She can't pitch wearing sunglasses???

[Sweet]

My 10u dd took the mound to pitch the 1st inning last night. It was 6pm, the sun was super bright as it was setting (behind 3rd base). My dd always wears her sunglasses when she plays, but the ump said that she could not pitch with her sunglasses. I'm not sure if these details matter, but they are not perscription glasses, she had on a fielding mask, the glasses do have a mirror-ish finish, it was okay to wear the glasses playing 1st base, batting etc.

Was the ump wrong? Do I need to have a spare pair of non metailc glasses for her? Thanks for the advice!

[Comp]

Dont know if you have any special local rules, but there is absolutely no rule in FED, ASA, TCS, NCAA etc I know of that restricts the pitcher from wearing sunglasses.

[Bretman]

It's funny. Just the other day I was thinking to myself that I haven't had this question come up for awhile...and it pops up here.

There's no blanket rule prohibiting a pitcher from wearing sunglasses. It's just one of those "rule myths" that rears it's ugly head now and again. But it's just that- a myth. I hate to hear about an umpire- somebody who should know better!- perpetuating a rule myth. Maybe in a 10U game you were dealing with a less-experienced umpire.

[UmpSteve]

The only thing I can add to the thread is a hypothetical "IF"; IF the umpire saw a glare off her sunglasses, then he can use the clause relating to distracting to keep that from affecting the batters (or him, as the case may be). Other than that (and you did say they had a metallic or mirror-like finish), he would be dead wrong.

[Sweet]

Thank you for the replies. So as I understand, there's no rule about sunglasses, but there is a rule about the pitcher wearing/doing somethign distracting to the batter/home plate ump.

This game wasn't a big deal, the sun wasn't in her eyes, so at the time it wasn't "the hill that I wanted to die on", so I didn't fight it or anything... but I did want to check for clarification in case it happens again in a big game, etc. So thanks again for chiming in!

[Momo's Dad]

Get rid of the mirrored glasses. I believe in young people determining their own styles, but that's one parents should steer their kids away from.

As for sunglasses, mine won't pitch without 'em.

[Bretman]

The only thing I can add to the thread is a hypothetical "IF"; IF the umpire saw a glare off her sunglasses, then he can use the clause relating to distracting to keep that from affecting the batters.

I was going to mention that remote possibility. But that's a real "one in a million" situation. I have never had it come up in a game. Plus, in this one the sun was setting behind the pitcher, making a reflective glare into the batter's eyes an even more remote possibility.

So, if you had the perfect angle for the perfect amount of sunlight to reflect perfectly into the batter's eyes, an umpire could address that. Luckily for us, the earth will keep on spinning and that means that a few minutes later you probably won't have this "perfect storm" of rogue reflectivity..and the pitcher can put 'em back on again!

[MTR]

The only thing I can add to the thread is a hypothetical "IF"; IF the umpire saw a glare off her sunglasses, then he can use the clause relating to distracting to keep that from affecting the batters (or him, as the case may be). Other than that (and you did say they had a metallic or mirror-like finish), he would be dead wrong.

Even then, it is a BS reason. What happens it an infielder has a distracting glare off their sunglasses? Is that different? Unless the pitcher is wearing those glasses on the thigh of her throwing side, this is nothing.

[Makina]

Actually had an opposing coach protest to me about a pitcher wearing sunglasses, saying it reflected back into batters eyes. I knew it was bs and coach was just trying to get into the head of the pitcher, the sun was in her eyes. Therefore I had no reason to make her take it off, so I went to mound looked at them and then said it was ok for her to wear them.

Nothing in rule book that says she can't wear them. So we proceeded to play ball.

[Comp]

Its amazing what coaches will try to claim is distracting their batters. Working an ASA game, we are in the 4th or 5th inning when the team coming to bats coach walks up to me during warm ups and claims the pitchers earrings are distracting his batters. I look out at pitcher, (like I havent been looking right at her for the last 4 or 5 innings) and cant see any earrings. I finally walk out about half way to the circle and look closer and she has on tiny little studs. Walked back and told the coach to play ball.