Newest ASA Bat Release

[Bandit]

Subj: RE: bat release copy
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 10:03:21 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ASA Adopts New Bat Performance Standard

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, Monday, June 30, 2003 — After more than two years of on‑field and scientific test lab research, the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) today announced a revised bat performance standard for 2004 designed to address concerns and complaints about the highest performing bats currently on the market.

ASA’s Official Rules of Softball only govern ASA Championship Play, but many local softball leagues and other organizations around the country adopt parts of the ASA’s Official Rules of Softball, including the ASA bat performance standard.

The new ASA 2004 Standard is effective January 1, 2004. Bats having the ASA 2000 mark and currently authorized for use in ASA Championship Play will not be allowed after that date – unless they satisfy the ASA 2004 Standard.

ASA first adopted a bat performance standard in 2000, relying on a nationwide consensus bat testing method approved by the American Society of Testing and Materials (“ASTM”). This initial standard was based primarily on the adult male slow pitch softball player. ASA began investigating improvements to this standard with field testing in the summer of 2001, primarily to confirm its application to the youth slow pitch and fast pitch game.

As scientific lab testing and research continued, it was discovered that the performance values of certain bats tended to increase the more the bat was used. ASA began to enforce its 2000 performance standard in light of this discovery, as well as the fact that ASA discovered that certain manufacturers were making bats that exceeded the ASA 2000 standard. In the summer of 2002, ASA banned 15 bat models for various contract violations by the respective manufacturers, some of which have been “recertified.”

Also last summer, ASA focused attention on the softball being used in ASA Championship Play. A field study was conducted in June 2002, resulting in emergency playing rule changes to lower the maximum performing ball for all ASA slow pitch play, effective January 1, 2003. Many of those same “ball” changes will be implemented for other divisions of play effective January 1, 2004. A significant result of this “ball” study, however, was a scientific recommendation to begin testing bats in the test labs at higher impact or “collision” speeds.

Just months later, in October 2002, ASA conducted another field test focused solely on bat performance. This field test used high speed cameras to capture data and other information about the swings and “bat-ball collisions” of players from two different classifications of play. The results of this study, along with additional testing lab research, led to a number of science-based recommendations for improvements to the ASTM test method. In May 2003, the ASTM subcommittee in charge of developing this test method approved for balloting a substantial revision to the test method to include these scientific recommendations. Within the past few weeks, a testing facility became “certified” to perform the new test method.

The practical result of ASA’s action is that some of the very highest performing bats currently on the market will not be permitted in ASA Championship Play beginning on January 1, 2004. Manufacturers will need to submit their bat models for approval under the new standard. If a bat model satisfies the new standard, then the manufacturer will be offered a license agreement and the model will be approved for ASA Championship Play in 2004 and beyond. If a bat model fails to satisfy the new standard, or is not submitted for approval under the new standard, then that bat model will not be allowed in ASA Championship Play in 2004 and beyond. A list of the “banned bats” will be developed and will be posted on the ASA website as manufacturers submit their bats for approval.

For more information on ASA equipment matters, see the Certified Equipment section of the ASA website, http://www.asasoftball.com.

About the ASA

The Amateur Softball Association of America, a volunteer driven, not-for-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, OK, is the national governing body of softball in the United States. Founded in 1933, the ASA regulates competition in every state through a network of 93 local associations to insure fairness and equal opportunity to the millions of players who annually play the sport. Additional information about the ASA and its Bat Testing and Certification Program can be found by visiting http://www.asasoftball.com.