Home of Senior Softball-USA and Senior Softball World Championships
| March 7, 2026 TooOldToFight | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Gold Glove Spectacular Tourney Format Interested to hear from anyone who attended the recent Gold Glove Spectacular. When I looked at the results I was surprised and a bit confused by the tournament format. For example, there were eight 70’s teams: seven 70-AAA and one 70-Major. Instead of putting them all in the same division, they put two 70-AAA’s and the 70-Major in a division with four 65s teams. Then, they took the other five 70-AAA teams and put them in a division with two 70-AA’s and a 75-Major (BTW, there were plenty of other 75 teams.). The 1st group played three seed games, then they played a 3-team round robin where best record won. The 2nd group played three seed games, then divided into two separate brackets of four teams each and played a single elim. bracket round. Seems like a bizarre format for a tournament. For anyone who played there, is this how the “Tournament Sports-AZ” organization always runs their tournaments? Do you know why they didn’t let the 70’s team play in the same division? Any insights would be appreciated. |
| March 2, 2026 TooOldToFight | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Tidewater Classic Got Wheels, SSUSA usually posts within a couple days after the entry deadline passes. The Tidewater entry deadline is March 4. |
| Feb. 21, 2026 TooOldToFight | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Curtesy Runner Rule Question Thanks Dave, your comments make complete sense, especially the pieces about "the runner is already deemed to be on third" and, "trying to avoid making a mockery of the game". I appreciate your knowledge of the rules, and that you always look at things from the perspective of what's fair and practical. Really interesting that a team won Phoenix some time ago under those circumstances. In our game we were all impressed that our scorekeeper caught the issue, but she felt horrible when it backfired, even though it absolutely wasn't her fault. |
| Feb. 21, 2026 TooOldToFight | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Curtesy Runner Rule Question Could use input from someone very rule-savvy… Game situation: - Bottom of the 7th and my visitor team is up by 3 runs. - Home team has bases loaded with 2 outs. - Curtesy runner comes in for runner at 1st base. Our scorekeeper recognizes that after the next 2 batters the curtesy runner will be up to bat. - Our manager tells our pitcher to walk the next 2 batters, which would make it a one-run game and the curtesy runner would be on 3rd base when it’s his turn to bat. Theoretically he would then be called out and the game would end with my team up by one run. - Our pitcher puts the next batter on intentionally, which moves the curtesy runner to 2nd base. - When our pitcher motions to the umpire that he’s walking the next batter, the curtesy runner on 2nd base sprints toward 3rd base and halfway there falls down and grabs his hamstring. - The umpire allowed the home team to replace the curtesy runner with another curtesy runner, due to his “injury”. What we thought was a great catch by our scorekeeper turned out to bite us. In the case of a true injury to a curtesy runner, I recognize another curtesy runner can run for him. Here’s my question: For the actual game situation I spelled out is it up to the umpire’s discretion to determine if the injury was feigned or real, or does that situation always allow the curtesy runner to be replaced. |
| Feb. 15, 2026 TooOldToFight | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Eyeglasses vs Contact Lenses Geo, for years I wore prescription glasses while playing softball. When I played under the lights a beam would reflect from the lights onto my glasses making it hard to follow the ball. During the day battling the sun with regular glasses was a nightmare, so I got a pair of prescription sunglasses that worked pretty well. I wanted something that would work during the day and night so I finally broke down and tried contacts. I had been resistant bcuz I didn't like messing with putting things in my eyes. That issue lasted for less than a week, afterwhich I got very comfortable putting them in and taking them out. I'm 69 now and I've been wearing contacts to play softball for the last 20 years. They work great and I couldn't imagine trying to play without them. Everyone is different, but contacts have been the right answer for me. Hope that helps a little. |
| Feb. 13, 2026 TooOldToFight | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Tournament Score Updates Thx Dave, appreciate that update. Hopefully if enough of the tournaments that aren't required to use WhoIFollow, choose to use it, others that aren't required might be guilted into using it. |
