In case you weren’t aware of it, American Legion (national office) has recently adopted the following:
PLAYING REGULATIONS RULE 1
A. Bat Rule. Wood or metal, bats may be used.
1. Wooden bats are permitted under Official Baseball Rules.
2. The maximum length is 36 inches and the maximum diameter is 2 5/8 inches.
3. The knob and end plug (if applicable) must be firmly attached.
4. A bat may not weigh, numerically, more than three units less than the length of the bat (e.g., a 34-inch-long bat cannot weight less than 31 ounces).
5. The American Legion is placing a moratorium on all composite bats for the 2011 season.
6. Non-wood bat (aluminum) must have an approved, coded certification mark on the barrel of the bat signifying the bat is legal with either BERS or BBCOR bats are permitted in competition in 2011.
7. Effective with the 2012 season, non-wood bats with the BBCOR certification will only be permitted.
8. For all games and practice use, all non-wood bats must have leather, rubber or taped grip securely attached to the bat handle.
9. Any bat that fails to meet these specifications or, in the umpire’s judgment, has been altered to affect the distance factor or cause an unusual reaction on the baseball shall be removed from the game. The batter shall be declared out. Base runners shall not advance.
When asked what is meant by the phrase “all composite bats”, Jim Quinlan replied in an email last week as follows: “Any composite (even composite handles) are not permitted.”
Here is Mr. Quinlan’s explanation for American Legion’s position regarding why they are not allowing certain BESR composite bats that are allowed by the NFHS (again in an email last week):
“Up until a few weeks ago both NCAA and HS Federation banned composite bats. Both organization banned composite bats last summer.. Shortly after the first of the year, HS FED reversed themselves and granted waivers for certain composite bats. However other youth groups including The American Legion have not granted waivers. Little League also banned composite bats until 1 week ago and they granted a waiver to Easton for a couple of models. We simply do not have funds to test bats and it was the believe of subcommittee that studied the issue that it would create confusion and potential liability issues with umpires as to providing a list of a “approved “ bats. American Legion is going to keep issues simple this year ? only BESR bats in 2011 ? Only BBCOR bats in 2012 ? no composite bats.”
However, Mr. Quinlan has not offered any explanation as to why American Legion is banning the following:
(1) BESR-certified aluminum barrel bats with composite handles
(2) BBCOR-certified composite barrel bats
American Legion is failing to make a distinction between aluminum-barrel bats with composite handles and those bats that have a composite barrel. They are lumping all bats that have any composite materials ? even the new BBCOR-certified composite bats ? into one large category (i.e., “composite bats”) and banning all of them.
Legion baseball’s new rule will require a player who uses a legal BESR-certified aluminum-barrel bat during the spring season to get a different bat for the summer. And, then if that player is going to play high school baseball in 2012, he will need to get a new BBCOR bat next spring. So, basically, the player will need three different bats in three successive seasons.
The rule will place an unnecessary financial burden on baseball families. There is no reason to ban BESR-certified aluminum-barrel bats during the summer of 2011. No facts have been presented by any governing body to indicate that there are any safety or performance-related issues with these bats. Moreover, the BBCOR testing protocol includes Accelerated Break-In testing procedures for composite-barrel bats which eliminate the possibility of tampering that would cause them to exceed performance standards. Thus, there is no reason to ban the new BBCOR composite-barrel bats.
I would strongly encourage you to contact the following to voice your disapproval of this new rule:
Jim Quinlan, National Program Coordinator
American Legion
P.O. Box 1055
Indianapolis, IN 46206
(317) 630-1249
jquinlan@legion.org
Larry L. Price, Chairman, Baseball Sub-Committee
220 E. 2nd Ave.
Redfield, SD 57469
(605) 472-2272
If we all act together in a responsible manner to oppose this ruling, there may be time yet to get it changed for the 2011 season and spare our baseball families unnecessary confusion and expense.
Please copy the body of this email, paste it into a new email message and send it to Legion players and coaches in your state and those whom you may know in other states and ask them to please take action now to get this rule changed as soon as possible.
If we all work together, we can make a difference! Thank you!
