Fed Jewelry Rule Issue
 

I don't think I posted this one yet, but this happened the same day as the play at the plate, contact play.

In this game I am the PU. Team A is playing with only 9 players. During the warmup pitchers prior to the bottom of the second inning, I witness F5 wearing an earring. I approach the coach and inform him of the fact F5 is not legally equipped. I also inform F5 that she may not continue to participate while not legally equipment.

Unfortunately for F5, she needs a special tool to remove the earing, one that that she does not have. Since she can't remove the item, she can't participate. I allow the player a moment to attempt to loosen the jewlery, while the coach is repositioning his defense. After the inning, Team A is up to bat and the player's potisition in the order is reached, but she still has not been able to remove the jewelry. We declare an out because she was unable to bat.

A couple innings later she is finally able to get the jewlery removed. I allow her to re-enter the game. When she was found with the jewelry on, a team warning was issued to the coach for a non-properly equiped player.

I think I handled this correctly, but I want confirmation.

Once a team plays shorthanded, the "short" player may not re-enter.

Otherwise, handled fine.

We discussed this on one of your other threads... the error here was calling the out. And that error caused the 2nd error of letting her play again.

I'll let you find it in the book... but under what circumstances do you rule an out for playing shorthanded? And was the player actually there.

Conversely, what do you do when a batter refuses to enter the batter's box? (This is what you REALLY had - you did not really have a shorthanded situation)

That should lead you there.

Please give us a rule reference that covers this?

What I have found regarding the calling her out is this.

7-4-1 Batter is out A team playing with one less than the starting number in the batting order and her turn to bat is reached.

Nowhere does the rule specify why she isn't playing, only that they are playing with 1 less than the starting number in the batting order).

Where is a bandaid when you need one? :rolleyes:

Michigan makes it very clear jewelry can not be taped over. We are told not to ask what is under the tape (or bandaid), but once they say I will just tape over it (as she did), we know what they are going to do an can not allow that.

If I just see a bandaid on an ear, I will tell the athlete that taping over jewlery is not legal, but I can't actually ask what she is covering. For all I know she cut her ear in practice.

Did coach tell you he was removing her from the game? No. She was obviously trying to address the issue of jewelry.

Like in the other thread - YOU do not decide when a player is in or out of the game (except, of course, an ejection). When she could not come to bat because she was not properly equipped, you rule a penalty strike. 3 of those and THEN she's out, but she's not removed from the game.

Then you don't have the problem of letting her back into the game - she was never out of the game.

Well, personally, I think the Fed jewelry rule is way out of line, but that is just me.

Irish:

You are a bad boy. :p

MTD, Sr.

No, just more intelligent than some folks ;)

I could be mistaken, but I think Irishmafia was kidding....:D

Not really. Not ruling on something I do not see. If I had my druthers, I wouldn't worry about it at all, and don't in ASA, but the reference is Fed.

Wait a minute, as I read the OP, F5 did not play her defensive position. Then when her team was on offense, she didn't bat.
How can you say she is still in the game?

When was she officially removed from the game?

I am going to jump into the fray.


First, I am currently registered by the OhioHSAA and the MichiganHSAA for basketball, baseball, and fast pitch softball using NFHS rules. I have been registered in those two jurisdictions for soccer and volleyball using NFHS rules. And was registered by the FloridaHSAA for basketball way back in the day when the NFHS first adopted rules against wearing jewelry.

The NFHS position regarding the wearing of jewelry has been the same for all of the sports for which its writes rules: NO JEWELRY CAN BE WORN EXCEPT FOR MEDICAL JEWELRY (AND RELIGIOUS JEWELRY) FOR WHICH THERE ARE SPECIFIC EXCEPTIONS WHICH ARE DETAILED IN THE RULES!

We, as officials cannot make a player remove his or her jewelry, but we must not allow a player to participate while wearing jewelry. Chapmaja, correctly, allowed the Player and her Head Coach a reasonable amount of time to remove the earring. The Player could not do so, and therefore became ineligible to play per NFHS R3-S2-A12 and R3-S6-A1 Penalty. Since the team had no other substitutes, it was required by rule to play short-handed.

When the Player's turn to bat came she still was not legally equipped to play therefore R3-S3-A8b and R7-S4-A1 are enforced and an out shall be called. The question really before the Forum is can the Player return at a later point in the game, assuming she is now legally equipped, per R3-S3-A8d.

