Baseball Rules Committee Focuses on Clarification of Bat Standards and Sportsmanship During

Pre-Game Practice

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (June 25, 2003) — Clarification of bat standards were at the top of the agenda during the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee meeting June 20-22 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In Rule 1-3-5, the Baseball Rules Committee addressed the altering of bats and incorporated the Ball Exit Speed Ratio (BESR) performance standard language into the body of the rule.

The requirement of the BESR certification mark on all non-wood bats, which originally was approved by the committee in 2001, took effect in high school baseball January 1, 2003. Since the BESR mark ensures that non-wood bats have a maximum exit speed of 97 miles per hour and have met moment-of-inertia requirements, as well as a maximum diameter of the bat and a minus-3 differential between the length and weight of the bat, the rule now states that bats may either be wood or non-wood, rather than listing various compositions of non-wood bats.

Although the rule requires non-wood bats to be labeled with a silk screen or other permanent certification mark, in some cases manufacturers have used a label, sticker or decal to denote BESR certification. However, effective January 1, 2006, no BESR label, sticker or decal will be permitted on any non-wood bat.

The committee also addressed altering of bats and added language to state that no foreign substance may be inserted into the bat.

Rule 5-1-1h was changed to state that if an umpire inadvertently calls a foul ball, the ball is ruled a dead ball. The previous rule specified that, if a foul was inadvertently called, it was left to the discretion of the umpire whether the batter-runner could or could not have been thrown out before reaching first base or other base runners could have advanced on the bases.

Rule 1-4-4 currently specifies that loose equipment, such as gloves and bats, may not be on or near the field. This rule change adds helmets and catcher’s equipment to the list of loose equipment not allowed on or near the field. This equipment was added to reduce the risk of injury to players or coaches.

Rule 3-3-1g5 was changed to state that during a team’s infield practice prior to the start of a game, the opposing team may not be in live-ball territory. This has become a more common practice, as teams are using such techniques as glaring and making inappropriate remarks to opponents as a form of intimidation. If this occurs, the team at fault may be charged with unsporting conduct.

“This rule will keep non-players off the field, and deals with players and coaches before the game,” Hopkins said.

Rule 1-1-6 leaves it to the discretion of individual state associations to authorize the use of prostheses which, in the respective state association’s opinion, are no more dangerous to players than the corresponding human body part(s) and do not place an opponent at a disadvantage. The rule currently states that all casts, splints and braces must be padded with at least a half-inch of closed-cell, slow-recovery rubber or other material of the same minimum thickness and having similar physical properties.

Rule 3-1-1 was revised to lessen the penalty for accidental illegal substitution to restriction to the dugout. When an illegal player is discovered by an umpire or either team, that player will be restricted to the dugout for the duration of the game. An illegal player on offense, whether as a batter or runner, must be called out immediately and restricted to the dugout for the duration of the game, rather than being immediately ejected from the game. Ejection remains the penalty for an intentional illegal substitution.

Other rules changes include:

§ Rule 3-3-1i adds a stopwatch to the list of objects a coach may possess in the coach’s box, to allow flexibility in coaching strategy.

§ With regard to base running, Rule 8-4-2j is an extension of Rule 8-4-2. This rule change stipulates that there shall not be any accidental appeals on a force play, in order to be definitive in all aspects of the appeal process.

§ A signal change was added to define the proper mechanics for signaling the batter’s ball-strike count. There is not currently a recommended mechanic for signaling the count, and, according to Hopkins, this has caused confusion for players and coaches.

Editorial changes made by the rules committee include the reorganization of Rule 1.

An editorial change to Rule 6-1-2 clarifies the delivery of a pitch by a pitcher. This change states that, during delivery, a pitcher may lift his non-pivot foot in a step forward, a step sideways, or in a step backward and a step forward, but he shall not otherwise lift either foot.

Baseball is the fourth-most popular sport for boys at the high school level with 451,674 participants during the 2001-02 season, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS. It also ranks third in school sponsorship with 14,924 schools offering the sport.

MEDIA CONTACT: Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900