(An informal collection of comments and observations heard 'round the ballyard)

If you could I would like you to pass on this story to all the Fastpitchwest readers. It is without a doubt a concern for future and current players.

Most of us play at the highest level of fastpitch that is available in our areas. A lot of us play on travel teams and tournament teams on the weekends. Some of us play on leagues during the week to try and keep in shape and hone our skills for the weekends. Unfortunately the leagues during the week sometimes don't enforce the rules as much. As in the case with our league where it is the players option to wear a helmet if he or she desires.

Last Monday night a player on my team was struck in the head by a pitched ball. It was only a change-up and thank God it wasn't a hard pitch. He suffered a fractured skull and he is lucky to be here today. The doctor told him if the point of impact was over a quarter of an inch he would not be here today to tell this story. The good news is that he suffered no internal bleeding and has a 99% chance of full recovery without complications.

We all know how hard the new balls are and how lively the new bats are. I was personally hit three times last year while on the mound where I didn't even get a glove up. Please, I can't stress enough. Wear a helmet at all times. While you are batting, running the base paths or just batting practice. All it takes is one wild pitch or an errant throw from the outfield and the injury result could be devastating. We lucked out this week and we count our blessings. This could have been avoided if the player would have just had his helmet on.

Thanks, Mitch Mendenhall
             San Diego Suns
             El Segundo Rounders

You may have already posted this, or maybe it's old news.  Just wondering if anyone has thoughts on the proposed change to the ASA code for implementation January 1, 2004.   The vote is schedule  for the Orlando ASA meeting in November of 2003.

To wit,  " ASA will conduct an ASA Men's Major Fast Pitch World's Championship as follows:  Any team foreign or domestic, that is properly registered with their respective governing body and agrees to abide by the ASA Playing Rules and ASA Code is eligible to participate in this tournament providing they properly enter the tournament."

There's obviously a lot more to this, such as how it will be structured (maximum of 8 pools with teams seeded based on previous year's order of finish until returning teams have been entered, etc., then double elim after pool play), and the various articles of selection of umpires, etc.  Interesting that this proposal includes the justification from the
person proposing said amendment as follows:

My initial questions, if this is adopted & implemented, are:

1. Will this replace the existing ASA Major event

2. When will this event be held

3. Will this be held in the ASA stadium in OK City, or is that still the exclusive domain where only women are permitted to compete, with male athletes being banned (as is current ASA practice & procedure) from the OK City ASA playing field in the stadium.....?

4. Will this permit National Teams to enter? Without OOA regs & without any restrictions whatsoever, will this create a situation whereby the best teams that money can buy will prevail (again)? If wealthy teams compile killer rosters, how many of the mid-level to small-budget teams will even bother to compete in such an event, knowing that their annual slaughter is merely a matter of which huge-money teams they encounter & how quickly that encounter transpires?
   
   I await the bullets being aimed my way....................
   
   regards,
   
   Mike
   mailto:falcon@fedlock.com