Tweet
Just want to remind so of us in here that there are significant rule differences for the several levels of amateur and youth baseball.
OBR Official Rules of Baseball which is also called "pro rules" which is used by several organizations like CABA, USABA, Pony. Many of those organization use some unique modifications peculiar to the age of the kids that are playing and some added safety and substitution rules.
Little League Little League, which includes Junior League, Senior League, and Big League has rules written, in many case verbatum and with the same numbering pattern as OBR, but has quite a few modifications, especially in the under 12 game. There are also many rules peculiar to the Williamsport organization that are not the same for CABA or Pony. The Under 12 game is very different in many aspects, however, by the 13 and older LL rules are a close match to OBR, save the safety rules.
NFHS National Federation of Sate High School Associations and often abbreviated as FED rules. NFHS also makes the basketball and football rules used in most states and their rules are for interscholastic ball. There are quite a few differences including but not limited to the force play slide (FPS) rule, dead ball balks, out of play lines (in bounds out of bounds that are differnt that the other codes), some pitching regualtions (set position: pitching hand to the side or behind rather than either hand), substitution rules, DH, and decorum.
NCAAThis set of rules is written for college players and used by NCAA Colleges and universities, most Junior or Community College Conferences. This code has a very unique DH rule, and fall between OBR or FED rules in some cases.
NAIA NAIA is played by small colleges that are not in nor sanctioned by the NCAA. The play OBR, with the NCAA DH, and FED substitution rules.
Just bear in mind what you may see called in Johnny's high school game may be different that you see in Billy's Little League game or Sam's Pony League game. Here is a war story: Two weeks after working a HS game at the exact same site and the same two teams, I had to remind the coaches that we were playing OBR this time around and those rules are differnent and reminded them on how the out of play lines will be called differently in this game as opposed to the last time just days before.
OBR Official Rules of Baseball which is also called "pro rules" which is used by several organizations like CABA, USABA, Pony. Many of those organization use some unique modifications peculiar to the age of the kids that are playing and some added safety and substitution rules.
Little League Little League, which includes Junior League, Senior League, and Big League has rules written, in many case verbatum and with the same numbering pattern as OBR, but has quite a few modifications, especially in the under 12 game. There are also many rules peculiar to the Williamsport organization that are not the same for CABA or Pony. The Under 12 game is very different in many aspects, however, by the 13 and older LL rules are a close match to OBR, save the safety rules.
NFHS National Federation of Sate High School Associations and often abbreviated as FED rules. NFHS also makes the basketball and football rules used in most states and their rules are for interscholastic ball. There are quite a few differences including but not limited to the force play slide (FPS) rule, dead ball balks, out of play lines (in bounds out of bounds that are differnt that the other codes), some pitching regualtions (set position: pitching hand to the side or behind rather than either hand), substitution rules, DH, and decorum.
NCAAThis set of rules is written for college players and used by NCAA Colleges and universities, most Junior or Community College Conferences. This code has a very unique DH rule, and fall between OBR or FED rules in some cases.
NAIA NAIA is played by small colleges that are not in nor sanctioned by the NCAA. The play OBR, with the NCAA DH, and FED substitution rules.
Just bear in mind what you may see called in Johnny's high school game may be different that you see in Billy's Little League game or Sam's Pony League game. Here is a war story: Two weeks after working a HS game at the exact same site and the same two teams, I had to remind the coaches that we were playing OBR this time around and those rules are differnent and reminded them on how the out of play lines will be called differently in this game as opposed to the last time just days before.