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Online now: 7 members: Bluerhino45, Crumpy, Hitting10th, Joe-SL Bulls, TABLE SETTER 11, TonyA, bnelson; 88 anonymousDiscussion: Quit your whining!
| Posted | Discussion |
| Nov. 29, 2009 spoonplugger Men's 60 95 posts | Quit your whining! I've been in senior softball for 6 years now, and I'll quit tomorrow if we have to hit a sock. The balls we use -Trump stote .44 cor 375 psi ak-ss 375 thcc are okay. The senior bats are okay. The problem is not the pride of the hitter. It is the pitchers, 1st basemen and 3rd basemen who don,t have the mobility they used to have to make the plays like they used to. Time for these people to be catchers, AH's etc.. I'm not a home run hitter and I've hit one pitcher because he should not have been standing in the middle of the field knowing he should never pitch in the first place. You'd be a stupid bullfighter without any MOBILITY. |
| Nov. 29, 2009 butch17 Men's 55 412 posts | I agree the stote ball is the ball for senior softball. I'm curious because I have hit bad softballs but never a pair of socks or a sock. Are they hard to pitch? Can you hit them out of the infield? How far can you throw them? Must have to get a running start on the throw from third is my guess. :) Happy Holidays |
| Nov. 29, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Trumps Stote ball 44x375 is a good ball unless it goes 90 plus degrees. Then it drops off dramatically as the temp rises as most balls do. They say keep it in the shade and that makes sense. We hit a Baden Fire ball last week testing it for NorCal and it hit very well but it was only 70 or so. The acid test for a ball is when it gets real hot. The only ball that hits well in the heat that I've hit of the 375x44 variety is Trumps Rock MCT ball. That's the one we used in LVSSA and a good time was had by all. |
| Nov. 29, 2009 butch17 Men's 55 412 posts | Joe, Thats where that ball should stay even by Stonemans standards. It is just what it says a rock. SI very high. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 Lefty Men's 75 721 posts | I agree with everyone on this one. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 DoubleL10 Men's 70 907 posts | Joe is right on regarding his assessment of the balls we used in the Nationals this year. The Trump Stote was great everywhere I played except Phoenix where the temperature exceeded 100 degrees. It quickly deteriorated in the afternoon heat. We used the Rock in Gallatin and it played very well. Except in conditions of extreme heat, the Trump Stote should be the gold standard for us Seniors. In those instances, either the Rock or, perhaps, keeping the Stotes in a cooler to keep them from being softened by the heat might be the solution. This is the opinion of a 63-year old. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | well spoon i guess you don't pitch,you must be an outfielder.have someone hit a ball at you (on the mound)with the senior equipment we have and see how you like it.i pitch and play with the kids and do not have a prol with thier equipment(ASA or USSSA).with senior bats your time is less than with other assoc's bats. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Spoon. Terrific comments and welcome to the board. Lively balls and good bats are ESSENTIAL to the positive experience of playing the game we love to play. I've had both arms broken and my jaw hit and split open while pitching and it still doesn't change what we're saying a bit. The great majority of players especially senior players want to play with lively balls and good bats. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | and still you haven't learned. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | In all 3 of the experiences I described Robert, I wasn't ready to play defense and field the ball. The reason was I'm so new to pitching I still watch my pitches with too much focus, concern and attention. If I was paying attention for all 3 of those experiences it would have been 3 outs for the opposing team. Sorry Clatta, but if I was concentrating as I should have been you'd have walked back to the bench 0 for 1. Also, Robert. Maybe it's not clear to you and to some others but I really care about what's best or what I think is best for all seniors irrespective of my experience. I've had the good fortune to play on some monster squads and win a few major plus national championships but I think the MAJORITY of hitters/players would be disadvantaged by going to a meaningfully lesser ball like the ones lots of us have experienced, sometimes in nationals as well as local over the last couple of years. I believe this is true and have heard nothing from outside interest or concerns that convinces me the present circumstances demand a unilateral change to a compromised-performing ball. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | It's not cheating, Robert because only a few think cheating is a major issue especially for seniors and it's not safety because studies show there are no more injuries now than at any time before and one I heard said there were more injuries 10 years ago. We don't need rocket balls, necessarily but we don't need restricted flight or poorly performing balls, either. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | you do not care about your fellow senior players,just yourself.now if you did care you would be helping to make our game safer to play in our golden yrs.we are slower now,our reflexes are not as good as they used to be,why do we need to put oursleves in harms way to satisfy your ego to want to hit a ball that can kill someone,and yes to me it only takes one. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 butch17 Men's 55 412 posts | I'm still looking for answers for my sock questions? I guess nobody has ever fielded or hit a sock just a bad softball.:) |