MTD, Sr.

In the bottom of the 2nd....When the umpire told the coach that she could not participate in the game while wearing jewelry and the player did not remove the jewelry and did not participate.

NFHS 2011 3-2-12So if she's wearing jewelry, she is not in the game...

Also, don't you think it's silly stand there and have to call 3 separate strikes when you know you are not going to see her come to bat?

I have no tolerance for Jewelry and all team know that in my area. When working ASA or other codes I let the coaches know that no player can take the field with jewelry.

Back in the 90's when when I was coaching girls could not wear metal in their hair. I had a a player put old Bobbie Pins ( no covering on the tips) in her hair she slid into second bounced her head which gave her a big gash 3 Stitches to close.

I have also seen a girl rip her ear from an earring getting snagged. Additionally in High School I had a friend lose her ring finger from jumping a fence and getting her ring caught as she was jumping down.

Yes every one of these situation was a freak accident but I do not want to get sued for an accident like these.

I don't have my ASA rule book handy. But does it really say no player can take the field with jewelry? I've done a couple of nationals where the UIC said jewelry wasn't an issue as long as it wasn't loose, like hoop earrings.

In ASA, it is umpire judgment about danger. If judged dangerous, not allowed. PONY and USSSA go with NFHS version.

As I said I have no tolerance for it. In my judgment it is dangerous.

R-3 S-6

All protective equipment should be worn properly. If a
player is requested by the umpire to remove jewelry, illegal shoes or illegal parts
of the uniform and they refuse, the player will not be allowed to play.

F. JEWELRY: Exposed jewelry, which is judged by the umpire to be dangerous,
must be removed and may not be worn during the game. Medical alert
bracelets or necklaces are not considered jewelry. If worn, they must be
taped to the body so the medical alert information remains visible.

In ASA it is specified that the player who leaves the game and causes a team to go shorthanded may not return to the game for any reason, however I don't find anything to prohibit it in NFHS. If she can finally correct the illegal equipment problem i.e. the jewelry then she may re enter in a high school game.

As to when did F5 officially leave the game..when PU noticed the jewelry and requested it be removed and was informed it could not be he told the team she could not play. At that point she has left the game.

If I am PU and I remove a player, I am expecting a substitution so I am going to the coach with my lineup card out. Even if the team turned in a lineup card of nine players only I will still go verify with the coach that the team is playing short. Maybe someone showed up and the team will take their team warning. Might make a "field promotion" from the JV team if they are at the field. Who knows?

So when she is on defense, as was the case when she was noticed on DEFENSE with the jewelry on, I should have allowed her to stay in the game correct? A player not legally equipment CAN NOT remain in the game. That is pretty clear.

I gave her plenty of time to attempt to remove the illegal item and when she was unable to do so, I informed the coach we were going to play ball. Which in this case means the player is removed from the game. That is very clear. What is not clear is allowing the player to return to the game.

I can not find anything in the rules that DOES NOT allow her to return to the game when she has been forced to leave the game for some reason.

To me this is no different than if she had been forced to leave the game, was replaced by a substitute, then was re-entered under the re-entry rule. I have found NOTHING in the rules that says once a player leaves the game and the team is forced to play shorthanded, the team must remain shorthanded.

Are you the type to make a player remove a wedding band?

I have little tolerance for people who .......nevermind, not worth the keystrokes.

If the jewelry is not, IMJ a danger to another, I don't consider it dangerous, period. If people want to wear something which would be dangerous to themselves, and only themselves, I really don't care.

I really don't think this is the kind of thing that should be a personal decision -- it should be agreed to by the umpires groups in the area.

Having you make players take it all off while another umpire doesn't just leads to people thinking that we're all arbitrary and capricious in nature.

I agree. If the player and/or parents (of youth) deem it OK - who am I to disagree. However, Mike, not all sanctioning bodies see it that way. So, what I see kinda depends on what rules we're using.

Unlike some, I do not remind folks, in a scholastic game, at a plate meeting to remove jewelry. The players certainly know what rules are being used and so do their coaches.

This is what I read in the rules as well for Fed as well. I can find 3 rule references to playing short handed in the Fed rulebook. 4-3-1f, 4-3-1g, and 7-4-1.

