How many....
 

different rule books do you need to know in your to work all of the games in your area?

Here in this area of NYS, we are fairly lucky in that we really only to know two different books - ASA and PONY....NY high school ball uses (with certain exceptions) ASA 18U rules, and the only other rec ball ball we work around here is PONY...thank GOD we dont do LL.....and of course those who do college ball need the NCAA book....


this has probably been brought up before, but its always nice to see some of the newer people here chime in!


NY is kind of weird also in that in volleyball, we dont use NFHS either, but use the NCAA book there.....

I do not know what other sports here use, but there are perpetual rumors about NY going NFHS for all sports .....but have never heard anything more than rumors..apparently there is very strong resistance at the local AD/coaching/officials level about this - the ADs and coaches must believe that in softball, for example, using the ASA book gives the kids an advantage, as the differences between ASA and NCAA are relatively less that the difference between the NFHS and NCAA rules.[or are they???] As far as the officials..well..we ALL know that us officials are lazy b**tards who dont want to learn a whole new book...right??? :p Any comments on this??

ASA only here (statewide) for FP and SP except the college level where I think they use NCAA. We don't have LL softball and they just started a 12U league this past summer. I've heard rumors that they might start HS ball next year as a club sport to begin with in this part of the state but nothing concrete yet.

NFHS for high school and NCAA for college.

In order of popularity (by my unofficial estimation), the recreational leagues and tournaments include:
NSA*, ASA*, USSSA*, ISA*, Dixie Youth, Little League.

*Asterisk are those profiteering organizations (by my unofficial opinion) that require you buy shirts from them.

3 for me... ASA, NFHS, and AFA.

2
NSA, NFHS
We have ASA and NCAA in the area but I don't do them

ASA, (with and without GRPA addendums) NFHS, NCAA, for softball.
NFHS, NCAA, USSSA, DIXIE (with local addendums) for baseball.

It can get confusing!

We have ASA for summer ball.
NFHS for High School ball played in the Fall.
NCAA used in Fall for college ball and regular season in Spring.

For softball, I've got NFHS, ASA, NCAA, ISC, and PONY. But I primarily study the ASA book and use John Bennett's book to note differences amongst ASA, NFHS, and NCAA.

For Baseball, I've got NFHS and OBR.

Since I'm just a little south of Williamsport, LL is pretty big around here. I don't work any of their games, but their uic used to do some men's fastpitch around here.

Here in the Seattle area, it is NFHS for HS (and junior high/middle school, which is in the fall), a LOT of ASA, a little bit of NSA and LL, with a smattering of USSSA. A few of our SMSUA members call HS ball with us then go to another association for anything that isn't NCAA or ASA. We have a minimal number of SMSUA members who work ASA and also work NSA. I don't know of any who work ASA and USSSA, but we may indeed have some we haven't smoked out. All of our community college ball is now NCAA, and we service (to varying degrees) all of the two-year and four-year schools in this region.

Here in AZ, we use NFHS for HS and below. NCAA for Jr College and College.

ASA for almost everything else. Most of the rec leagues use ASA with individual modifications which can very widely from league to league.

We also have a lot of Triple Crown, which uses ASA with some modifications.

I believe there is a LL softball program, but I don't think it's very big, there is also USSSA FP and SP and some NSA SP.

In the Florida Panhandle :cool: -- I do my best to keep track of NCAA, NFHS, ASA, NSA. Florida JUCO also has a few things tacked on to the NCAA rules.

I've got NFHS, PONY, ASA, and NCAA.
No problem, I just memorize them all. :D ;) :D

Oh and all the league by league, tourney by tourney exceptions and adoptions.

Might as well get in on this one.

AFA, ASA, NFHS, NCAA, USAAA, NSA, and on some occasions, USFA. (:D )

I have 2 Books Baseball & Softball :D We all know what set of rules.

What?! You all have rulebooks???

:)

With the exception of CecilOne . . . nobody claimed they opened them!:D

Let's see, I have, open and study ;), the following rule books every year: NCAA, NFHS, ASA, USSSA, and Dixie.(Though I hardly work any Dixie anymore.)

I learned all I need to know about softball years ago.

If ASA is too high and mighty to put their rule book online, I'm not gonna waste my time reading an actual book. Besides, they fall apart if you use them. I like to keep mine looking like new.

I hope to hell I'm reading sarcasm somewhere inbetween the lines... ;)

:D I thought putting smilies all over it would take some of the bite out of the humor! ;)

SRW, do you need to borrow my BS detector??????

Nope, I sniffed it out. :)

Nobody has mentioned Babe Ruth softball, and it's probably a good thing. I had to become a Babe Ruth umpire this year to do the NJ district and state tournaments. I was amazed to find that except for obvious softball rules on pitching and leaving the base, they play pretty much OBR rules. Most of the rules on obstruction, interference, and base awards are taken word for word from the OBR book.

Also in Babe Ruth, any bat that meets their definition for weight, length, circumference, etc., is LEGAL. No going by anybody's list. Go ahead, use a Miken Ultra.

Still, neither I nor the TD nor any other umpire nor any coach of any team was sure whether the pitcher had to keep both feet on the pitcher's plate during the delivery (though the book says she has to start with both feet on).

And Babe Ruth has positively perverse rules regarding ejections, playing shorthanded, etc.

It's good to know there is a Babe Ruth softball, becaue I was worried that there might not be enough variations.

Is there also Cal Ripken softball?

SRW, did you get it? ;)

I thought that Babe Ruth baseball was co-opted by Ripken a while back...no?

Ripken apparently bought the rights to name the younger Babe Ruth Baseball leagues, the older boys still play under the Babe Ruth name, as do all the girls. Our league only got two BR Softball rulebooks and I never could seem to get my hands on one.