Comparing last year's list to the one for this year, I noticed that several of the bats from 2003 are not on the 2004 banned list. This aroused my curosity so I ventured to the ASA website for the listing of 2004 banned bats and saw the same list as on our handy dandy laminated umpire card. Further investigation of the "Certified" bats shows that several of the 2003 banned bats appear on the 2004 certified listing. The following is a link to the Certified bats for 2004: http://www.asasoftball.com/about/get...urerDetail.asp

In particular, the Worth ESTL appears twice on the certified listing, (1) model: "ESTL Recertified", description: "with ASA Recertification Mark", last updated: "9/30/2003" and the other (2) model: "ESTL", description" (none), last updated: "11/26/2003" just above (1). (If printed out it appears on page 14 of 17).

This seems to be a very popular piece of equipment in our league (last year anyway) and surely there are many still around.

Now for the question(s): Does this mean that the ESTL is no longer banned as of 11/26/2003? (Obviously if it carries the Recertification mark it is legal.) What other markings are required if any?

For NFHS in this state, we must see the bat on the list of good bats...end of story.

To directly answer the question though, when thinking of Non Approved bats lists you only need the newest one. and yes that particular bat you were asking about is approved with or without the recertified stamp on it.

I think it is ridiculous that ASA bans a bat last year and this year the same bat is ok.

Glen

It isn't as if they just sat there in a circle and said, "Hey, you know what? Let's bring this bat back just to tick people off!"

The procedures and standards were changed to allow for a test which offered a more realistic simulation of an actual pitch. Under the new guidelines, bats act in a different manner. More than half the bats on the banned list met the old standards and were legal.

These test are developed with the help and input of the manufacturers and ATSM, so when something changes, the bat companies are well aware of it though they never pass that information on to the consumer.

Good information..THANKS!!!!