Hijacked to NSA

[KentuckyBlue]

Got my notification in yesterday's mail, the city rec league's umpires meet early -- next week! (late January). Great sign, I thought, maybe the perpetually newbie city Parks&Rec people are finally getting a handle on things and not going to let the slow-pitch season run away from them.

But a second read showed another reason for the early meeting: The office has decided that all the ASA umpires will instead sign up this year with NSA!

I called a couple of SP tournaments years ago by NSA rules, and the only differences I remember were a 10-foot max arc on pitches instead of 12, and that you didn't say "illegal" if you called an illegal pitch, you just gave the delayed dead ball signal. (Net procedure change: The batter on deck learned to say "illegal" for you when he saw your sign.)

Other than the entire change of wardrobe (and what are NSA blues wearing now?), what differences can I expect?

____________________

"Change. Urrrrrr. Change BAD."
--Frankenstein's monster after age 40

[whiskers_ump]

Assuming {yeppers, I know what that does] that the slow pitch umpires
wear the same as fastpitch, it is white shirt with insignia [NSA lettering
over a plate design with softball in middle, and black cap. We are wearing
grey slacks. Everything else same. Black shoes, belt, socks and ball bag.
Tee shirt or mock or regular turtleneck to be white.

NSA Rules can be obtained by going to http://www.PLAYNSA.com

One of the major differents is line card. 11 or 12 players if the DH and two [2] EP'S are used.


glen

BTW - Have fun.






[Edited by whiskers_ump on Jan 19th, 2003 at 11:26 AM]

[KentuckyBlue]

Meeting was Monday night. Now am totally briefed on NSA slow pitch, and it ain't as bad as I thought.

Great gang of national officials (from the next city over, Nicholasville, Ky.), holding out the possibility of lots of traveling weekend tourney work for blues (oops, can they still call black-and-white-wearing NSA umps "blue"?) who want to commit early to a schedule.

Rules changes from ASA are minor but significant. Longer base paths, 3 feet further pitching distance, 10-foot-high arc rather than 12, and the end of the verbal "illegal" pitch call and accompanying delayed dead ball signal are all progressive, I think.

Jewelry-wearing is an ejection. So is leaving your field position to argue balls and strikes, unless you're catcher or batter. (I might fill the parking lots on that one. Last season a left center fielder was giving me grief about balls and strikes. Before he batted next I deadpanned to him, "You know, I'm VERY impressed with your ability to call the plate from left center. I have another blue shirt in the car, you want to join the crew?" He was caught totally flatfooted and considered my "offer" for several seconds before picking up that he was being snowed. Some of these AA's, as well acquainted as they are with sarcasm, get completely blindsided by irony.) There's a chance our local city association will weeny out on some of the tougher rules. I hope they don't but it would be in character for them. We'll see.

Outfitting in the new NSA black-and-white will be costly, but hey, the old ASA stuff was getting kind of ratty. It's going to be a challenging year. I was wondering exactly how this new season was going to bring me any new challenges, I was kind of coasting last year. Not this time!

___________________

What did moths fly into before there were field lights?
(--apologies to Steven Wright)

[Skahtboi]

Somehow I cannot see how a white shirt will stay white very long on a softball field. I know that here in Texas, where many of the fields are fairly dry a good part of the year and those 40 mph winds are whipping up the dirt, i would walk away looking more brown than white.

Good luck with the NSA KYBlue. Sounds like you have already adapted to the change.

Scott