4-3-1f deals with with a team not having 9 players to start a game.

4-3-1g deals with a team not having 8 players to continuing playing.

7-4-1 deals with a batter not being able to bat and an opening in the batting order.

Actually it's a standing joke that they can wear a wedding ring if their parents allowed them to get married.

Our State interpreter has instructed us to keep jewelry off the field (fed) other than what is permitted by rule. As far as ASA I only allow adult players to wear jewelry other than hoop earring.

As I said earlier I do not want to get sued. and remember I am in California where parents will sue you for any thing they can.

Asa
 

Playing devil's advocate here, and speaking ASA , if you require a player to remove ,say little diamond studs, and she rips her earlobes, her lobes get infected, then a staph infection from the emergency room sets in....well couldn't her parents sue you for the judgement and decisions you made that set this all in motion.

Not saying the case is a winner..

Life is a wee bit short for myself to worry all the time about what if's.

Buy the extra ASA insurance, buy an umbrella policy, and short of doing something really stupid, you'll be financially covered.

I agree that this question is most pertinent to the OP. I only work NFHS rules, and have always understood that the player who left, which resulted in the team continuing with only eight players, could not return to the contest. As I search the rules book and case book, however, I can find nothing that specifically prevents her from returning.

This is NOT the interpretation for PONY. The "judged dangerous" portion of the rule is applicable to the entire rule, not just to "any other items."

I am very well covered insurance wise Full ASA and Naso due to working multiple Sports and levels. You only need to see one kid get hurt do to Jewelry to understand why I advocate no no Jewelry for kids sports.

So, you do have some tolerance for jewelry, but only for married individuals?

And that is fine, it is their rule and if I work Fed ball, I apply Fed rules.

So a watch is okay? How about a ring with a protruding rock? Why do you give a damn about hoop earrings? Who are they going to hurt other than the wearer?

Pretty inconsistent here.

You can be sued over anything, doesn't make it valid. And they can try to get blood out of a rock all day, isn't going to help.

Actually, the possibility of infection and/or piercings closing during a prescribed time following the procedure is often the excuse a player & mother (rarely father :rolleyes: ) offer for keeping the stud in place. I love it when the coach almost seems embarrassed when the subject comes up, but s/he puts her in the line-up anyway.

No actually watches do come off. The teams in my area know that when I am working the game take them off.

When I say why I want it removed (for their safety) they thank me.

rubbish. They remove the watch so they don't damage it and have to get another one. Then again, so few people wear watches than before, it is rarely an issue.

And that is why YOU don't require a player to remove anything. You simply tell the coach that the player cannot play with it (whatever "IT" is, in your judgment), and put it back on the coach to make the decision if she plays (without that item) or watches (with the item).

A point that seems very hard to get across to even experienced umpires. :rolleyes:

Not only that, don't tell them they have to take the bandages off their ears to show you that they are not wearing the dreaded jewelry..

Let's not forget about checking for studs or jewelry in other body parts. I'm sure that would go over big :eek:

ASA rule 3-6-f makes it decision when I am working a game.

I have worked games with many an Umpire who does not care if they wear Jewelry but when we work together and they are on the plate they will let the Coaches know that they will not wear jewelry in this game.

No UIC will ever override the decision as it is solely up to the umpires that are working that game.

Whats funny is I have had some players ask if that means they have to take off other piercings.

My answer is I do not allow Jewelry and if it is visible it must come off.

As for Taped or Bandaged Ears this year for HS we where told to verify that they do not have earrings on under it. I found that to be strange as it goes against what we have been told for the past few years.

How is Oy suggested that you verify?.
Verbal?, inspection?

See what I mean.

I'm good.
 

I'm with you. I was taught this one by the basketball guys.

I have worked with an "inspector" this year in HS ball. :rolleyes:

Borderline creepy. :eek:

If the player is still in the game, but not on the field, then wouldn't every pitch by that team's pitcher be illegal?

I would do the same as the OP. In the absence of any rule reference that states that the the player can not return. I would allow the re-entry once the player was in compliance with the rule.

Does NFHS still have the exception for "a traditional wedding band"? I honestly have never come across this at the HS level.

I have had this exception used for Rec League games and college IM's that use the strict HS book for basketball. I have never seen it in another sport.