| Feb. 13, 2026 TooOldToFight | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Tournament Score Updates SSUSA Rep, I have some friends playing in the Gold Glove Spectacular and I didn’t want to bother them so I was hoping to see Who I Follow online updates, but they don’t exist. I’m a big SSUSA supporter so I’m certainly not looking to cast stones here, and I love what SSUSA is doing this year with online/real-time updates. Wondering if SSUSA has any plans to require all tournaments under their association’s umbrella to use Who I Follow to make real-time updates? Looking forward to your thoughts back. As always, thank you for all you do to support our great game. |
| Nov. 12, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Atta boys The real-time update system is excellent. I have friends playing in the Winter Nationals and I'm able to follow every pool play and bracket result. My friends are telling me it's been very helpful to them in terms of knowing when and where they play next. An all-around major success. If you can require every tournament under the SSUSA umbrella to use this system you will indeed be the premiere senior softball association, head and shoulders above all others. Great job so far! |
| Nov. 8, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: posted scores I just looked at the Winter Nationals tournament and I'm loving seeing all the pool and bracket scores and results! Thank you SSUSA and the SSUSA Winter National's Director. Well done. |
| Oct. 20, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Illegal Pitch Rule John, there's not much left for me to say other than, "I agree". Your comments were spot on. |
| Sept. 30, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: Bats Discussion: Compression testing Bats must test at 140 or higher. Anything below 140 fails and can't be used in SSUSA tournaments. In Vegas if a bat failed the test an SSUSA rep grinded the SSUSA acronym off the bat to show it wasn't legal. (Except for the bat of one person whose bat failed but he grabbed his bat and ran out of the room. It was rather comical.) |
| Sept. 29, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Bracket Updates John, if you go to the tournament page at the top you'll see "Draft Game Schedules & Brackets", then each age group listed. Is it possible that's where you're looking for updated results? If scroll down you'll see "Final Results Session One" and it lists each 55 division separately. Each of those show the updated brackets. Hope that helps. |
| Sept. 26, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Bracket Updates I was one of the early posts requesting SSUSA post Vegas scores. (The post was deleted, but I don't believe it was bcuz of anything I wrote.) On that thread a number of people requested SSUSA simply take pictures of the brackets and post the pics. SSUSA responded to those requests and posted pics of the brackets. I get that people would like SSUSA to move to a real time update system, and I'd like that too. In the meantime, if they do what we asked, is it really fair to beat them up over some sloppy handwriting or abbreviated team names? I can clearly see all the bracket results and scores, which what we were all requesting. Maybe it's just me, but it doesn't seem very fair to get what we requested and then pile on with insults. Just my two cents. |
| June 5, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: 69 year of age playing on 70 teams MP, the rule still applies for 2025, a 70's team is allowed three 69 year olds. |
| June 4, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Rule Consistency Hey Bruce, Thanks much for your response. I’ll follow your suggestion and shoot SSUSA an email to see if they’re receptive to requiring all tournaments under their purview to follow the same set of rules. I’ve found even if SSUSA isn’t receptive to an idea they’re good about responding and explaining their rationale. Based on your response it looks like there’s a point I didn’t communicate very well. The issue wasn’t that the 2 tournaments didn’t know the SSUSA rules, both said the items that didn’t follow SSUSA rules were rules that were specific to their tournaments. My hope is that all tournaments under SSUSA’s umbrella will follow the same set of SSUSA rules. Thanks again for your suggestions. |
