There is no need to run the bases after a home run over the fence in the big men`s divisions to throw slow. To avoid ball losses and game delays, the ASA limits the number of home runs hit over the fence during regular men`s and master`s slow field games. Once a team reaches its limit, all balls hit over the fence from that point count as out, and the baserunners are not allowed to advance. The limits vary depending on the type or class of the league within these two divisions. Balls used for a 12-inch slow pitch must have a circumference of 12 inches, a coefficient of restitution of 0.440 or less and a compression of 375.0 or less. The ball may have a white or visually yellow cover. A 16-inch sphere must have a circumference of 16 inches, weigh 9 ounces, have a restitution coefficient of 0.470 or less, and a compression of 375.0 or less. The ball must have a white cover. For a slow playing field played with a 12-inch ball, the bases should be spaced 65 feet apart.
The pitcher platform should be 50 feet from the welcome plate. The minimum fence distance is 300 feet, with a maximum of 315 feet. For men`s slow 16-inch terrain, bases are spaced 60 feet apart, the launcher rubber is 38 feet from the license plate, and fence distances are at least 250 feet without maximum. Slow-pitch softball gets its name from the fact that pitchers have to put a 6-foot bow on their fields to slow down the speed of incoming fields. The Amateur Softball Association of America is the governing body of softball in the United States and sets the rules for most recreational leagues and all leagues sanctioned by the Olympics. For men`s softball with slow terrain, the ASA has added a variety of rules to allow for fair and faster play. Stealing a base is illegal in the Master and Senior divisions. A player cannot start a flight until the playing field has reached the front end of the home plate or when the pitcher has the ball but is not near the pitcher`s hill. For Masters, Seniors, Master 40-OSP and 45-OSP Men`s Slow Pitch, hitters can use a courtesy runner when they reach the base.
A courtesy runner does not replace the baserunner on the defensive. Courtesy runners must appear on the alignment card of the game being played, and teams must report a courtesy runner when they enter the game. During Masters and Seniors matches, teams can use an unlimited number of courtesy runners per round, with only one per round allowed in master 40 OSP and 45 OSP games. Sam Ashe-Edmunds has been writing and lecturing for decades. He has worked as a senior executive in non-profit organizations and has served on several boards of directors of non-profit organizations. He is an author and lecturer in sports science who has travelled internationally. He has been featured in print publications such as Entrepreneur, Tennis, SI for Kids, Chicago Tribune, Sacramento Bee, and on websites such as Smart-Healthy-Living.net, SmartyCents, and Youthletic. Edmunds holds a bachelor`s degree in journalism.
