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Online now: 2 members: TABLE SETTER 11, birdie; 103 anonymousDiscussion: New SSUSA Bat Policy
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| April 25, 2005 TerryH 17 posts | New SSUSA Bat Policy April 25, 2005 Senior Softball-USA Bat Policy The Senior Softball-USA (SSUSA) Board of Directors announced today that the 1.20 bat performance standard will continue to be used for all Senior Softball-USA and Senior Softball World Championships events indefinitely. The SSUSA 1.20 bpf bat standard had been due to expire on Jan. 1, 2006. ìThe SSUSA Board will continue to periodically review its bat standard,î said Terry Hennessy, SSUSAís chief executive officer, ìhowever, based on the past several years of monitoring use of bats meeting the 1.20 bpf in senior softball events, we see no reason to change our standard. ìWe firmly believe that allowing all of these bats make the game more exciting, no more dangerous, and will lead to greater participation in one of the healthiest activities around for seniors. ìIn short, we believe this decision is the right one for both our players and the sport,î said Hennessy. The decision means all bats meeting the original 1.20 bpf standard, including the Ultra II and the Synergy, will be allowed for SSUSA and SSWC sanctioned events. The only bat meeting the 1.20 bpf that is not allowed is the Original Miken Ultra I. |
| April 25, 2005 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Great news, I'm happy to hear the board listened to us. |
| April 25, 2005 Walk 192 posts | Great news!! Now if they would just let me play I could use the bat. Damn regional rules. |
| April 25, 2005 armiho211 Men's 70 449 posts | TERRY/SSUSA- 'we love you,man"!! this is the biggest news in the last 2-3 years. a lot of us senior players have felt that we have been largely ignored by the associations, you are at the top for a reason, "YOU LISTEN TO US!", THE SENIOR PLAYERS. thanks for hanging with us. |
| April 26, 2005 Robert Men's 50 64 posts | Thanks Terry & Staff, we will see you in Reno. Roaddog Bob |
| April 26, 2005 Airbosn Men's 70 329 posts | Thank You SS-USA for responding to the people who play the game. Hopefully others will see the light. |
| April 26, 2005 The Pro 81 posts | Kudos to you Terry! Now if you'll fix the "geographic restriction" guidelines instituted this year you will have set a standard for all Senior organizations to achieve or they will face declining participation in their tournaments. |
| April 27, 2005 Walk 192 posts | Pro I too am glad they are keeping the bat. But I doubt the rule will change any time soon. It is like they enjoy forcing people to retire. TH will let me play AAA but no one else will and so as I said before this rule will and has retired guys like me. Why pick me up for one tournament when the teams play in three worlds. SPA will not let me play and neither will the others. And here I thought the summit actually made rules for all to abide by. Anyway way to go SSUSA for allowing the bat. Just wish you would allow me to play and other like me. |
| April 27, 2005 grydog Men's 70 4 posts | It will be interesting to see if Miken raises the price back to the $300.00 range. I suspect that the price went down, only when it seemed that their bats would be banned (VERY INTERESTING) |
| April 27, 2005 DocRock Men's 65 3 posts | Mr Hennessy: It takes a big man to change his mind--and an even bigger man to do so in public. Kudos to you for doing so! And for being so responsive to the thousands of SSUSA players who responded so passionately to Gumper's original appeal. You're a pair of heroes, you and Gumper. Much joy of Miken II to all concerned! |
| April 29, 2005 stig 52 Men's 50 46 posts | Maybe we should change the name from SSUSA to SSMIKEN because that will be the only bat used. I will not play in any world tournament that has an illegal bat being used. There is no way the Ultra II can legally pass the 1.20 BPF. |
| April 29, 2005 NorCal1B 11 posts | stig52 - It seems your views are in the vast minority of the membership that chose to express an opinion here on this issue - That's fine, open expressions of opinion are healthy - The issue was 'out there', and the people here seem to have made a very strong case that the SSUSA people listened to, which is a RARE treat for the dues-paying members of most membership organizations - I'm curious, too, if you are an Engineer, since you seem fairly convinced (as opposed to having an opinion) that the U2 will not meet the 1.20 bpf test? - Or is it more likely that you are the proud owner of another brand of bat (as am I)? - NC1B |
| April 29, 2005 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Stig52, I am aslo curious, are you a masher or are you a punch/place hitter? What bat do you prefer? |
| April 29, 2005 stig 52 Men's 50 46 posts | I am a place hitter. I own an UltraII that I use when I play in prisons and it is about broke. I object to having spend $300 for a bat and having it break after 2 or 3 hundred swings. Right now I use a Catalyst that has 2500 swings on it and has not broke including 600 on a 40 degree day. All I want is a good bat that will last. Bat companies do not want durable bats. They want you to buy new bats every chance you can. |
| April 29, 2005 biggeorge Men's 60 25 posts | Stig52, planned obsolesence has been around for a long time. What I am curious about is why a great team like Miken/Old South, having played against them I can say that, which bats an entire line-up with legitimate 325 power or more from top to bottom cares about the Ultra11? While it is true that not that many players get killed by 150mph line drives, not that many get hit by lightening either. Fact is, the ones that do are nevertheless, dead! |
| April 30, 2005 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Stig53, I now what you mean. 4 or 5 years ago I, along with Troy Brumblow of Powerhouse Sports put on a "Get Together" in Cumming, Ga. TPS was nice enought to make available two SB34's, the original Genesis, and two XXL's. Both Genesis's cracked wth less that 75 swings and the XXL's were terribly waved up by the end of the day. Eveyone knows that there is a fine line between durability and performance. I think that Miken has fournd that with the Freak Plus. |
| May 2, 2005 Gary Heifner 248 posts | Stig 52. You are among those who think all senior players will use the U2. I caught in Indy this week and it was about 50-50 in there use. Even in the worlds last year there use was 50/50. Kellys sports bought out Mikens U2s and when I asked the lady on the phone about how many they really had, she said some weights were down to 13 to 20 in stock. For you guys who don't like exciting softball, don't worry, they will all break and should pretty well disappear in a couple of years. |
| May 3, 2005 stig 52 Men's 50 46 posts | I think the use of the U2 was a little higher than 50/50 but still that is not good for softball when over 50% of the players use the same bat. I have seen many good players use the U2 and have trouble going back to a regular bat. This is just my opinion so all you U2 swingers don't start hitting up the middle at me. |
| May 4, 2005 DoubleL10 Men's 70 907 posts | I remember back in the Bombat days, it seemed 75% or more of the players used that bat! I don't think it hurt softball one bit and I've still got two of them! Gary Heifner is correct - they will be gone from the game in a few years UNLESS something happens to cause them to start being made again. |
| May 23, 2005 Chris Men's 50 31 posts | The distributor that I just bought one from indicated to me that Miken has indeed started making U2's again, and they are automatically produced with the "W" on the endcap, so they don't have to worry about warranties. He sells them on eBay daily. |
| May 28, 2005 yo-dt Men's 70 24 posts | I also played at Indy in the 60+ age group that Gary Heifner says only half the batters used Miken Ultra II's. Gary must be Ultra blind as 95% of the opponents we faced used this great bat. Heck, our catcher yelled "No Miken" if a batter did not use one. The outfield would then step in about 10 feet. |
| May 28, 2005 biggeorge Men's 60 25 posts | I've got it! Miken Ultra ll, the viable alternative for those who have lost the ability to hit home runs at home. They'll be selling them at drug stores soon. |
