Collision question

[Mike Hurd]

Into home there is a slide rule, no other base.

No sir, there is not. There is never a "must slide" rule except in local rec leagues

 

[Crabby_Bob]

Comp, I have never called Little League so I may be wrong ... but I thought LL did have a slide rule.

Anybody with experience who can confirm/deny?

Into home there is a slide rule, no other base.

No experience, but to quote the rule (2019):

7.08 Any runner is out when --
3) the runner does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and is waiting to make the tag;
AR - There is no "must slide rule."

This is much like other codes -- when a fielder has the ball and is waiting to make a tag, the runner may slide, avoid, or go back.

Edit: because TMIB and Big Daddy brought it up:
7.08 -- 4) the runner slides head first while advancing. (Tee Ball, Minor, or Major Divisions only.)

 

[Big Daddy Michigan]

Comp, I have never called Little League so I may be wrong ... but I thought LL did have a slide rule.

Anybody with experience who can confirm/deny?

Unless it's been added in the last 2 years, LL doesn't have a slide rule.

 

[joe720]

Interesting my apologies. Thought it was a rule. We had to abide by it all the way to the NYSLL championship game in 10U.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Interesting my apologies. Thought it was a rule. We had to abide by it all the way to the NYSLL championship game in 10U.

No worries, common misperception as many local orgs will put it in as a HOUSE rule.

I apologize for muddying the waters with LL. As I said, I have never worked LL or read their book. A counterpart (offline) told me I may be thinking of LL’s rule on head first slides which are NOT allowed. Or so I was told ... do NOT quote me!


One thing we haven’t discussed is WHY there is no mandatory slide rule. Simply put, most kids cannot slide properly and more injuries occur attempting incorrect slides.

 

[Big Daddy Michigan]

No worries, common misperception as many local orgs will put it in as a HOUSE rule.

I apologize for muddying the waters with LL. As I said, I have never worked LL or read their book. A counterpart (offline) told me I may be thinking of LL’s rule on head first slides which are NOT allowed. Or so I was told ... do NOT quote me!


One thing we haven’t discussed is WHY there is no mandatory slide rule. Simply put, most kids cannot slide properly and more injuries occur attempting incorrect slides.

LL has a no head first slide rule. You can dive back into a base head first.

I don't completely agree on you must slide assessment. Saying a runner must slide when there is a play being made is opening up a crazy can of worms. You'd have to define a distance to make the slide mandatory.

If I'm on second and a grounder is hit to short and she tries to tag me do I have to slide? I'm 30 feet from 3rd. Of course not... so which tags to I have to slide on? Then an arbitrary distance has to be made up. "If the tag is with-in 3 feet of the base then you must slide." What if the fielder moves? She was 3.4 feet from the bag but took a step closer to the bag and it's too late for the runner to slide without getting hurt. Is she out or is the fielder's action unsportsmanlike because it may lead to injury? Now what? We need a rule for that.

I'm being silly- but defining where & when a slide must occur is impossible. Easier to just say avoid contact...