NOCSAE stamp on batting helmet face protector
 

There was a question on the NFHS softball exam about the NOCSAE stamp on the batting helmet face protector. This brought up much debate in our local clinic over how many umpires actually check for the stamp on the face protector. When checking equipment, I have always checked the batting helmet for the NOCSAE stamp and for cracks or dents with the helmet, then made sure the face protector was securely fastened to the helmet. Our assigner has told us to check for the NOCSAE stamp on the face protector, no exceptions. Is this how all associations are handling this?

Supposed to. 1-6-6.

The problem with many of these manufactures is they are screen printing them on a bar of the facemask and after just a few games its gone or just remnants of it left.

No stamp, cannot be used. period

I check for these in this order:

• NOCSAE stamp on helmet
• No cracks in helmet (esp. near bill)
• Pads sorta intact inside
• No missing/loose screws on face mask
• Facemask NOCSAE cert (sometimes printed up and under the top bar; tough to see under the brim of the hat)

I hate being the bats 'n' hats police as much as anyone, but if they say we gotta do it...then we got's to do it.

I also check for the NOCSAE reference on the face mask. It's almost always the most time-consuming part of the equipment check, because quite often I run into teams that have different-model helmets. Some are on the inside of one of the bars, either on the left or right side. Some have a little solid tab near the earhole that has the stamp, again either on the left or right side. Some have a large plate affixed to the outside of the bill where you'll find it. It's almost as if the helmet manufacturers look for different places to put them just to $%^# with us.

The rules actually now say ""Meets NOCSAE standard at the time manufacture"" for the batting helmet face mask.

“ART. 6 . . . All fast-pitch batting helmets shall be equipped with a NOCSAE approved face protector. The phrase, "Meets NOCSAE Standard at the time of manufacture" must be permanently affixed to the face protector.”

That apparently only applies to 2015 manufacturing, but how do we tell when manufactured and does "manufactured" mean mask fabricating or mask attachment to the helmet? :confused:

Sounds like a liability limitation phrase to me.

On the larger topic, I suspect it would be pretty hard to buy non-approved face masks this far removed from the rule change requiring NOCSAE approval, and most of the pre-approval masks would have already been booted from so many games I can't imagine why a team or player would keep them around.

Yeah, we're obligated to look for the stamp, but the issue is largely moot at this point.

And:
" In reality as long as it says "meets NOCSAE Standard" you're good to go. The point is, when the new ones start surfacing and you see the different wording, don't be alarmed- they are all legal. No issues between either wording. "

IOW, no need to know 2015 or older.

We were told the new stamp wont fit on the face mask attachments.

What "new" stamp? They've been providing a mark on these masks since 2006, in some cases it was on the bar. Just the simple declaration on the piece of equipment is all that is needed, not a particular sized logo/stamp

MTD, Jr. and I umpire both H.S. baseball and fast pitch softball, as well as ASA and USSSA fast pitch, and Junior starts umpiring women's college fast pitch this Spring.

That said, we could have not been more happy when the NFHS dropped the requirement that the umpires had to check bats and helmets before the game.

I remember the first year that the NFHS and NCAA baseball rules went to the BESR for its bats. The very first game of the season I found two brand new bats (bought by the school) which were identical except for one small detail: one had a BESR stencil on it and the other bat did not have a BESR stencil, meaning one bat was legal and other bat was not legal.

Things did not get any better when the NFHS and NCAA went to BBCOR bats. Every Sunday night I would print out a list BBCOR bats (a couple hundred bats) from the Univ. of Washington (I think that was the college), that we would have to compare against each team's bats. That was insane.

Earlier this month, Mark, Jr., and I spent one week in Florida umpiring Spring Break college softball and it was insane. Taking the list of bats that each team gave us and check the highlighted bats on the list for the serial number on each bat. One team had 31, you read that correctly, 31 bats and only had 15 girls on the team. Another team had 21 bats, including 6 bats of one model and 4 bats of another model. The serial numbers were of extremely small font and never in the same place on any given bat.

Every male coach that I spoke with in Florida wished that the NCAA would go the route of NFHS and NCAA baseball: The umpires do not need to check the bats, but the coaches should be required to affirm that their equipment is legal and if illegal equipment is discovered then they will suffer the consequences. On the flip side every female coach wanted the bats to be checked by the umpires because, wait for it: Coaches will cheat if the bats are not checked! :eek:

It is insane I tell you.

MTD, Sr.

Of course, they want to go to a non-policed situation because they WILL cheat and expect to get away with it.

NCAA baseball ignored ASA's addressing of altered bats and subsequent actions by NFHS & NCAA softball to corral a bad situation. Their opinion was much like the FP softball community is stating that the altered bat was a slow pitch softball issue and never touch the integrity of THEIR game. So, how did that work out for NCAA baseball?

Well, it has become evident over the past decade that this ignorance was detrimental to the game and players in all games at all levels were affected by the "win at all cost" and "you ain't trying if you ain't cheating" attitude.

And, of course, it is never the coach's fault, just like those who know their pitcher is illegal and will take no action to correct the situation.

I've never had a problem with checking equipment. It is easier and less time consuming to check the equipment before the game than have to stop a game because is comes into question during the game.

Not withstanding the BESR/non-BESR kerfluffle, I have not ever found an illegal bat during all of the years that I had to check baseball and softball bats per NFHS Rules. Nor have I had an illegal bat in either sport enter that game per NFHS Rules. And the same is true for ASA and USSSA bat checking with one excpetion: Last Summer Junior and I found a slow pitch bat while checking bats in a ASA girls' fast pitch tournament; go figure.

Do illegal bats get into games? I am certain that they do because I have umpired in tournaments where illegal bats have been removed from competition, but they have far and few between. Umpires need to get out of the check the bats pre-game business and take care of business when it need to be taken care of.

MTD, Sr.

I don't have a problem checking helmets for safety (cracks, or especially loose face guards), since these are not cheating, just being sloppy.

Checking bats is a waste of everyone's time. The only cheaters it will stop are the stupid cheaters.