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Online now: 3 members: Fabe, SB#8, TABLE SETTER 11; 133 anonymousDiscussion: WOULD YOU QUIT PLAYING?
| Posted | Discussion |
| Feb. 22, 2018 maskedman Men's 60 51 posts | WOULD YOU QUIT PLAYING? There is an evil force out there and it's trying to wiggle its way into our lives.IT's known as the .52 cor low compression ball.I've been hitting this thing since ASA and NSA started using them.I dont care how far Billy Bob can hit one they are the worst ball i've hit in 40 years of playing.Thats my opinion and opinions are like .... well,you get the point.I was thrilled when i turned 55 and found out that senior ball used a 44-375. Like a kid on Christmas morning. I'm curious to know how many more, if any,would quit playing if senior ball went to this ball. |
| Feb. 22, 2018 OZ40 549 posts | Full disclosure here, my game is basically a power game, I've hit homeruns and hard shots since the late 60's early 70's. As many on this board I've hit just about every type of ball over a fence except the big Chicago 16" ball. But again, I say, the 44/375 is a happy medium and since homerun hitters can always be walked it is for this reason this ball helps singles/doubles hitters more than power hitters by getting their shots through the infield faster and to the outfield and gaps better. The only possible exception I see is that the 44/375 is more forgiving and a miss hit will carry better than a miss hit 52/300. All that said, I just plain find it difficult playing with a ball that goes bloomp off the bat instead of a nice crisp 'pop'. It's like getting a triple decker burger, some nice fries and only a diet coke to go with it. The whole experience is ruined. |
| Feb. 22, 2018 tc4whlr 34 posts | heck no, its about the game and the camaraderie not about the ball |
| Feb. 22, 2018 ETDave 31 posts | I guess I'm part of that evil force. lol I've played with the 52/300 in league for several years and have no problem at all with it. So, the answer is no, I wouldn't quit. |
| Feb. 22, 2018 marcster13 102 posts | Interesting question. Some years back our non senior league that uses USSSA bats went to the .52 for "safety" reasons. Yes the ball will do less damage to the human body but people were getting hit more often because of the bounciness of the ball. As far as hitting, pretty much everyone hated it and many teams and players left to play in a different league. The .52 ball is not a good combo with a broken in USSSA bat especially when it is warm to hot outside. I found that I was better off using a very stiff bat that was not quite broken in and was still able to hit it out with backspin but when using my normal gamer bat that was broken in I'd almost never get one out. The new ASA stamp bat performance is made for the .52 so I see no drop off in pop off of those bats when I play in an ASA league using the new ASA stamp bats. Back spin is your friend with the .52 ball to get it out. Very few people will hit this ball out on a line drive. |
| Feb. 22, 2018 Mason's Grandpa 29 posts | I would not quit. I know some bat company will come out with a bat made for those Sh*@y balls? We use those balls in our local league. They are TOTAL CRAP BALLS. Those balls work well in 55 degrees or lower. But when it is hot outside they are the worst balls made. No matter how much we complain about the balls, our local ASA/Rec Director refuses to change the balls. He has a HUGE EGO. |
| Feb. 22, 2018 Jon44 Men's 55 149 posts | I also would not quit. Hitting any ball they throw out there is still better than a day at work. Plus everyone would be hitting the same ball, so even though the performance of the ball would not be exciting, at least everyone is on an even playing field. |
| Feb. 23, 2018 OZ40 549 posts | MASON, If the fields you play at are ASA sanction fields then any ASA sanction ball should be acceptable. You guys are paying good money to register and play. If it is strictly a senior league address the other teams and see if they feel as you do and present a united front to the director. Bring your concerns to the person over the director. If you have other options for play vote with your wallets. Our senior daytime league uses ASA umps and rules yet we have a 3 person board who oversee the league and managers vote on things such as balls, bats, screens, time limits etc. Our duty as board members is to present to the managers, allow them to vote, only in the event of a managers tie vote do we vote and break it. The Park and Rec director works with us and is open to our needs. Our higher division is given X amount of dollars off of our entry fee to purchase our voted on ball of choice. (Alan Tanners 44/375 microcell) |
| Feb. 23, 2018 Mason's Grandpa 29 posts | OZ40, We play in a 50 and a 60 City League. EVERY TEAM has COMPLAINED about the balls. It does no good. You can't tell the Park & Rec Director or the Field Coordinator anything. Their response is "If you don't like it don't play" I do not know what your teams pay to play? Regular teams pay $575 for Ten Games. Senior Leagues pay $400 for Ten games. NO PLAYOFFS. We play 2 sessions. So that's $800 and $1,050 for 20 games. |
| Feb. 23, 2018 OZ40 549 posts | Mason- If I remember correctly our entry fee is $575.00 and our season runs from May through August, we play 2 nine inning games a week, one on Monday and one on Wednesday. Each team pays the umpire 20.00 a game. Each team in the upper division gets a discount on the entry fee because we buy our own balls (44/375) the two lower rec divisions pay a higher entry fee and use the 52/300 supplied by the rec department. |
| Feb. 23, 2018 Az Iz 66 posts | IF THEY DON'T USE THE BALL I WANT THEM TO USE.... I WILL.... Cry! Take up drugs and alcohol. Throw ALL my ball equipment in the lake. Go Sky diving without a parachute! |
