It's an elbow brace, why is it different than a sliding pad, etc.

What pitch is she throwing in the picture? I'm guessing it's a rise ball.

You are looking at something different, Ran D. ND is focused on the yellow rubber "live-strong" or knock off on the right arm. NFHS calls that jewelry, and in some areas that is considered jewelry by other umpires associations.

I can't think of anything dangerous about it, either to the wearer or any other participant; even in a third world scenario. Nor do I consider it jewelry (definitions follow from dictionary.com). Still, in his game, he has the right to make that determination.

jew·el·ry ( P ) Pronunciation Key (jl-r)
n.
Ornaments, such as bracelets, necklaces, or rings, made of precious metals set with gems or imitation gems.

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Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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jewelry

n : an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems) [syn: jewellery]

Nope, not in ASA. For that matter, jewelry is not illegal in ASA unless the umpire deems the piece to be dangerous.

Okay. Not saying that you are wrong. For that matter, as an ASA umpire, the rule book gives you the authority to do exactly what you state. However, can you tell me what you consider dangerous about a rubber band on a player's wrist?

By ASA standards this would be illegal. It is hard to tell from one still picture, but by the picture of Cat she is legal by NCAA rules, I don't know about ISF. Maybe someone can provide that rule for us. Here is the NCAA Rule:

2006 NCAA SOFTBALL Rules and Interpretations,
RULE 10 PITCHING,
page 115,
Step/Stride,
SECTION 4.d. Having pushed off from the pitcher's plate, the rear, pivot foot must stay in contact with the ground without creating a second push-off point before the stride foot lands.

4.d.1. No leaping is allowed. The pitcher may not become airborne on the initial drive from the pitcher's plate. The rear foot must slide/drag on the ground.

(page 116) 4.d.2. No crow hopping is allowed. The pitcher may not replant, gain a second starting point and push off her pivot foot. Once having lost contact with the pitcher's plate, the pivot foot may trail on the ground but may not bear weight again until the pitch is released.

I don't do college ball but had a friend send me the rule. Both NFHS & PONY have the same take on the rule. The pivot foot is released from maintaining contact with the ground once the non-pivot foot touches the ground on the step forward with release of the ball.

Just my humble opinon, please correct if I'm wrong.

Not saying that you are wrong, but would love to know what in the rules you cited lead you to believe that the pivot foot was permitted to become airborne.

''The pitcher may not become airborne on the initial drive from the pitcher's plate" indicates that after the stride there is no leap possible because a leap is both feet off the ground at the same time.

Mike - I placed in bold print where the idea comes from. Its one of those gray areas that are in the rules. I wished all rules stated "the pivot foot must remain in contact with the ground until the pitch is released", if they said that we umpires would have no problem calling illegal pitches.

2006 NCAA SOFTBALL Rules and Interpretations,
RULE 10 PITCHING,
page 115,
Step/Stride,

SECTION 4.d. Having pushed off from the pitcher's plate, the rear, pivot foot must stay in contact with the ground without creating a second push-off point before the stride foot lands.
4.d.1. No leaping is allowed. The pitcher may not become airborne on the initial drive from the pitcher's plate. The rear foot must slide/drag on the ground.

(page 116) 4.d.2. No crow hopping is allowed. The pitcher may not replant, gain a second starting point and push off her pivot foot. Once having lost contact with the pitcher's plate, the pivot foot may trail on the ground but may not bear weight again until the pitch is released.

SECTION 4.d. ... pivot foot must stay in contact with the ground
[/QUOTE]

Uh ... what? You wish the rule stated that the pivot foot must remain in contact with the ground, and then you quote where it says EXACTLY THAT, almost word for word.

Come on Mike, the rest of the sentence is "without creating a second push-off point before the stride foot lands", not "until the pitch is released" as Tony suggested.

The other part of the rule says "may not bear weight again until the pitch is released", for example.

Okay, I understand what you are reading, but I read those as stating that the foot may lose contact with the PP and drag (trail) on the ground.

I don't read anything which indicates the pitcher may allow the pivot foot to become airborne.

Not trying to start an argument, just pointing out that we are reading the same words yet coming to a different conclusion.

Have you ever tried to break one of those rubber-band thingies? They're pretty strong and I feel if a runner and a fielder got tangled up and all the stars and planets were aligned and a finger got caught in that R-BT, a finger could be very sprained or even broken before that R-BT broke. It's not just me that feels this way either, our local umpire association has put out the word that we're not supposed to allow these things to be worn. We don't allow ANY jewelry. We do allow medi-alert bracelets and necklaces but they need to be taped down.

Sounds like a very third-world play, if you ask me. Seems to me the same thing could happen with the runner's finger and the elastic on the wrist of the fielder's batting glove that she wears under her glove...

It may be a "very third-world play" but I've seen stranger things happen from behind the plate and as a player. I don't see a finger getting caught in the wristband of a batting glove if the batting glove is worn properly, i.e. snug to the wrist.

Yeah ... but the "without creating a second push-off point" is an ADDITIONAL requirement to keeping the foot on the ground, not an exception that allows the foot to come off the ground as long as it doesn't create a second push-off point. The rule very clearly states that the foot must stay in contact with the ground AND that the pitcher can't create a second push-off point.

If the intent of the rulesmakers was to allow the foot to come off the ground as long as it doesn't create a second push-off point, the rule would not even mention coming off the ground. It would just say "Having pushed off from the pitcher's plate, the rear, pivot foot must not create a second push-off point before the stride foot lands."

You are adding an OR into the statement where none exists.