Is Easton ne13fp an illegal glove?

[NooneBil]

This glove is buckskin & white in color. The white is not in the shape of a ball. Just wondering if this glove would be considered illegal for pitchers by any sanctioning organization.To see glove go to http://www.justballgloves.com/produc...-ne13fp/10333/

[NooneBil]

I assure you I am not a spammer. I have had 2 "rules experts" in the area give me contridicting opinions on the glove & finding the rules has confused me more. The link is because I couldn't get a picture to upload on the sight. The name is one I've used for better than 10 years on message boards. I am from Southeast Georgia & my daughter plays 14u & high school fastpitch softball.
I really am looking for an answer on the legality of this glove for a pitcher.

[RKBUmp]

For FED, the glove is only 2 colors, and the white area does not appear to be in the shape of the ball on either the inside or outside. I believe this portion of the rule may be rewritten either this year or in the near future as it is my understanding FED will no longer be allowing the use of a white ball.

For ASA, the glove may be one solid color or multicolored as long as none of the colors are the color of the ball being used in the game.

Glove looks fine to me, dont see where there would be a problem with it in either FED or ASA.

[BretMan]

One thing about the glove rules is that every single association seems to have their own specific rule. It we dug around we could probably come up with a dozen different rules from a dozen different sanctioning bodies. Just to throw you another curve...some associations have different rules in their own rule books depending on if it's fastpitch or slow pitch (you didn't specify which one this would be used for).

And then there is the grey area of a pitcher not wearing anything "distracting" that is solely up to the individual umpire's judgment. Personally, I don't think that I'd rule that glove as distracting and think that any umpire who did would be "over-officiating". But I don't doubt that some coach might make that argument- especially if your pitcher is dominating his team! Some umpires will bend to a coach making such an argument. Others won't.

I will agree with the above rulings for ASA and NFHS/high school ball. For NSA, their fastpitch rule states that the pitcher's glove must be "uniform in color". I would say that by the letter of the rule, this glove is not uniform in color. My reading of the USSSA fastpitch rules leads me to believe that this glove would be legal in their games.

I can't really speak to PONY, Little League, NCAA, USFA, ISF or the host of other sanctioning bodies out there. They might be different and probably are. I have a hard enough time keeping the rules straight for the handful of associations where I actually work games!

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by BretMan

One thing about the glove rules is that every single association seems to have their own specific rule. It we dug around we could probably come up with a dozen different rules from a dozen different sanctioning bodies. Just to throw you another curve...some associations have different rules in their own rule books depending on if it's fastpitch or slow pitch (you didn't specify which one this would be used for).

And then there is the grey area of a pitcher not wearing anything "distracting" that is solely up to the individual umpire's judgment. Personally, I don't think that I'd rule that glove as distracting and think that any umpire who did would be "over-officiating". But I don't doubt that some coach might make that argument- especially if your pitcher is dominating his team! Some umpires will bend to a coach making such an argument. Others won't.

I will agree with the above rulings for ASA and NFHS/high school ball. For NSA, their fastpitch rule states that the pitcher's glove must be "uniform in color". I would say that by the letter of the rule, this glove is not uniform in color. My reading of the USSSA fastpitch rules leads me to believe that this glove would be legal in their games.

I can't really speak to PONY, Little League, NCAA, USFA, ISF or the host of other sanctioning bodies out there. They might be different and probably are. I have a hard enough time keeping the rules straight for the handful of associations where I actually work games!

I can add NCAA and ISF to the list of legal, along with NFHS (yes, GHSA uses the NFHS ruleset) and ASA.

There is no logic to anyone declaring this illegal UNLESS you are using a white ball. Anyone claiming to be distracted or deceived by a color different than the ball is also ready to sell the Okie swamp just to your south, or just a total idiot.

[Umpteenth]

Originally Posted by BretMan

...some associations have different rules in their own rule books depending on if it's fastpitch or slow pitch (you didn't specify which one this would be used for)...

Originally Posted by NooneBil

...& my daughter plays 14u & high school fastpitch softball...

He specified it in his second post.

[BretMan]

Originally Posted by Umpteenth

He specified it in his second post.

...after his post was edited, I believe.

But, to the point. If I was umpiring a high school game, played under standard NFHS rules, I would have no problem with this glove. I suppose that some umpire somewhere might judge that the white areas in some way "give the appearance of the ball" or that the unusual design is "distracting". Most probably would not. Calling the glove illegal on either of those two points, to me, would be a real stretch. But it is within an umpire's right to make such a determination.

[NooneBil]

Thanks to those that have given me input. It has helped (and further confused) the situation. To summarize it seems the glove would be legal for pitching in most situations except possibly NSA (not uniform in color) or if an umpire considers it distracting.
Have had a friend suggest coloring in the white part with a Sharpie but the main reason my daughter wanted the glove is how it looks. And unless we color it brown it still wouldn't comply with NSA rules.
Still haven't decided what to do but thanks again.

[BretMan]

If your kid wants it, buy it and use it. 99% of the time nothing's ever going to be said about it and, if it is, then all she'll be asked to do is remove it. But make sure you have a back-up in your bag "just in case".

[SWFLguy]

Would an equipment manufacturer make such a glove knowing that it could cause a problem? Bad move, I say.

[BretMan]

1) Because the pitcher only accounts for 1/9th of the defensive players on the field.

2) Because the manufacturer probably makes at least a dozen other models that there wouldn't be an issue with.