| Feb. 23, 2018 OZ40 549 posts | MASON-did some double checking, our league cost is $500.00 plus 20.00 per game for umps. Not counting new shirts and hats, etc. so I guess around a 1000.00 for a 28 game season. We've been lucky enough to have sponsors the last few seasons but guess what, believe me and especially as us retirees know, $1000.00 is NOT CRUMBS. |
| Feb. 24, 2018 HJ Men's 70 481 posts | If you pose a question to an attorney about the liability of using a ball with a Severity Index of 500 which can't crack skulls and a ball with a Severity Index of 1800 which can crack skulls it is a no-brainer what the attorney will say. It is quite possible the Park & Rec director has no choice in this matter. His legal dept. may have ruled on this. We all sign waivers but a major lawsuit on this may change everything. |
| Feb. 24, 2018 OZ40 549 posts | ATTORNEYS.... Associations and municipalities and association sanction fees all carry insurance. Along with the waivers signed by all players absolving holding everyone and their uncle from being liable for injuries sustained in the normal course of the game is darn near bulletproof. Now if someone on the other team (or on your team if you're not that well liked) pops you in the mouth and knocks out a few chicklets then that's a different story. ATTORNEYS....An attorney was driving down the road and saw a man at the curb eating grass. The attorney stops circles back and asks the destitute man if he would like to come home with him for a meal. The man agrees and gets in the car. The attorney remarks to the man you're going to love eating at my house, the grass is at least a foot tall..... |
| Feb. 24, 2018 HJ Men's 70 481 posts | Insurance companies are not your friend either in this discussion. Often insurance companies dictate to businesses and homeowners' associations changes which have to be made to obtain insurance. Once they are burned because of a "dangerous" ball they will not want to be burned again |
| Feb. 24, 2018 bkb555 301 posts | no, I would quit playing ever if I didn't like the ball....it all evens out in the end...the power guys are going to hit them far and the other guys are not.....it isn't a bad thing to bring defense back into the game either....we all love to hit and if everybody gets to hit the same ball, what difference does it make....so the 350 balls go 320 and the 250 ones go 220...adjust your game and keep playing |
| Feb. 24, 2018 bkb555 301 posts | meant to write "would NOT quit playing ever" |
| Feb. 24, 2018 OZ40 549 posts | I wouldn't quit playing, just tournaments. I'm not making a commitment to my team mates and my wallet to travel for the privilege of hitting a lousy ball with a 1-1 starting count to boot and the weather as an unknown. Basically I could have just as much enjoyment staying home and whacking a baggie full of dogshit with a tennis racket. (My neighbor has a dog so no problem there.) I play senior league with a good ball and also twice weekly drop-in with a good ball, all close to the house. So. I'd still be playing, having more fun and saving money. |
| Feb. 27, 2018 Crusher23 Men's 55 53 posts | Dilly Dilly! |
| Feb. 27, 2018 Benji4 Men's 55 289 posts | If I win the lottery I will start an Association for all of you who want softer balls, less of a bat, a screen, no games with the sun in your eyes, no loud fans screaming, no forced re-ratings, and participation trophies. I will even name the Association. We will call it: I'm afraid to get hurt/compete at a higher level and I want a prize for participating softball association. Find another hobby if you don't like the way SSUSA runs things. |
| Feb. 27, 2018 OZ40 549 posts | Benji- In an idyllic Association I would start with a full count, and go from there, what would the others add to the 'ideal association? I heard several say to drop all the AA through Major+ divisions and just have rec and competitive divisions. Ideas? |
| Feb. 27, 2018 Benji4 Men's 55 289 posts | OZ40 I'm a one division, blind draw, double elimination guy. Either get better and compete or find something else to do..... |
| Feb. 27, 2018 DaveDowell Men's 70 4312 posts | Benji4 ... We could call it ... Benji's Awesome Softball Tournament Association & Ratings be Damned [grins] |
| Feb. 27, 2018 Benji4 Men's 55 289 posts | Dave That's why I like you cause you get it..................hahaha Pretty funny............. |
| Feb. 27, 2018 OMD 38 posts | HELL NO - I wouldn't quit either! A lot of us started with tennis balls and cut down broom sticks back in the day! (Yes, way back - back when we didn't have those cute little over sized plastic bats & balls that they've had for about - forever now). New tourney format; broom sticks & tennis balls? If it was the only game in town I'd probably still sign up! LOL! YEP - I'm ready for some "Bastard" tourneys - Tennis balls & broom sticks and maybe we could even pick teams to keep it fair! |
| March 1, 2018 OZ40 549 posts | Benji-4 " I'm a one division, blind draw, double elimination guy. Either get better and compete or find something else to do....." Can't abide by that Benji, there are many still enjoying the heck out of the game both players and teams that simply cannot "get better" as you say. Seniors with bad hips, knees, shoulders, backs, whatever shouldn't be arbitrarily excluded because they wouldn't be capable of getting better as a player or making the big impact on a team. Also teams that have been together forever that don't want to let good friends and team mates go so they can pick up 'better' players. I'd be willing to enter a tournament with simply competitive and rec age divisions, that way all can play. But of course undoubtedly there will be teams entering rec that should be in competitive. |
