ASA Convention

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by ASA/NYSSOBLUE

Just what was the 'change' about gray ball bags?? Just curious as the website has been selling gray bags with ASA on them for a while now.....

One thing to be decided in the future should be the adopting of gray as the 'official' slacks color. So many local associations (ours included)/ high school associations, even college conferences have already done so, or are in the process of doing this, so it is almost a moot point. Pretty soon, the only places mandating navy blue slacks will be ASA at the national level and NCAA...again at the national level. Most - if not all - of the 'other' alphabet soup groups (USSSA, PONY, etc) now mandate gray too. This is the type of thing where ASA usually leads, not follows....wonder why the hesitation?

I would love to know what the ratio of sales of navy/gray slacks are on official gear.com is......

1. The gray ball bag isn't approved for championship play according to 10.5.D. It requires a rule change to add it.

Modified (and some fastpitch) umpires from the midwest wear a grayish "p"leather ball bag with an ASA logo (not block letters) that has NEVER been approved, and never sold by ASA Properties (I have a set as a gag gift from one top gun after harassing him for years about wearing them). The NUS doesn't stop them at Modified Nationals, it is almost traditional for them, but they aren't the rulebook uniform.

2. ASA Properties/Officialgear.com sells lots of things that may be acceptable for league play, but not for championship play. Like, shorts, high socks with navy stripes, footies, leisure shirts and jackets .... Just because they sell it doesn't make it Championship Play approved.

3. Just wondering; wouldn't you think that refusing to follow the alphabet soups that give in to others' preferences being easier to wear than softball's traditional pants could be considered leading, not following??

In reverse, NFHS has more recently allowed state adoption to INCLUDE navy blue pants. Is that leading, or following?