Be the Referee: Bat Safety

June 1, 2015

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains how bats have been altered the last few seasons to make baseball safer for pitchers and infielders.

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment - Bat Safety - Listen

The biggest change in the world of amateur baseball over the last five years has been the new standards for non-wood, or what most of us refer to as aluminum, bats.

Prior to these changes, it was quite common to see high school and college baseball scores in double digits on a regular basis. 

The new bat standards first sought to address player safety. And now these new aluminum bats match the ball exit speed ratio – or in other words, the speed that the ball comes off the bat – for a non-wood bat with what it would be coming off a wood bat; making the amateur game safer for pitchers and infielders.

Past editions
May 25 - Balks - Listen
May 18 - Baseball Pace of Play - Listen
May 11 - Fair or Foul Ball? - Listen
May 4 - Non-Glare Helmets - Listen
April 27 - Vern L. Norris Award - Listen
March 23 - Deciding the Game - Listen
March 16 - Block/Charge Call - Listen
March 9 - Dive on the Floor - Listen
March 2 - Primary Areas - Listen
Feb. 23 - Too Much TV - Listen
Feb. 16 - Video Clip Library - Listen
Feb. 9 - Cheer Safety - Listen
Feb. 2 - Basketball PA Announcers - Listen
Jan. 26 - Wrestling Health Concerns - Listen
Jan. 19 - Basketball Physical Contact -
 Listen
Jan. 12 - Video Review Part 2 - Listen
Dec. 29 - Video Review Part 1 - Listen
Dec. 17 - Registration Part 2 - Listen
Dec. 10 - Registration Part 1 - Listen
Dec. 3 - Legacy Program - Listen
Nov. 26 - Sideline Management - Listen
Nov. 19 - 7-Person Mechanics - Listen
Nov. 12 - Blocking Below the Waist - Listen
Nov. 5 - Tournament Selection - Listen
Oct. 29 - Uncatchable Pass - Listen
Oct. 22 - Preparation for Officials - Listen
Oct. 15 - Automatic First Downs - Listen
Oct. 8 - Officials & Injuries - Listen
Oct. 1 - Overtime - Listen
Sept. 25 - Field Goals - Listen
Sept. 18 - Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 11 - Pass Interference - Listen
Aug. 25 - Targeting - Listen

Be the Referee: Pass Interference

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 2, 2021

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains the differences in high school pass interference rules from those at the college and pro levels.

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Pass Interference – Listen 

One of the big differences between high school football and the college or pro game is how pass interference is called.

In high school, there is no such thing as an “uncatchable” pass. If there is illegal contact by the defender while the ball is in the air, that’s pass interference, no matter where the pass ultimately ends up.

Also – in high school – a defender can “face guard” as long as no contact is made with the receiver. That is not pass interference, even if the defender does not look back for the ball. 

Both of those interpretations differ from the college and pro game. Both (of those) levels have an uncatchable exception, and neither allows for face guarding. 

Keep that in mind the next time you think you’ve spotted pass interference at the high school level.

Previous editions

Aug. 26: Protocols and Mechanics  Listen