Los Angeles Ready to Toss Out Its Absurd, Decades-Old 'No Catch' Park Law

Ever found yourself wanting to toss a ball around with a friend or your kid at a beautiful Los Angeles park? Well, here's a fun, albeit absurd, fact: you might have technically been breaking the law all this time! Seriously, it sounds like something out of a quirky sitcom, but for a good many decades, L.A. has had this rather peculiar ordinance on its books that made playing a simple game of catch in a public park illegal without, get this, a special permit. Can you even imagine?

This particular piece of legislation, which dates all the way back to the 1980s, apparently came about from concerns over potential injuries or, perhaps, those ever-present liability issues. You know, someone getting bonked on the head by a stray frisbee or baseball, that sort of thing. But let's be real for a moment: how many times have you actually heard of someone getting ticketed or even warned for playing catch? Probably never, right? It’s one of those laws that, while technically existing, has largely just gathered dust, practically unenforced and mostly forgotten by regular folks simply wanting to enjoy a sunny afternoon.

Thankfully, some much-needed common sense is finally making its way into the City of Angels' rulebook. Councilmember Joe Buscaino, with a commendable sense of civic duty, recently introduced a motion to finally toss this “uncommonly silly” law right out the window. And it’s not just a lone voice; the effort is getting significant backing, including support from Council President Nury Martinez. It seems pretty clear that a city as vibrant, active, and outdoorsy as Los Angeles shouldn't be stifling something as innocent and fundamental as a casual game of catch between friends or a parent and child.

Think about it: public parks are inherently meant for recreation, for fresh air, for making those cherished memories. They're spaces for kids to run free, for adults to unwind, and for communities to connect. To have a law that technically forbids one of the most classic, simplest forms of outdoor fun just feels… well, it feels genuinely wrong. It’s a relic from a different era, perhaps a period of excessive caution, that really has no place in our modern understanding of how public spaces should function.

So, here’s truly hoping this motion sails through without any hitches. It’s not about some grand political statement or a dramatic policy shift; it's really just about peeling back an unnecessary, frankly baffling, layer of bureaucracy and letting people simply enjoy their parks as they’re meant to be enjoyed. A little bit of everyday freedom, a whole lot of common sense, and maybe, just maybe, a lot more spontaneous games of catch under the glorious California sun. Sounds pretty good to me.