This post was edited on 2/8 7:46 PM by mister_mojo
PLAYING REGULATIONS RULE 1
A. Bat Rule. Wood or metal, bats may be used.
1. Wooden bats are permitted under Official Baseball Rules.
2. The maximum length is 36 inches and the maximum diameter is 2 5/8 inches.
3. The knob and end plug (if applicable) must be firmly attached.
4. A bat may not weigh, numerically, more than three units less than the length of the bat (e.g., a 34-inch-long bat cannot weight less than 31 ounces).
5. The American Legion is placing a moratorium on all composite bats for the 2011 season.
6. Non-wood bat (aluminum) must have an approved, coded certification mark on the barrel of the bat signifying the bat is legal with either BERS or BBCOR bats are permitted in competition in 2011.
7. Effective with the 2012 season, non-wood bats with the BBCOR certification will only be permitted.
8. For all games and practice use, all non-wood bats must have leather, rubber or taped grip securely attached to the bat handle.
9. Any bat that fails to meet these specifications or, in the umpire’s judgment, has been altered to affect the distance factor or cause an unusual reaction on the baseball shall be removed from the game. The batter shall be declared out. Base runners shall not advance.
When asked what is meant by the phrase “all composite bats”, Jim Quinlan replied in an email last week as follows: “Any composite (even composite handles) are not permitted.”
Here is Mr. Quinlan’s explanation for American Legion’s position regarding why they are not allowing certain BESR composite bats that are allowed by the NFHS (again in an email last week):
“Up until a few weeks ago both NCAA and HS Federation banned composite bats. Both organization banned composite bats last summer.. Shortly after the first of the year, HS FED reversed themselves and granted waivers for certain composite bats. However other youth groups including The American Legion have not granted waivers. Little League also banned composite bats until 1 week ago and they granted a waiver to Easton for a couple of models. We simply do not have funds to test bats and it was the believe of subcommittee that studied the issue that it would create confusion and potential liability issues with umpires as to providing a list of a “approved “ bats. American Legion is going to keep issues simple this year ? only BESR bats in 2011 ? Only BBCOR bats in 2012 ? no composite bats.”
However, Mr. Quinlan has not offered any explanation as to why American Legion is banning the following:
(1) BESR-certified aluminum barrel bats with composite handles
(2) BBCOR-certified composite barrel bats
American Legion is failing to make a distinction between aluminum-barrel bats with composite handles and those bats that have a composite barrel. They are lumping all bats that have any composite materials ? even the new BBCOR-certified composite bats ? into one large category (i.e., “composite bats”) and banning all of them.
Legion baseball’s new rule will require a player who uses a legal BESR-certified aluminum-barrel bat during the spring season to get a different bat for the summer. And, then if that player is going to play high school baseball in 2012, he will need to get a new BBCOR bat next spring. So, basically, the player will need three different bats in three successive seasons.
The rule will place an unnecessary financial burden on baseball families. There is no reason to ban BESR-certified aluminum-barrel bats during the summer of 2011. No facts have been presented by any governing body to indicate that there are any safety or performance-related issues with these bats. Moreover, the BBCOR testing protocol includes Accelerated Break-In testing procedures for composite-barrel bats which eliminate the possibility of tampering that would cause them to exceed performance standards. Thus, there is no reason to ban the new BBCOR composite-barrel bats.
I would strongly encourage you to contact the following to voice your disapproval of this new rule:
Jim Quinlan, National Program Coordinator
American Legion
P.O. Box 1055
Indianapolis, IN 46206
(317) 630-1249
jquinlan@legion.org
Larry L. Price, Chairman, Baseball Sub-Committee
220 E. 2nd Ave.
Redfield, SD 57469
(605) 472-2272
If we all act together in a responsible manner to oppose this ruling, there may be time yet to get it changed for the 2011 season and spare our baseball families unnecessary confusion and expense.
Please copy the body of this email, paste it into a new email message and send it to Legion players and coaches in your state and those whom you may know in other states and ask them to please take action now to get this rule changed as soon as possible.
If we all work together, we can make a difference! Thank you!
This post was edited on 2/8 7:46 PM by mister_mojo
