April 2, 2009
To: Baseball Commissioners
From: Peter Weber, OSAA Assistant Executive Director
Terry Fischer, OSAA Baseball Rules Interpreter
Subject: 2009 SRI Bulletin #1
We are starting these bulletins to address questions regarding rules and mechanics. We expect you to distribute this information to the officials in your local association. Our hope is that these bulletins will be a useful addition to your local training programs. If you, or anyone in your local association, have any suggestions for future topics, please send an email to Terry Fischer (
terrylf5@mail.com).
Coach UniformsRule 1.4.1 ‐ 4, pages 15 and 16: Uniforms of a team should be of the same color and style. Players on the same team shall not have duplicate numbers. Coaches should adhere to the uniform rules just as their players. Coaches’ uniforms should resemble that of their respective team. Allow a coach to have the same number as a player if this is unavoidable. There are coaches who cannot find a uniform pant large enough to fit them. There have been some exceptions granted by the OSAA office regarding coaches’ uniforms. All exception requests should be referred to Peter Weber at the OSAA (
peterw@osaa.org). It is the OSAA’s ruling that the school and coaches should find a pant that closely resembles the school uniform. This is also the case with uniform tops and jackets. The school should try to meet the uniform requirement the best way possible. In these economic times with school budget issues, it has been allowed for a coach on the field to wear a shirt or t-shirt similar to the team uniform with the team logo on the front. Also a coach may wear a jacket or pullover of team color. However, this does not allow for a coach to be on the field out of uniform. Coaches are not permitted to wear sweat pants, warm up suits, shorts, improper
shoes, street clothes or be without a cap or helmet. Note: If a coach is not in uniform he is permitted to coach from the dugout and is not permitted on the field of play. The exception is when under umpire direction he is allowed to leave the dugout to attend to an injured player.
Sleeve Length - PitchersRule 1.4.2, page 15. Uniform sleeve lengths may vary. However, sleeves of each individual player shall be
approximately the same length and shall not be ragged, frayed or slit. If the pitcher's undershirt sleeves are exposed, they shall not be white or gray. Note: There have been pitchers in prior seasons allowed to compete with one sleeve short and the sleeve on their pitching arm long. This violates the rule. The pitcher’s sleeves shall be approximately the same length. The pitcher/player shall not be allowed to participate in the contest until the sleeves are the same length.
Rule 1.4.2 & 6.2.1i: Pitchers uniforms interpretation.The NFHS Rules Committee was asked to rule on the very popular vest type uniform jersey top with a t-shirt underneath that is part of the team's colors. For this type of uniform, white or gray t-shirts are permissible as long as it is the color of the team and the sleeves do not extend below the elbow of the pitcher. The pitcher may wear long sleeves other than white or gray.
Medical Sleeves - PitchersMedical sleeves are legal. They may be worn on either arm if they are white or gray. They cannot extend below the elbow on the pitcher's arm and cannot be a color that is distracting. If worn on the non-throwing arm, they may be of any length, may be white or gray as long as they are not distracting.
Solution: The easiest way to reach compliance and not be distracting is to wear a proper color, other than white or gray, long-sleeved undershirt over the medical sleeve.
Case Book Situations:Rule 1.4.2 Situation: F1 prepares to pitch and it is detected that he is wearing (a) a white sleeved undershirt; (b) a white therapeutic elastic sleeve; (c) sweatbands on his wrists; or (d) exposed gray batting glove under his glove.
Ruling: In (a) and (b), those items shall be removed. In (c) and (d), if F1's equipment is distracting, it shall be removed. Although the rules do not specifically prohibit a pitcher from wearing these items, if in the judgment of the umpire these items are distracting, then F1 should not be permitted to wear them. (6-2-1f)
Solutions: The easiest fix for the white or gray long sleeve undershirts on the pitcher is to remove them and replace with colored sleeves that comply with the rule. With a white therapeutic sleeve, the easiest fix is to wear a colored long sleeve undershirt over it. A good rule of thumb for enforcement any distracting items (sweat bands, gray or colored batting glove under pitcher’s glove, etc.) is that if you notice it or a member of the opposing team brings it to your attention, it is distracting and should be removed.
Please contact Terry Fischer (
terrylf5@mail.com) or Peter Weber (
peterw@osaa.org) with questions.
