Sidearm delivery in ASA FP

[whiskers_ump]

Originally posted by bellnier
Would someone please explain to me in plain english what an (illegal) sidearm pitch is? I don't quite get the verbiage I've seen in various rule books (something about the "underhanded arm movement is more than 12 inches away from the parallel of the body..."). I'm sure the rule description is obvious to lots of folks, but I'm just not seeing it. Thanks in advance.

I will quote from the NFHS book since it is handiest.

Rule 6 Section 1 ART 3...
A legal delivery shall be a pitched ball that is delivered to the batter with
an underhand motion.
a. Release of the ball and follow-through of the hand and wrist must be forward
past the vertical line of the body.
b. Hand shall be below the hip and wrist not farther from the body than the elbow.

I cannot picture any of these happening with a side arm pitch.