Illegal Windup? Fed.Rules

collinb · #1 (**permalink**) Thu May 10, 2001, 10:18am

I seen a Varsity pitcher yesterday who caught me off guard and I wish I would have had my Federation Rule book in my pocket. Her windup consisted of a backswing rotation of more then 360 degrees and then forward rotation with normal delivery. Would this be illegal based on rule 6, art 4-c?
"The pitcher may use any windup desired provided: c. the pitcher does not use a windup in which there is a stop or reversal of the forward motion."

Dakota · #2 (**permalink**) Thu May 10, 2001, 10:34am

Her windup consisted of a backswing rotation of more then 360 degrees

Do you mean she went backwards all the way over the top and back to the front & then reversed? Wow! I have never seen this. I have seen a backswing that went nearly vertical before the forward windmill. How did the rest of her delivery look? If she truly went 360, then she probably was going more than 2 revolutions in the forward direction, assuming a normal follow-through once she released the ball.

That would be illegal.

If not, then she was probably legal, since there was no "stop or reversal of the forward motion," which is what the rule is making illegal. It allows a backswing.

collinb · #3 (**permalink**) Thu May 10, 2001, 11:00am

Yes 360 degrees. This motion of hers does not give any advantage to her pitching. It just looks goofy. As far as forward windmill is concerned, she did not go two revolutions so she's alright there.

Roger Greene · #4 (**permalink**) Thu May 10, 2001, 11:01am

Your discription remindes me of a Fed video we had several years ago. That pitcher must have been double jointed. I was sure the motion was illegal, untill the video was placed in slow motion.

The moral of the story is that the pitcher my drop her arm back and to the rear as far as she wishes, even if the arm does come above and even in front of her shoulder. Once she starts forward after the backward swing she may not reverse again.

The move you describe is legal even though it looks painful.

Roger Greene,
Member UT

Dakota · #5 (**permalink**) Thu May 10, 2001, 11:45am

Quote:

Originally posted by collinb
Yes 360 degrees. This motion of hers does not give any advantage to her pitching. It just looks goofy. As far as forward windmill is concerned, she did not go two revolutions so she's alright there.

In fact, it is probably a disadvantage, since it gives the batter more time to track her motion.

Unless she is making two revolutions forward, as Roger said, legal.