made no such edict.

When the rule came out, I bought two cases of NFHS Diamond baseballs, and I just carry them around. I had one school that had "official league" baseballs without the stamp. I just had them swap them out for six of mine with the stamp. Otherwise, if my unit didn't voice the must-have-the-stamp edict, then I would be the if-they're-hardballs-let's-play type of umpire. So in order to ensure that I can allow every game to be played, I bring my own.

So you don't have to be a "tight-@ssed, black and white, anal, rules book umpire," or an unintelligent umpire to enforce the rule plus written and spoken edict, you would merely be following the wishes of the guy who assigns all of the games for three different associations. I would say that's a sign of intelligence to do things his way.

Now, to avoid being a tight-@ssed, anal (the very same thing), black & white, by-the-book umpire on something so trivial, I bring my own baseballs.

NCHSAA.

Already stated, I have not encountered a game where proper baseballs were not provided. Coaches know the rules and it is easy to provide the correct baseballs.

Of course I have BRD.

Next time I will have to look and will get back to you.

But there is a good chance that I will be saying, "Play Ball", regardless.

So that I don't put words in your mouth (I hate when others do that) tell me, if you had no baseballs, and the balls the teams had were equal to, or better (not difficult) than the FED approved balls, but did not have the FED mark on them, would you refuse to work the game, thus sending the visiting team back on their bus and home?