Playing Catch Banned in Clearwater: Law Outlaws Games of Catch

by Jon Azpiri | August 7, 2009 at 11:27 am

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The city of Clearwater city is hoping to change a city ordinance that outlaws playing catch in public.

The ordinance, which officials say was passed several years ago, bans anyone from playing catch on the beach or even at the park. That rule applies to children and adults and covers everything from baseballs, footballs, and even frisbees.

The only place you can legally play catch in Clearwater in on a designated sports field like a baseball diamond. Even then it has to be part of an organized game.

Here is an excerpt from the Clearwater ordinance that bans games of catch:

"No person or persons shall engage in rough or potentially dangerous activity such as football, baseball, softball, horseshoes, tennis, volleyball, badminton, or any other organized activity involving thrown or otherwise propelled objects such as balls, stones, arrows, javelins, shuttlecocks, Frisbees, model aircraft or roller skates on any public bathing beach or park property except in areas set aside for that purpose."

The law was created to stop games of catch that could possibly endanger passersby who aren't passing attention. Local councilman George Cretekos hopes to refine the ordinance so that it doesn't criminalize a simple game of catch.

"I also feel like it's important for a child to be able to go out and toss a ball or throw a Frisbee without the fear of being cited for an ordinance violation," he said.

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