Home of Senior Softball-USA and Senior Softball World Championships
| March 14, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Midwest Championships Thanks, JohnO28 ... I was going to let it slide and just chalk it up to either nerves over his "rookie post" here or just wanting to be "that guy," but since you mentioned it, maybe some folks are just clueless about calculating tourney games demand ... His unreasonable 1-day suggestion for this 24-team Session #1 would require a shade over 19 games per field in 24 hours of continuous play! ... At 1:30 per game scheduling, that's a 28± hour minimum and doesn't fit ... In SSUSA's 5-game-guarantee format of 2 RR into 3-Game-Guarantee brackets for divisions of five or more teams, the formula is pretty simple and amazingly accurate: Games = 3.2 X Teams ... The Midwest Champs Session #1 has 24 teams playing a potential 78 games (Formula: 24 x 3.2 = 76.8) ... By comparison, for a 4-game-guarantee event it's Games = 3 X Teams, Less the # of Championship Divisions ... This Session #1 would would have been: 24 x 3 - 6 = 66 ... That still would have been 16.5 games per field for the 1-day Midnight Madness format, for a full 24 hours ... Have fun everyone! ... |
| March 13, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Midwest Championships Matty507 ... That reminds me of a song lyric from a rather famous former resident of South Florida along Highway A1A ... Applies to the meteorology specialists monitoring the Midwest tournament, too: "..The Weather is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful.." ... Good luck everyone, DRAFT schedules and brackets are posted ... |
| March 13, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Past Weekend Event in Sacramento The flip side to that same coin, Mikelmart, is that 99.6% of all teams that have made a "Later Start Request" over the past two decades I've been doing this have had that request honored ... Let us know if you want to start later and it will happen ... After the fact complaints are relatively ineffective by comparison ... Thanks! |
| March 7, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Base runner hit by ball after it is tipped off pitchers glove Swanky ... Yes, they got it right, maybe by random luck, but still right! ... With the shortstop running in to attempt to make the play, the ball DID hit the runner, but it was after passing a defender (other than the pitcher) ... This is a "live ball, play on situation" where R2 is out on the tag, not because the ball likely trickled off his shoe, and the batter runner is out at 1B to complete the double play ... The offense also got a refresher course on a fundamental base running theory: Keep running until an umpire or coach tells you to stop! ... |
| March 6, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Base runner hit by ball after it is tipped off pitchers glove The batted ball deflecting off the pitcher's glove is a LIVE ball (Rulebook §9.1 X. EXCEPTION) ... The IT DEPENDS reference refers to Rulebook §8.2 C. subsections 1. where the base runner is NOT out and subsection 2. where the runner is OUT ... Absent any indication from Swanky as to the fact pattern he envisions, those are the options to consider ... |
| March 6, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Base runner hit by ball after it is tipped off pitchers glove IT DEPENDS ... See below ... (Reading the Official SSUSA Rulebook can be informative ... An online version is available on this website ...) _____ Rulebook §8.2 • BATTER BECOMES A BATTER-RUNNER C. When he bats a fair ball even though it strikes another player, umpire or their attached clothing or equipment. 1. If the runner is hit with a fair batted ball while touching a base, he is not out. EFFECT: The ball is live or dead depending on the position of the fielder closest to the ball. If the closest defensive player is in front of the base runner hit by the ball, the ball remains live. However, after the runner in contact with the base is hit by the batted ball, it shall be the same as hitting the ground. Since the ball remains live, the defense is free to make whatever plays are available. If the defensive player is behind the base runner, the ball is ruled dead, the hitter is awarded a base hit and runners are advanced only if forced to advance. 2. If the runner is hit by the ball while off base and before it passes an infielder (excluding the pitcher), the ball is dead and the hit runner is declared out. The batter-runner is awarded first base without liability to be put out. |
| March 6, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Base runner hit by ball after it is tipped off pitchers glove LIVE BALL Rulebook §9.1 • DEAD BALL X. When a fair batted ball strikes an umpire or base runner on fair ground before passing or touching an infielder, excluding the pitcher. EXCEPTION: A fair batted ball that deflects off the pitcher's glove remains a live ball. EFFECT: The batter is awarded first base, and runners advance one base only if forced with the exception that a runner struck while off base is out. |
| March 1, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Run scores? Good luck with that, Randall! ... My extensive life experience over 74+ years tells me that the elimination of sniveling will happen right about the same time the world eliminates cockroaches! ... The key point in this one remains the NOTE: There can NEVER be a force out on a caught fly ball, because the caught fly does not result in ANY runner being "forced" to advance to the next base ... |
| Feb. 27, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Run scores? Randall ... RUN (R2) SCORES ... The third out of the inning was NOT a force out, therefore it's a timing play ... The R2 scoring before R1 was retired is the criteria ... The only time the run does not score is if the third out is by a force play ... NOTE: There can NEVER be a force out on a caught fly ball, because the caught fly does not result in ANY runner being "forced" to advance to the next base ... |
| Feb. 24, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Bats Discussion: Balanced bat It's been a long time now, but I still believe the best answer I ever heard to that question was by Miken's Corky Pellien when he was driving and selling from the Miken Truck at SSUSA events all over the country: "..The best bat for you is the one that feels best in your hands.." ... It's difficult to imagine a better answer ... |
