Summer OBR

[mrm21711]

In the summer baseball using OBR, what is allowed equipment wise such as bats? Also, are the typical NFHS safety rules such as malicious contact still in effect? Which safety rules and how many are in effect if they really are? Thanks

[wobster]

That depends where you are. In my area, where I sit on the board, we use OBR, but we have one safety provision. Runners MUST slide unless being obstructed down the basepath.

Bats for players under babe ruth level must be less than 2-1/2 diameter. Babe ruth players use high school rules.

[LDUB]

Originally posted by GarthB
Dixie Boys baseball player under Official Baseball Rules.

Nothing malcious intended, but I've been dying to ask this whenever I see the above reference:

1. Do you play less than nine innings?
2. Do you use a courtesy runner at any time?
3. Do you play on basepaths less than 90' in length?
4. Do you allow any form of re-entry?
5. Do you have a slide, avoid or surrender rule?
6. Do you have a malicious contact rule?
7. Do you pitch from less than 60'6"?
8. Do you have time limits in any game, including tournaments?
9. Do you restrict the number of innings a pitcher can pitch in a game or week?
10. Do you have a prohibition, at any age level, to "leaving early"?
11. Do you allow an Extra Hitter?
12. Did you answer yes to any of these questions?
13. Is a yes answer to any of these questions consistent with the Official Rules of Baseball?

The rules of baseball were written for 30 year old men, not 11 year old boys.

Youth leagues have added, deleted, modified and at times have outright re-written the rules. Some youth leagues have changed the obstruction rule and one even invented a rule in which a runner just plain disappears. (He's not out, he didn't score, he's just gone.)

I'm not criticizing leagues for adding safety or increased participation rules. It's just that I'm always amazed at the put-down FED gets for it's rules by some youth umpires who think they work the "real" rules.

I bet you're not playing real OBR. If your playing OBR, then there are no safety rules.

[LDUB]

Garth, you forgot one question though.

14. Do you use non wood bats?

OBR rule 1.10
(a) The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2 3/4 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.

There is the answer to mrm21711's question about what kinds of bats are permitted.

[wobster]

similar to OBR, my bad.

6 or 7 innings, depending on age.
Pitchers can pitch 4
Bases are 60' and 72'
mounds are 45' and 50' (I think)
The town league kids cannot leave before the ball crosses the plate. The traveling players can do anything they want.

[DG]

Babe Ruth does not use Fed rules at any age group. They have their own rules that are very close to OBR. There is no must slide rule in Babe Ruth, but there is a malicious contact rule that applies on plays in the vicinity of home plate only. The catcher or the pitcher covering on a pass ball or wild pitch are the ones most likely to be crashed into, but it could apply to any defensive player, but must be near home plate.

Every league has their own special rules, things like running for the catcher with 2 outs, time limits, curfews, whatever. It really depends on where you are and what special rules in affect.

As for bats, in general, 12 and under must be no more than 2 1/4 and in ages above that the limit is 2 3/4. Fed and NCAA have the 2 5/8 limit and the -3 limitation, but I am not aware of any youth league rule that has a limitation other than these.

[Edited by DG on May 25th, 2004 at 10:52 PM]

[wobster]

Our babe ruth may not be run by high school rules, but I have seen a lot of IHSAA certified umpires doing the games and pull out NFHS rule books to prove rules to coaches during games (I later found out on this forum that is taboo). That threw me off. I actually do not have a lot to do with the babe ruth league, I am mostly over the 7-13 year old players.

[DG]

Umpires should know the rules for whatever league they are umpiring in, and don't mix them up. I don't even know what ISHAA stands for but if you are umpiring Babe Ruth games you should forget about ISHAA rules and umpire based on Ruth rules and forget everything else you know.

I had a game tonight, Babe Ruth Cal Ripken league. The pitcher is replaced in the 6th inning due to 2nd trip in same inning. After the replacement pitcher pitched to a couple batters the coach comes out to talk to him. The opposing coach says "that's the 3rd trip in the same inning" and I say "what's your point, it's only the first trip to this new pitcher?". Maybe in some league the 3rd trip in same inning means something but in this case he is allowed one trip to the new pitcher.

[wobster]

IHSAA is the Indiana High School Athletic Association.

Thanks for the clear up DG. Our Babe Ruth league is 14 and 15 year old, not sure which division that is.

[DG]

Originally posted by wobster
IHSAA is the Indiana High School Athletic Association.

Thanks for the clear up DG. Our Babe Ruth league is 14 and 15 year old, not sure which division that is.

14-15 is Babe Ruth division. The 13-15 division was the founding division for Babe Ruth baseball. They now have a 13 only division called Prep division. 12 and unders are Cal Ripken division (formerly Bambino Division). 16-18 is Babe Ruth Senior division.

[Rich]

Originally posted by wobster
That depends where you are. In my area, where I sit on the board, we use OBR, but we have one safety provision. Runners MUST slide unless being obstructed down the basepath.

Bats for players under babe ruth level must be less than 2-1/2 diameter. Babe ruth players use high school rules.

Must slide? That's simply idiotic. So if a runner avoids contact but doesn't slide you call him out?

[wobster]

Rich - That depends on how far he goes outside the basepath.

I guess I worded it wrong. He MUST NOT run over the fielder.

[David B]

Originally posted by wobster
Rich - That depends on how far he goes outside the basepath.

I guess I worded it wrong. He MUST NOT run over the fielder.

What ever you do don't say "they have to slide".

Once a coach hears that come from any umpires mouth, that's all he's going to say forever and ever.

Guy's 30 feet from the bag and doesn't slide what's the call?

Out, he didn't slide.

Gosh, went through that argument this year with a HS coach.

Thanks
David

[mcrowder]

Repeat in your head - "Must slide or avoid contact", "Must slide or avoid contact". Don't ever forget the OR AVOID CONTACT part when talking to a coach. (Note - your local rules may be slightly different, but SHOULD include some sort of clause like this one)

[jxt127]

Don't get me going.

Had the PU in two games in a row tell me MUST SLIDE!!!

Sent an email to the League President after the first time and got told well Yes thats been the rule for years.

grrrrrrrrrrrr