Rule change: Coaches must wear helmets

A new rule is in place for American Legion baseball. Starting this year, all base coaches must wear a protective helmet. Here's the official memo from the national legion site:

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 changes 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."