Shades of Gray - Illegal Pitch?
 

Black and white - ASA 6.3.H - Pushing off with the pivot foor from a place other than the pitcher's plate is illegal.

My interp: The ball of the foot is required for a "push". Therefore, the ball of the foot must be in contact with the plate prior to any forward motion.

Shades of gray #1
Pivot foot heel is on the plate.
Illegal

Shades of gray #2
Pivot foot is flat on the ground, with just the back of the heel in contact with the front edge of the plate.
Illegal

Comments please.

Pushing off from the plate means pushing off from anywhere the pivot foot is in contact.
The only gray area is the general unacceptability of calling any pitch illegal.

CecilOne is right. Also consider:

ASA 6-1-C1 (Male) The pitcher shall take a position with their pivot foot in contact with the the pitcher's plate and their non-pivot foot in contact with or behind the pitchers plate. (Bold is mine.)

ASA 6-1-C2 (Female) The pitcher shall take a position with both feet in contact with the pitcher's plate. (Bold is mine.)

As I have been told a number of times you may be overthinking this.

Cecil,

CL Buffalo says he agrees with you, but I do not understand what you write.

But if I am reading you right, Boy, would I love to see you throw a pitch.

You can push off with the back of your heel? WOW. Do you need crutches to walk? Which way do your toes point?

According to the book, both are legal as long as the pivot foot remains in contact to the plate prior to the forward step. Which part of the foot is irrelevant. Is there really an advantage?

Provided that no step is taken, and that the pitcher pushes off from this point, legal.

Again, with the caveat stated above, legal.

I didn't say anything about pushing off with the heel or anything like that. I didn't know I had to say pushing off with the ball of the foot from anywhere on the ground while any part of the foot is in contact with any part of the pitching plate.