Stopping Play for Injury
 

Let me start with this: NO, this is not my league. :) Just helping out.

In this league, they make a point of saying at the plate conference that if a player is injured, the umpires will stop play. I've specifically noticed that they say nothing else about what they will do when they stop play.

In practice, this has not created major problems - it doesn't happen much at the older ages, and at the younger, almost every time the runners have stopped or almost stopped, and/or someone on the defense has the ball when someone gets hurt.

Last night - 8U tourney game (of course), tight game. Runner on 2nd, grounder to short. As the ball is in flight, F3 trips over first base, lands on his back and/or head. BU kills play. I note the ball near the fence, no fielder near it, runner about 3 steps past third base.

Given this situation - what would YOU do.

Given the rule, I'd treat it like fan interference. Dead ball, place the runners or award outs as I see fit. In your sitch, sounds like R2 scores and BR to 2B.

1) I wouldn't have that rule.

2) If it's a league rule and this is a tourney, then the league rules don't apply.

3) 8U shouldn't be playing tourneys.

4) Treat is as "spectator" interference and put the runners where they would end up. R2 socres, R1 stays at first.

+10

We have the same rule in the league where I umpire.
We basically play God and decide where the runners would have ended up and place them there. But this has been talked about and it is known that
the umpires will decide where to place the runners when this happens.

Pat

Try telling that to the thousands of talented 8 year-olds who make their all-star rosters each year. We have Pinto tournaments o' plenty out here, and some of them are real barnburners!

I agree, and appreciate your support on placing them where they would have gone.

I also agree with most of the side comments. This area even has a 7U tourney.

I have to admit - the ball played in the semi's and the final was GOOD ball, not just for 8U. I was pleasantly surprised. Not so much with the coaches and fans, generally (as you've seen from a few other threads). But when the idiots got out of the way and let the kids play, the play was solid. Very few errors, and several WOW plays.