Home of Senior Softball-USA and Senior Softball World Championships
| Aug. 30, 2025 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Rule Question One of the players on the field during that game sent me this: Larry, I think this interpretation is incorrect and will join that discussion group to talk about it. There's nothing unclear about the SSUSA rule. "A runner must make every effort to avoid colliding with opposing players while running the bases." It makes it the runner's responsibility to avoid collisions with fielders on all plays (unlike USA and MLB, which limit interference to fielders who are attempting to field batted balls or make throws. This is a safety rule, and carving an exception out of it based on a "what if" is a mistake. What if I'm on the base? What if I'm standing still so I'm not "running"? What if the ball has already gone past the fielder? What if the fielder is just standing there obstructing the basepath? In all of these cases USA would also be different because USA does not prioritize avoiding collisions as much as SSUSA does.Let's imagine the worst case scenario. Runner on second and a soft popup is hit around 2B that the shortstop is going to make a play on at a dead run. S/he has no idea where the runner is and we don't expect the SS to stop watching the ball to find out. Runner has read the above interpretation and thinks that s/he should just stand on the base and wait for the ball to be caught or not and not even pay attention to the fielder. When the ambulance arrives, we tell them "well, nobody was responsible for avoiding that collision." If it would be called interference then the runner has to look at the ball and at the fielder and realize s/he needs to clear the way for the fielder. Even if that means vacating the base. If s/he's smart s/he vacates towards the outfield to make it perfectly clear s/he's not trying to advance, and then under 8.6 and 8.7 the umpire should not call the runner out if the fielder manages to catch the ball and touch the base before the runner returns to it.Even if SSUSA has said "we will tolerate runners standing on a base getting sent to the hospital" I hope we won't and runners will prioritize safety and letting their friends try to make plays safely rather than have to worry about runners who might or might not be in their way. Fred should have had a chance to catch that ball yesterday. |
| Aug. 29, 2025 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Rule Question During our local rec league yesterday, with a runner on 1st base, the batter hit a pop-up almost directly over the 1st base bag. The 1st baseman in going for the ball made contact with the runner and did not catch the ball. Of the 11 umpires on the field, a couple said interference. Rule 8.6 and 8.7 do not specifically address the runners right to stay on the bag. Is there a rule covering this? |
| Aug. 9, 2025 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Infield fly, 80's teams For the umpires, do you call infield fly rule differently if 80's are playing? In one of our 80's games last week at ISSA in Richmond, with runners on first and second, the batter hit a very high pop-up between the pitcher & second base. The pitcher looking up took several steps toward the ball. The second baseman thinking the pitcher might get it took several steps towards the ball,but never got directly under it. When the umpire was asked why was an infield fly not called, he said this is 80's ball and I need to see the fielder under the ball. On a very high pop up in the infield, should the umpire wait to make the call until he sees a fielder directly under the ball? |
| Jan. 19, 2025 Larry S | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Found Lost Watch I posted this last June with no results. I just looked closer at watch back with more info. 1999 55+ AAA Chattanoga TN I found a lost SPA National Championship watch next to parking lot at ISSA Tournament Botetourt Complex Virginia, Back engraved M.W.T. OKC Called SPA, no engraving records kept. |
| Sept. 9, 2024 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: rule covering hitting a bounced pitch What if the batter swings and hits the ball fair? |
| Sept. 9, 2024 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: rule covering hitting a bounced pitch What rule covers a batter hitting a pitch that bounces over the plate. |
| Sept. 3, 2024 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Walked batter not touching 1st base Rule 8.1 (I) states when umpire has called 4 balls or walk issued, all runners must touch all bases in order. IF the bases are loaded, the 5th run is on 3rd, and the walked batter goes into the dugout rather than touching first base, does any rule cover sending the walked batter from the dugout area back out to first base. ie: when is it too late to send the runner to 1st? |
| July 19, 2024 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Rule covering runner touching base Bases loaded. 5th run on third base. Batter walks forcing in 5th run. 3rd base runner does not touch home plate, he walks into dugout. What rule covers runner must touch home plate? Thanks |
| June 21, 2024 Larry S | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: SPA National Championship watch found. I found a lost SPA National Championship watch next to parking lot at ISSA Tournament Botetourt Complex Virginia, Back engraved M.W.T. OKC Called SPA, no engraving records kept. |
| June 12, 2024 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Rule Question Ground ball to third base, the throw to first pulls first baseman into runner's path. Runner pulls up short of first as to not run into 1st baseman. Any obligation of 1st baseman to give runner path to bag? |
| June 3, 2024 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: What is correct call Bases loaded, one out, batter hits high pop-up ten feet in front of home plate. Umpire calls infield fly rule. Ball hits ground and rolls foul. Umpire calls foul ball. |
| June 1, 2023 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Where is the timing play rule? Bases loaded. one out. Batter hits a fly to center that's caught. Runner on 2nd takes off as soon as the ball is hit. The runner of 3rd scores after the catch is made. After the runner scores, the ball is thrown to 2nd to appeal the runner not tagging. A double play is called. Where is the rule that says the run from third counts? Thanks. |
| Feb. 4, 2023 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: pitching screen placement We have been using a pitching screen in our local league many years. We have a near miss every year on the pitcher who did not fully step behind the screen and the line shot missed his head by 6 inches. One of our discussed remedies is to move the screen so the pitcher must pitch over the screen so they are behind the screen every pitch. For the local leagues that pitch over the screen, how do you word your rule? Thanks. |
| July 8, 2022 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: defender touching first base orange bag first I have read & reread the rule. If the defender touches the orange bag first, then drags his foot across the white bag, is the runner safe? There is no runner interference. |
| May 21, 2022 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: what's the ruling on ball over the foul line Batter hits ball down 3rd base line. Ball stops in foul territory with about half inch of the ball sphere over the clearly marked foul line. The ball does not appear to be touching the foul line, but about one half inch of the ball is over the foul line. Fair or foul? |
| May 10, 2022 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: What's the call on a pitch We have a player in our local league saying the plate umpire is calling a strike when a pitch hits the ground first, then hits the plate on the bounce up. Is this a correct call and simply a perfect pitch at which a batter should/could never swing? |
| March 22, 2022 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: How would you rule the call Just to clarify, there was one ump at home plate. |
| March 22, 2022 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: How would you rule the call Local Senior League. Runner on first. Batter hits a fly to left, fielder appears to make a shoestring catch. Umpire signals a catch. Left fielder throws the ball to second to force runner and says I did not catch the ball. The first base runner retreated back to first thinking the ball was caught. How would you rule? |
| May 22, 2021 Larry S | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Infield Fly Rule In our Rec game last week the umpire called infield fly. He then reversed his call when the ball did not go as high as he thought. How do you handle a reversed infield fly call? |
| May 19, 2021 Larry S | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: merging stronger players with weaker players at local level Would like to hear ideas on how your local senior rec games handle setting up teams with the strong big hitter travel guys & the weaker guys who love playing the game. Point being what happens when the big hitter lines it into the infield & the infielder is one of the weaker players? We have some big hitters not wanting to play because they don't want to injure a weaker infielder. Thanks for input.. |
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