The mystery of the fenceless field!

[Skahtboi]

I was calling a varsity double header between two private schools this past Saturday, and an interesting dilemma came up. First of all, both pitchers were incredible, both having already signed with D1 colleges for next year. However, the field on which we were playing had no outfield fence. According to the home school, they normally play this as a "get all you can get" situation if the ball is hit into the outfield and beats any of the outfielders. Any opinions about this? Most rule books call for a fence to be at such and such distance from home plate. How does this effect district games? Are they protestable since there is no fence as per the rulebook? Or...is it fair since both teams can be "beaten" by the lack of a fence? (Allow me to add that the first game was in fact decided as a result of this lack of a fence. The winning run was scored on a "home run" roller that brough in two runs, making a 3-2 ballgame.)

I will be interested to hear your opinions.

Scott

[whiskers_ump]

I do not think that it is a protestable situtation.
Especially since I am sure you discussed it at the
pre-game conference and it appears as though neither
coach objected.

Distances for UIL fields are recommended, however, it is
realized that girls softball teams have to play where they
can. Many still play on LL ball parks. I have seen some-
thing about sizes in the casebook, but mine is in the car,
and I just finished a double header 90 miles away and too
lazy to go get it.

Just my opinion, however, I am sure others will chime
in with theirs which is what this board is all about.

glen

[CecilOne]

Fences are not required. The other issue is deciding whether whatever is out there like a tree, bush, building, vehicles, etc. is close enough or too far to call it a dead ball.

[refjef40]

Here in the part of Cal. I work in it is still rural in some areas and there is no fence in Fed. ball on some fields especially j.v.We always play get all you can if there are no obstructions and noone complains as it is fair to both teams.

[SWFLguy]

Back in CNY it was rare to have a HS softball field with a fence--
many were old corn/hay fields "groomed" for softball !
What a pleasure it is here to have fields with all the confines
fenced in------ EXCEPT where there are holes/openings !
I guess you can't have everything !

[oatmealqueen]

Am I really reading this correctly?
No fences for a FED softball game?
And this is acceptable?
Do all of the baseball fields have fences?
If that happened in my area, forms would be filed to our governing body.
Is this happening in a lot of states?
I'm not trying to be a anarchist, but this sounds very odd.

[SWFLguy]

In CNY we were governed by NY State Softball Assn.
and used ASA rules---- few fields were fenced in !
Here we are governed by the Florida High Scool Activities Assn
and use Federation rules. All the fileds I've worked here
(so far) are fenced in ! What a pleasure.

[whiskers_ump]

oatmealqueen,

Here in East Texas small schools [girls] play where they can.
Unfortunately, girls teams not are supported in high school
athletics as are the boys. They have done some catching up, but
it is still not even close to being on an even par. Hopefully
a change is in the near future. We have one school in the district
I call, that when you get to the "field?" you think that you
have been given the wrong directions. Backstop is chicken wire
stretched between to pine poles, and only benches for the gals to
sit on, with no protection. However, they have been told they will
soon have a new field. Last year, you changed in the woods. This
year there are two "Johnny on the spots"

glen

glen

[Rick Vietti]

Some softball teams play on city park fields that are geared for slow pitch softball. Some have fences and some do not. But if the field is a slow pitch field it will be at least 250 to 300 ft from home and quite a distance for kids to run if the ball is over their heads.

I think baseball is in a different situation from the point that they require a 'mound' to pitch from and cannot use a lot of public facilities. Towns usually use the high school fields for baseball. Most summer baseball upper division leagues use the high school fields for games, so they become psuedo public parks for baseball.

[oatmealqueen]

I really am not an "equity" rabblerouser, but I find this scenerio a little disturbing. It also appears that many of you feel some empathy for these athletes.
In my state, (Mich.) I doubt that this would happen much.
Someone would be sueing someone (I am not advocating this).
What really burns my posterior, is that every field used for FED baseball is probably fully equipped.(fences, bathrooms, drinking fountains)
Do the girls complain when a "tweener" rolls into a home run? Have all of the parents and players just accepted this "no fence" thing.

[whiskers_ump]

OMQ,

You have to realize in East Texas, area so spread out that
gripping leads to nothing. A lot of these towns only have
populations of 1800-2000 people and the schools can only
afford one good field and the boys were playing a few years
prior to the gals. I agree, it is not a fair situtation,
however, it does exist. Things have looked better for the
medium to larger schools though. Most 3A, 4A, and 5A areas
have some very fine softball fields. I would think that the
same holds true for the La. area, although I have called on
some very nice fields, complexs there. We have two very nice
complexes in the Beaumont area, however, the rental cost keeps
the smaller schools away. Mostly used for ASA and AFA tourneys.

glen

[oatmealqueen]

I guess that I though we were past this point in the year 2003.

[Dakota]

I think we have to realize several things...

1) In many communities, the school facilities benefit from summer leagues. IOW, the baseball fields will be upgraded due to shared use with LL or Legion ball. Private funds, therefore, are raised to improve the facility. The school benefits, but its not their money being spent.

2) Baseball leagues are way ahead of softball leagues in history, and therefore in many cases in organization, and number of players, and that leads to funds.

3) Title IX has nothing whatsoever to do with privately funded improvements. If the girls in such communities want the softball facilties improved, raise the money, just like the boys do.

In my community, the girls fastpitch softball association raised the money to improve several of the Junior High softball fields, which they have been sharing with the schools for years. Of course, the school ball teams benefit, too.

Our biggest conflict with facility quality, etc., is with the fields shared with the slowpitch leagues. They are too cheap to share any of the costs, and we (the girls fastpitch folks) have been reluctant to use our private funds with no cost sharing from another private organization who will also benefit.

Having said all of that, there are still many communities that could use a letter from a lawyer to shake up the status quo.

[oatmealqueen]

I really am not knocking the present system in some of the areas.
I agree that the fastpitch softball community in each area should become more involved in fundraising. It's done here all of the time. It just takes a few schools to improve their facilities, have the visiting team in to see how well it can be done. Sometimes, that gets the ball rolling.
I just don't care for it when people "settle for" inferior standards for their kids. JMHO