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Published on 04/13/1998 All articles from this issue

Mercy killings for high school baseball?

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Are people getting so disillusioned with baseball that it has gone from a national pastime to a game with a "mercy" rule so we don't waste so much time on it?

A statewide rule applying to high school baseball only, beginning this year, states that games must be called after four innings if the winning team is ahead by 10 or more runs.

The rule is apparently in place so that the losing team is spared further embarrassment. However, you must play the entire football game if you're behind 44-0, or the whole basketball game if you're behind 93-15. Baseball is an exception.

St. Francis was crushing Leland 16-1 last week when the game was called. So what of the score? What about just letting kids play the game? How is a really bad team going to get any better if it gets deprived the innings?

Yogi Berra, step aside. It is over when it's over.