| Nov. 30, 2009 E4/E6 Men's 70 873 posts | Butch, if you ball the socks up they can be thrown a good distance, add a little dirt and they become hot socks. Hitting them is a little more challenging, but if you square those babies up they will make the grass, no problem. Add rocks and look out, off the chart. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Did you hear yourself, Robert? That's how personal arguments start. You're saying I only think of myself and nothing could be farther from the truth. I know most players want to hit with a lively bat/ball. This is a no brainer. This is as close to a given for all players as saying everyone prefers winning to losing. But do you know most want to change the game with a poorly performing ball or because this is the best way to deal with bat cheating? No, you don't. Gary Sommers thinks you should go right at cheaters, just like I do and not change the whole game on account of them. And for starters, Robert, why would you think everyone is a bat cheater? |
| Nov. 30, 2009 butch17 Men's 55 412 posts | E4/E6, Thank you kindly. Instead of adding rocks maybe we could just find a good shoe/sock combo or go to a boot/sock combo. :) |
| Nov. 30, 2009 E4/E6 Men's 70 873 posts | Oh nooooooo, cant do that Butch, I'm sure someone would pull the Metal Soled Jungle boot out of their bag , then there we go again. =0) |
| Nov. 30, 2009 spoonplugger Men's 60 95 posts | Coming from a very poor family -yes,my 8 brothers and I used rolled up socks and a mophandle for small games- now that I can afford some better equipment I'd like to use it. It's too bad some people need to police this board - there's probably lots of other ballplayers that would post their comments. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 butch17 Men's 55 412 posts | spoon, I was attempting a little humor not policing as I'm the last person to do that. It is holiday time and some times on this board a little humor is needed. I believe you are the one that called me out with your comment and I tried to answer with a small amount of humor. If you come on here wanting a debate I'm sure you will get it. Now you are one of the people that could inform me of hitting a sock. I don't know you and you don't know me but I believe you are a nice enough person. Keep posting and remember its not personal but not every one is going to agree with you on the subject so dont take it personal. |
| Nov. 30, 2009 E4/E6 Men's 70 873 posts | Maybe Spoon should follow his own advise. Quit whining. Realize humor when its written. Spoon I too grew up without a lot of silver, and I too used socks or newspaper as a ball, you were lucky to have a mop handle, we used broken tree branches. I have since out grown both of them. I will never out grow my sense of humor, sick tho it may be. Welcome to the SSUSA. |
| Dec. 1, 2009 JohnBob Men's 65 256 posts | As kids my brothers and I would hit corn cobbs with a tobacco stick. Hey Butch talk about humor,I want to buy the mirror that makes you look 35 lol |
| Dec. 1, 2009 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | When I was a kid visiting my grandparents in Illinois I was hesitant to ask my grandfather to buy me a bat so I used a handle from a cant hook. Anyone know what a cant hook is? No fair Googling! For balls we used golf balls! There was not hitting the middle then. :) |
| Dec. 1, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Cant hook is a key with poor "back to the basket" skills in Basketball, Bruce? My brother and I rolled up aluminum foil in our bedroom and used a butter knife and hitting the opposite wall was a homerun. Everything else was an out. |
| Dec. 1, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Spoon. You're right. No one should get or will get run out of town by hyenas at a water hole anymore. SSUSA's rules about disparaging comments and name calling need to be enforced by either them or us so all our brothers can contribute. That's how we started and that's how we'll finish. Humor is always called for as long as the intentions are good. "All for one and one for all." |
| Dec. 1, 2009 E4/E6 Men's 70 873 posts | Bruce. I'll still throw a golf ball off a concrete wall to help maintain what little reflex action I have left. Boy will that Titlist come back at you........almost like a U2 & a 44/375 Spoon, dont take my ribbing too seriously, its all meant in fun. |
| Dec. 1, 2009 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | E4/E6, here's another reflex drill. Remove the core from a softball, replace it with foam rubber and restitch it. Use it when playing pepper, taking almost full swings. If it should hit you it won't hurt! |
| Dec. 1, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | The only thing "essential" to having a good time is that the competition is fair and all teams have theoretically the same opportunity to win. Good balls and bats are fine, but far from essential. I still wonder how miserable guys must have been in the 50s, 60s, and even 70s with wood bats, 38 oz. aluminum bats, and kapok-centered balls. |
| Dec. 1, 2009 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | Another thing for reflexes is babysit 5 grandchildren that are between 1 and 3. They all go in different directions and you have to catch them all. Merry Christmas. |
| Dec. 1, 2009 E4/E6 Men's 70 873 posts | Dirty We didnt know any better. I remember my first Bombbat, a fiberglass material of some sort. Put about a foot on my drives, but as I recall it felt like hitting a Miken today, only with a sweet spot the size of a walnut. What great fun we had, I dont recall anyone mentioning the ball, I think it was a blue dot. |
| Dec. 1, 2009 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | E4/E6 I still have my old Steeles bat-the one with green lettering. It is either 32 or 35 oz and I pull it out occasionally for fun. I went 3-3 in one game with it, and in practice actually hit a couple close to the fence-within about 10 feet. I forgot how different the swing was then. Now you snap it, and then you muscled it. I think you are right about the blue dots. We learned in a hurry that they were a much better ball. |
| Dec. 1, 2009 E4/E6 Men's 70 873 posts | Webbie Same here, only mine is a Worth Thumper 44oz wooden, I used it about 10 ab's in league. I actually made the grass a few time. You dont realize how heavy a 44 is these days. Think I'll start using it for my heavy bat. =) |
