Participant Safety
 

Didn't take long to reach from MLB rule change to reach MSLB.
Will NCAA and NFHS soon follow?

I believe American Legion has followed suit as well.

How many yards is the penalty for the second offence? Maybe there should be a faceoff?

Here you go! Right off the American Legion Website.

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Memo to: Members of the National Baseball Subcommittee
Department Baseball Chairmen
From: Larry Price, Chairman of the National Baseball subcommittee
Date: February 29, 2008

Subject: Official Baseball Rule changes for 2008
Major League Baseball’s Playing Rules Committee has adopted a number of slight changes to the language of the Official Baseball Rules that will take effect in the 2008 season.

Rule 4.05 in Official Baseball rules now requires that a coach, until being passed by a batted ball, must position himself no closer to home plate than the front edge of the coach’s box and no closer to fair territory than the edge of the coach’s box closest to the field.

Major League’s General Managers also adopted a new coaches helmet rule, which mandates all coaches “on the lines” shall wear a protective helmet.

The American Legion uses Official Baseball Rules authorized by the Commissioner of Baseball; therefore American Legion coaches shall be mandated to observe the new coaching box rules as well as wearing a protective helmet. Coaches may wear a no-flap; a single flap or a double flap helmet. The type of helmet shall be a personal choice of the coach. MLB will not mandate the type of helmet nor shall The American Legion dictate the type of helmet a coach wishes to wear while in the coaching box.

These rule changed do not appear in the 2008 American Legion rules. We did not get this official language until after our 2008 rulebook was printed and distributed.

Helmet Rule Violations: Umpires are instructed not to put the ball into play and to warn the coach on wearing a protective helmet. If the coach refuses to wear a helmet he shall be ejected from the game.

Coaching Box Rule Violations: Umpires are instructed to warn the coaches on the rule. Coaches who fail to observe the rules shall be warned. Continued violation may result in the coach being ejected.

These rules are a result of a minor league baseball coach being killed in 2007. These rules are a safety rule. If coaches are confused as to what type of helmet to wear, we suggest they watch any Major League or Minor League ballgame and follow the lead of the professional coaches “on the lines”.

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Go to American Legion and click the box marked Rules and Forms then click on New Helmet Rule.

wow

I don't wish to make light of this accident and we all acknowledge that there's a certain degree of risk involved when small hard objects are traveling at high rates of speed in the general vicinity of unprotected individuals but didn't the ball strike the coach in the neck? Requiring a helmet for adult coaches makes as much sense as requiring them to wear a cup.

It's just a damn helmet, for crying out loud. The helmets have evolved over the years to what is considered much better protection from when players were first forced to wear them. No they can't prevent every accident, but they sure aren't going to hurt either.

If you insist on plate meeting strip searchs to see if the coach is wearing a cup, that is your own personal business.

Oh great. Now you've done it. :D

Actually, they will look a lot better with a helmet on their head than a cup.

They used to complain about the straps blocking their vision on line drives.

Little johnny shall also be required to wear bubble wrap upon reaching 2B to home plate. The umpire shall call time and assist with the process to keep the pace of the game going... :-)

It's just a damn helmet
 

Why don't we just make the required uniform that of a hockey goalie for ALL personel who step on to the diamond.

Where does it end!

GaryB

Might be hard to play baseball on skates........;)

I'm confused. What color flag do we throw if there's a collision?

I dunno. Have you seen the Nutty Buddy? :D

AMEN!

Grow up, Old Guard whiners. :rolleyes: