Little League rule-head first slide

[OrlandoDad]

1) Can someone tell me what the penalty for Little Jimmy if he does a Pete Rose into 3rd base on a triple?
2) THis seems to indicate that headfirst is ok going back to a base.

I found this quoted elsewhere.

Rule 7.08 (a3 & a4) Sliding
• A runner must slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and
is waiting to make the tag.
• A runner is not permitted to head first slide while advancing.

I understand that headfirst sliding is prohibited and I will make sure my kid does not do it. I am curious if this is one of those "house rules" thrown in there without any thought and they forgot to put in a sanction.

Thanks,
Joe

[johnnyg08]

No idea, but I do know that head first slides are more dangerous and LL is pretty safety conscious so it probably is a rule.

[Rich]

Little Jimmy is out if he slides head first while advancing to a base.

This is not a house rule. If it happens at Williamsport or at any LL the penalty is the same. This is the rule only from Majors (12 year olds) on down.

[OrlandoDad]

Rich,

Do you have the whole text of the rule available?

Joe

[smithma]

7.08 -- Any runner is out when -
(a) (1) running more than three feet away from his/her baseline to avoid being tagged, unless such action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. A runner’s baseline is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base which he/she is attempting to reach; or
(2) after touching first base the runner leaves the baseline, obviously abandoning all effort to touch the next base; or
(3) the runner does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and is waiting to make the tag; or
(4) the runner slides head first while advancing.

INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS: This rule does not apply when a runner is returning to a base, only when advancing to a base. Any runner who does a headfirst slide is out at the moment the umpire sees the runner go into the headfirst slide. The ball remains alive and in play and runners may advance at their own risk and plays may be attempted on any other runners. If the runner who is called out for sliding headfirst has been forced to advance by the batter-runner this will be a force out and no runs will score if this is the third out of the inning. In all other instances the headfirst slide will be a timing play when there are two outs.

[kylejt]

Let me answer the next question

"You mean to tell me if a kid gets one foot from home plate, then turns around, runs 59 feet back to third, and dives in head first, that's okay?"

Yup.

"That makes no sense"

Yup.

[reginab]

Rule 7.08(a)(4), on top of page 83 (first paragraph), it states: "Any runner is out...(4) Tee Ball, Little League Majors and Minors only: the runner slides head first while advancing."

Appendix B (towards the back of the rule book), there is a bullet that states, "Except when runner is returning to a base, head first slides are not permitted. This applies only to Little League (Majors), Minor League and Tee Ball."

This is out of the 2012 rule book.

Regina Boyd
Washington D1 Umpire