The Fastpitch Chronicle

Hello Fastpitch World!

It's the final day of the 38th Annual WIAA State Fastpitch Softball Tournament. Today the trophies will be handed out. There will be one there for each team that takes the field. There will be four gold statues on the them and four with silver statues on the them.

However, every player there will be a winner.

Yesterday's action provided lots of ball yard chatter. The ball yard chatter is what makes being there in person worth the trip. At times the action on the field becomes secondary to the chatter in the stands. A plethora of things get covered in the stands and some things actually get decided therein.

Watching the games sometimes raises eyebrows as well. Things happen that people have never seen happen before.

So with that in mind, here's a refresher on part of Rule 6.
Article 1 ... Prior to starting the delivery (pitch), the pitcher shall take a position with the pivot foot on or partially on the top surface of the pitcher's plate and the non-pivot foot in contact with or behind the pitcher's plate. Both feet must be on the ground within or partially within the 24-inch length of the pitcher's plate.

FPC Editor's Note: Since the home plate umpire in a perfect position to ascertain whether or not the pitcher meets the rule typed above, he/she is responsible for administering the rule. This one is easy to see and easy to enforce.

Article 3 ... A legal delivery shall be a pitched ball that is delivered to the batter with an underhand motion.
a) The release of the ball and the follow-through of the hand and wrist must be forward past the vertical line of the body.
b) The hand shall be below the hip and the wrist not farther from the body than the elbow.
FPC Editor's Note: Side-arm deliveries do not meet this requirement and create a different visual that batter's are accustomed to seeing and make ball movement easier to accomplish.

I'll have my rule book with me at Goodman Diamond today so I don't have to go looking for one to borrow

Enjoy the games.

Keep it Rising!
Bob