| June 1, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Rule Consistency SSUSA, the written word doesn’t always come across the way it’s intended so let me start by saying I don’t mean this message in a negative way. I think SSUSA is the single best Sr. softball association and my suggestion below “might” help make it even better. My team has played 2 tournaments in 2025 and there have been a number of rules applied that aren’t consistent with SSUSA’s rule book. I recognize some tourneys are run by “independent” directors, but as players we don’t make that distinction, we view all tournaments on the SSUSA site as SSUSA sanctioned tournaments. Here are a few examples of unique rules we experienced: 1) We made it to the championship game out of the losers bracket to face the team out of the winner’s bracket. The umpire did a coin toss that we won, then the director stepped in and said the team out of the winner’s bracket is always the home team, so we became the visiting team. 2) In a pool game we were down 20-10 after 6 innings and the umpire called the game by the “10-run” rule, which doesn't exist for SSUSA. (I don’t believe we would have come back to win the game so that’s not my point here.) 3) In one of the two tournaments game time for all pool and bracket games was 62 minutes. (One of our games ended after 4½ innings and two games after 5 innings.) 4) One tourney used the flip/flop rule and one did not. 5) Last year we played an SSUSA tourney that used a 0-0 count instead of the standard 1-1 count. 6) This one isn’t a rule concern, but neither tourney posted any pool, bracket or even team names on the SSUSA tourney site. One posted the pool schedule after the tourney started and one never posted any pre or post info. Would SSUSA consider requiring all tournaments under the SSUSA umbrella to use the same set of rules? This next one is a little more challenging, but would SSUSA consider requiring all tournaments to post pool and bracket info in advance and to post tournament results after the tourney? I’d be glad to submit these suggestions through a formal process if SSUSA believes they have merit. Just let me know. Thx for your consideration. |
| Feb. 5, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Bat Testing Modification Concerendcit1, just an FYI that SSUSA has stated they don't take rule-change suggestions from the message board. They do however consider any rule change suggestions emailed to the SSUSA main email address, which is: info@SeniorSoftball.com. Good luck in your quest to see the bat warmer rule adjusted. |
| Jan. 31, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Bat Testing Modification SSUSA, I just read your email with your adjustments to the bat testing rule and I pasted a key excerpt below. I wanted to share my appreciation for your continual efforts to do the right thing for the game and the players. I think your adjustment to the rule is fair and a commendable action by SSUSA. Many large associations likely would have allowed pride to get in the way, instead you simply focused on doing what was best for everyone involved. Many thanks for always trying to be fair and just. EXCERPT from SSUSA Email "In order to help players determine whether their bats meet performance criteria, SSUSA has begun no-harm, no-foul pre-tests at major tournaments. At the recent Tournament of Champions, SSUSA conducted pre-tournament bat tests in which players voluntarily brought bats to be tested. The bats that failed were marked illegal for play and given back to the players with no penalty. The point of our bat-testing program is not to suspend players. The point is to get the hot bats out of the game." Well done SSUSA. |
| Jan. 18, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: Bats Discussion: Rolled bats Thx for the quick response Dave. I was hoping the new rule would allow a player to offer ANY bat for testing prior to the tournament without fear of a player ban, especially since the definition of an "older/well-worn bat" could be subjective. I still hope SSUSA moves to that position. In the meantime I'm going to start painting my bats to make sure they look worn. :) (BTW, that was intended to be humorous and not derogatory.) Thx for always being helpful, Dave. |
| Jan. 18, 2025 TooOldToFight | Topic: Bats Discussion: Rolled bats SSUSA Dave, if I understand your proposal correctly, then I like it and agree with. I believe what you were saying is you'd like to see a process where bats could be tested voluntarily prior to the start of a tournament and if that bat fails the player can't use it, but would not be banned for life. Did I correctly interpret what you were suggesting? I've purchased my bats from friends who say they're not doctored. I'm probably as far as you can get from a power hitter, my game is to "try" to hit it where defenders aren't. So, a rolled bat doesn't aid my ability, but I can't say with 100% certainty if I have a doctored bat or not. I would gladly offer up my bat(s) for testing before a tournament and if it fails I'd be perfectly fine not using it. Banning people for an honest mistake doesn't seem right, especially if they're offering their bat for testing. I hope that makes sense and I hope SSUSA goes that route. |
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