azepfan wrote:Comp wrote:I dont have all my rule books with me so cant get you citations. It does not appear that USSSA directly addresses the catchers helmet. But, a catchers helmet is a required item of equipment for the catcher and no she is not required to keep it on during defensive plays and how could she possibly be expected to make a throw if she is also required to hold onto the helmet? I do have the NCAA reference as follows:
9.8 Equipment Blocked Ball
9.8.1 No loose equipment (that is, gloves/mitts, hats, helmets, jackets, balls,
on-deck batter’s bats), miscellaneous items, or detached parts of a player’s
uniform, other than that being legally used in the game at the time, should be
within playable territory as it could cause a blocked ball. Official equipment
that may be within playable territory with no effect includes the batter’s bat,
the catcher’s mask or helmet, umpire paraphernalia, and any helmet that has
inadvertently fallen off the head of an offensive or defensive player during
the course of play.
As for the other items you have mentioned, a fielders face mask is not a required item of equipment. It is an item that is allowed to be worn by a player and must be worn and used properly. There was a case play in one of the associations a few years back about a defender removing the facemask and discarding it into the path of a runner who trips over it. The ruling is it is considered to be obstruction. Gloves, hats, visors etc are all the same, they must be worn properly.
As for the catcher purposely throwing the helmet down the line to obstruct the runner, if I judge it to be intentional the coach will need a new catcher.
according to this rule, if the equipment INADVERTENTLY falls off then there is no effect. however if the cathers purposely throws the mask onto the field then doesn't that negate that rule?
No. You are misplacing the comma in that rule. Parse it THIS way:
Official equipment that may be within playable territory with no effect includes:
1) the batter’s bat,
2) the catcher’s mask or helmet,
3) umpire paraphernalia,
4) and any helmet that has inadvertently fallen off the head of an offensive or defensive player during the course of play.
Is that easier to understand?