Enter the Marching Band

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by grounder

so i am clear, in summary, ASA teams can play any type of musical instruments as loudly as they want, bang on anything they want with anything they want , including sticks and buckets or balls and buckets while they are in the dugout as long as they dont chant negatively? i am to ignore rule supplement 49e (about equipment being used for other than its original design) and 49f ( no artificial noisemakers) because those two supplements do not pertain to this.

My opinion is that you are making more out of this than was ever intended by those rules supplements in ASA. Yes, what you state does meet the letter of the wording, but I believe you are missing the intent.

No, not any type of musical instrument; the "artificial noisemaker" is to stop air horns, trumpets, amplified music, actual drums, even the redneck jugs with pebbles or coins. But, if something has a softball purpose to be in the dugout, unless they are damaging something or overly distracting, leave it alone!!

It has been my experience when one team complained, and umpires stopped the use of ANYTHING, it then became louder than it was before. Yelling, shrieking, jumping on the benches, whatever.

As to the NCAA rule, I have been told by several conference coordinators and (former and current) SUP members that we ARE NOT to address 13.4.2 (using equipment) UNTIL and unless brought to our attention by a complaining opponent. Conversely, and despite the same language, we ARE to address 5.11.2 (artificial noisemakers) on our own observation. Given that lack of a more specific interpretation from DA, I do as directed.