2012 Poll Results for what ball to use at the Smoky Mountain Classic?

Every year our readers participate in a number of polls over on TheOldScout message board, but how many of us go back and check to see the results? In a series of articles to be posted over the next couple of weeks, I will look back at the 2012 poll results for a variety of topics, and I will of course give my 2 cents worth of commentary about each poll. 🙂

A look back at the "what ball to use on main field at smoky" poll from 2012

Poll and Discussion: The ball used at the Smoky Mountain Classics main field:

A player asked me why they don't use the stadium ball at the main field of the Smoky Mountain Classic which is a baseball field?

  Field #9 at Music City Classic was 325-355-365-355-325 = 1725  

  Field #11 at the Music City Classic was 325-355-365-345-320 = 1710

Both fields used the stadium zn which made for great games this past weekend in Nashville.

At the Smoky Mountain Classic the fields are (according to google earth):

  Sandy Springs main field at the Smoky – 305-334-354-338-315 = 1646

  Sandy Springs main field has used the regular Conference ball the last couple of years.

  Maryville College field at Smoky – 324-360-383-336-319 = 1722

  Maryville uses the stadium zn and the games there are great.

The games at the main field at the Smoky however during the day are very low scoring.

In 2011 using the regular conference ball from 10:30 AM to 7:30 PM on Saturday the scores were:
20-14
22-13
7-6
11-8
19-2
20-14
28-24

30.0 runs per game average.  I know a lot of fans were not happy with the low scores and lack of long home runs.

Should the main field at the Smoky with its long 80 foot bases use the stadium ball like is used at the other baseball fields in the conference?

What ball should the Smoky main field use?

Use the Stadium ZN and put on a show!         79% 159
Use the regular conference ball like normal   19%  38
Use the conference ball but keep them cool     2%   5

202 votes total

DW's Take:
USSSA listened to the poll and gave the stadium ball a try in 2012 at the Smoky main field.  I felt the ball was perfect for the majority of the games.  On Friday night it wasn't too bad, maybe a little hot but the games were well played and on Saturday the games were perfect with the Stadium ball.  Saturday night the fans got the shootouts they longed for with that epic Resmondo vs Shoppe barn burner.  We will have to re-post this poll before the 2013 Smoky and see what everyone thought.

So in 2011 with the regular conference ball between 10:30 AM and 7:30 PM there was a total of 208 runs scored on the main field, or 29.71 runs per game.

2012 scores between 10:30 AM and 7:30 PM with the stadium zn ball were:
28-11
36-16
27-12
24-22
45-41
35-33
35-18

For a total of 383 runs on the main field, or 54.71 runs per game.  Big difference.