| Feb. 21, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Curtesy Runner Rule Question In the PHX situation, there was no "shenanigans" involved, just a pretty astute and paying-attention team that saw it unfolding and knew their rulebook ... And a Runner-up manager that felt terrible about it ... |
| Feb. 21, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Curtesy Runner Rule Question TOTF ... I'm reasonably confident that everyone in the park that day, and all of the readers of this post, know it was about a 97% probability of being a fake injury ... Here's where it fails, assuming the umpire(s) and Director are as versed in Courtesy Runners as they should be ... Rulebook §8.5(3) • COURTESY RUNNER REPLACEMENT is the game they were playing on you ... But the operative correct section is the very next one: §8.5(4) • COURTESY RUNNER COMING TO BAT WHILE ON BASE ... When R2 is on second, the moment the pitcher intentionally walks the batter, R2 is awarded third during a dead ball situation ... Whether or not it's in fact a legitimate "injury" is irrelevant; he's awarded third ... If they want to go that way, the umpire or Director should say, "You may substitute for the baserunner, but it's a bit late since he is deemed to be on third when it was his turn to bat, and accordingly he is declared OUT under §8.5(4), ending the game." ... I suspect this was destined to have exactly a 50% approval rating no matter which way it goes, and some may even argue about it here ... But I would steer this to the decision that is not trying to make a mockery of the game by a potentially (and highly likely) phantom injury during a dead ball situation ... By the way, a LONG time ago (2011) at the World Championships in Phoenix, I watched a team win the title in the championship game with exactly this in-game situation ... They walked two batters while leading by three with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 7th ... |
| Feb. 19, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: West Covina tribe24 ... The very first post (yours) in this thread is asking about the 50's ... There were no changes for the 50's (still a two-day, weekend-only structure) ... The revisions being discussed and handled today were for 55-AAA and 60-Men only ... Maybe you could hold off on any more wildly speculative false assumptions until we post the game schedules, then have at it to your heart's content! ... |
| Feb. 19, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: West Covina To the 60-Men and 55-AAA Divisions: All of the managers were called by either Director Jerry Smith and/or Tiffany from the SSUSA office, and most were successfully contacted ... We have accumulated your comments and are re-drafting the Friday afternoon / evening schedule to get your games as late as is feasible ... There WILL BE Friday play in these groups ... Good luck! |
| Feb. 19, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: West Covina Micara ... Nothing has changed with the 65+ and more senior age groups: Friday thru Sunday for most ... A couple of smaller groups (70-Major and 70-AA) will finish Saturday ... |
| Feb. 19, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: West Covina Richard ... Your team will be playing at 8:00 and 9:30 AM on Friday morning in your 75-AAA seeding games ... The four lowest seeded teams will also play the first-round games #1 and #2 of the bracket at 12:30 PM, then your division is done for the day ... Six more bracket games on Saturday and then the 3rd place, championship and potential "If" game on Sunday morning ... Good luck! |
| Feb. 14, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Major playing wants to go up an age to play AAA When a player matriculates to the next age group, he "takes his rating with him," which means he is now a 50-Major player ... In the hypothetical you mention, he is eligible to play 50-AAA so long as [1] he does NOT play 40-Major anymore and [2] if the team he seeks to join has one of their maximum of three (3) out-of-rating player exemptions available on their roster ... NOTE: He is NOT eligible for the 50-AAA team if he continues to play 40-Major, which is the equivalent of 50-Major+ ... Major+ players are NOT permitted to be on the roster of a AAA team in the same age group ... As always, if this explanation isn't clear please call the Sacramento Home Office at (916) 326.5303 during normal business hours in the Pacific time zone and ask for an eligibility specialist ... |
| Feb. 14, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Orange bag Please see SSUSA 2026-27 Rulebook §8.4(1) • BATTER-RUNNER REACHING FIRST BASE on page 47 ... "..A double bag shall be used at first base, the double portion of the bag being in foul territory abutting first base. If there is a play on a batter-runner going to first base, the batter-runner must touch some portion of the double bag extending into foul territory. He will be called out if he fails to do so, except if, in the umpire's judgment, the batter-runner is avoiding a collision. The batter-runner simultaneously touching both portions of the double bag is permitted. This is NOT an appeal play.." |
| Feb. 14, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Orange bag Automatic OUT call by the umpire ... This is NOT an appeal call situation ... |
| Feb. 13, 2026 DaveDowell | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Tournament Score Updates TOTF ... Thanks for the kind words! ... The tournaments that fall into the category of "Non-T.O.C. Qualifiers" are not required to participate in the WhoIFollow system ... The Independent T.D.'s who run them may choose to do so if they have the desire and resources ... A few have indicated they likely will take advantage of that opportunity ... Events run by Top Gun (west coast), Potomac Sports (east coast) and some Midwest events where Donna McGuire is involved are likely users, but to my knowledge, Tournament Sports (Arizona), promoter of the Gold Glove Spectacular, is not yet ... Good luck this season! ... |
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