In Pennsylvania, a few years ago, there was a baseball coach who wanted to coach 1st or 3rd base and was not allowed because he was on crutches. HE WON HIS COURT CASE. And now PIAA - our scholastic sports body - tells us that we are to permit handicapped coaches to do the bases for baseball & softball. I do not think there are any umps who care for this decision, but them's the rules. I have not seen any base coaches with crutches or in a wheel chair, but I would not refuse their being there. I suspect that I'd be very liberal with any interference call on a pop foul near the coach's box - and when/if he argued, I'd probably toss him. This was a topic in several of our chapter meetings earlier in the year and we decided that this would be the right way to handle it. This way the legal requirements are met and we meet safety standards as soon as we possibly can.
Steve M
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