While flipping channels today, I saw part of the game between the Nationals and the Scrubs (I'm a White Sox fan
). I know that a runner can go past first base and if he doesn't turn toward second, he can return safely to first. One of the Cub players beat out a ground ball by sliding into first and he actually went past it with his slide (he touched first properly on the way past it). Does the rule still apply that he can return safely to the base even though he slid rather than ran past the base? Is the rule different at different levels? Thanks guys.