We agnostics are a little slow on the up-take. Plus, it's hard to imagine a code more archaic than ASA's. ;)

Well, according to the major religions which acknowledge God (referring to Judaism, Christianity and Muslim), a fella named Moses twice went up the mountain to get some basic rules from The Man. I think even most agnostics and more than a few complete non-believers are familiar with those rules.

Not only is that code older than ASA rules, it's older than MOST of the living past presidents of ASA. (I said MOST.) In fact, it's older than the rules for "kitten ball," from which the slow pitch game sprang.

(It is my schooled -- not educated, but schooled -- opinion that fast pitch came not from kitten ball but instead from baseball. The fast pitch game is much the same as baseball as played from the inception of the Cartwright rules of 1845 until overhand pitching was legalized in the late 1800s. Note that I said legalized.

(Pitchers in Organized Ball, of all things, cheated and looked for every advantage they could. Any men's fastpitch pitcher worth his salt -- and more than a few of the females -- pitching not just today but for as long as there has been fastpitch has also looked for any advantage available.

(I know this is longer than hell but I thought a little edumacation might work wonders, esp for the trolls. Besides, the fall ball we had scheduled today, Saturday, was cancelled due to mud, so I had far too much time on my hands. Congratulations. Usually, SRW and others up here in the sunny PNW have to listen to this $hit in person.)

I don't know, John. You may want to do a little research on the game from which baseball evolved. Rounders included an underhand delivers years before anyone ever heard of baseball or softball. It also allow for the striker to run after three tries whether the ball was put into play or not (dropped 3rd strike).

I know the Doubleday Sect of the First Church of American Baseball have a caniption whenever someone doubts their sacred belief that Abner had something to do with the invention of baseball, but that's life.

If anyone out there believes in the Myth of Doubleday, please see your physician immediately and arrange for ECT.:eek:

Mike, you are right about rounders. I believe the same rule applied in the various o' cat games, Town Ball, various other "base" games and the Massachusetts Rules (where soaking was part of the game for many years after the introduction of the more gentlemanly New York rules of A. Cartwright)

This might prove insightful
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins...Doubleday_myth