| The safety factor is an important one at all | | | | 1. Medical examinations should be given to |
| levels of baseball, but it is particularly | | | | all players prior to the opening of the |
| necessary with beginners. It should not be | | | | season. |
| overlooked at any stage of Little League | | | | |
| activity, whether in spring training, | | | | 2. If possible, a physician or nurse should |
| tryouts, practice sessions, or games. Coaches | | | | be in attendance at each game. |
| and managers might like to post the following | | | | |
| list of precautions in a dugout, clubhouse, | | | | 3. All participants should be covered by |
| or dressing room: | | | | accident insurance. |
| | | | |
| 1. Have an adult at the field at least a half | | | | 4. The team should possess a first-aid kit, |
| hour in advance of the scheduled activity to | | | | which should be complete and available at |
| control the group until the start of | | | | every game. It should be in the charge of |
| organized activity. | | | | someone trained to use it. |
| | | | |
| 2. Check the field for obstacles - holes in | | | | 5. Preseason first-aid instruction should be |
| outfield, stones, a hole in front of pitching | | | | given all managers and coaches each year. |
| rubber, etc. | | | | |
| | | | 6. All protective equipment should be of good |
| 3. Have the adult space the youngsters who | | | | quality and should fit properly. |
| are warming up so that other groups are not | | | | |
| endangered by wild throws and muffed catches. | | | | 7. All dugouts should be screened. |
| The throwing should be parallel. | | | | |
| | | | 8. All players not participating in the game |
| 4. Unless the area is unusually large, have | | | | must remain in the dugouts. |
| the adult keep the boys from participating in | | | | |
| batting practice until the regular workouts | | | | 9. Players should be taught the proper |
| begin. Pepper games can be organized if the | | | | techniques of sliding, hitting, fielding, |
| players are spaced properly, with groups bat | | | | etc. |
| ting the ball parallel to each other. There | | | | |
| should be no more than four players in each | | | | 10. Equipment should not be left on the |
| pepper game. | | | | ground where it can be stepped on and injury |
| | | | result. |
| 5. Have boys bring a jacket or sweater to | | | | |
| wear during warm-up and after workout. | | | | First-Aid Kit |
| | | | |
| 6. Require batters to wear batting helmets | | | | Contents of the first-aid kit should include: |
| during batting practice. Helmets must be worn | | | | |
| by batters and base-runners during games. | | | | 2 Bandages 1" x 10 yd. |
| | | | |
| 7. To keep bats from slipping out of batters' | | | | 33 Band-Aid plastic strips |
| hands, use non-slip grips of tape on the | | | | |
| handles, or have players use rosin on their | | | | 2 Bandages 2" x 10 yd. |
| hands. | | | | |
| | | | 1 Burn ointment |
| 8. Have rules about retrieving foul balls | | | | |
| batted into busy streets. | | | | 1 Bandage 3" x 10 yd. |
| | | | |
| 9. The head-first slide should be prohibited | | | | 3 Ammonia inhalants |
| except when returning to a base. | | | | |
| | | | 1 Cotton 1/2 oz. |
| 10. During sliding practice, bases should be | | | | |
| left untied when boys are being taught the | | | | 1 Scissors |
| fundamentals of sliding. | | | | |
| | | | 1 Adhesive tape 1" x 2-1/2 yds. |
| 11. Build a warning track at least six feet | | | | |
| out from the fences and back stop, using | | | | 1 Antiseptic |
| cinders, gravel, or some similar material. | | | | |
| | | | 1 Gauze 1 yd. |
| 12. Inspect equipment regularly - | | | | |
| particularly batting helmets and catching | | | | 1 First-Aid guide booklet |
| equipment. | | | | |
| | | | 12 Sterile gauze pads 2" x 2" |
| 13. Teach players to take good care of all | | | | |
| equipment and facilities. | | | | 6 Sterile eye pads |
| | | | |
| 14. Players should not wear watches or rings. | | | | 1 Triangular bandage |
| | | | |
| Additional Safeguards | | | | If all these precautions are taken, each game |
| | | | should be safe for all players. |