Remember what coaches taught you when approaching a base in baseball or softball? Feet first, arms up is one of the first things you learn in How To Slide 101.
Obviously, that can change if a catcher is standing in the way of home plate like a bear guarding its cubs. That's when dad used to teach you to lower your shoulder and flatten the kid like Pete Rose did to Ray Fosse in the 1970 MLB All-Star Game.
But when the catch gives a runner the lane to slide and he still trucks him into another dimension? That's just messed up.
Little Leaguer Trucks Catcher
RELATED: Softball Player Intentionally Runs Over Infielder for No Reason
Let's start with the catcher. Honestly? Job well done. He's not even remotely close to blocking the plate, clearly giving the runner a wide open lane to slide in safely.
Some coaches might even say the catcher left too much of a lane and made it too easy for the opposing player looking to score. Maybe the kid was scared of getting his head bashed in.
As for the runner, what the heck was going through your head, kid? Why on Earth did you feel the need to lower your shoulder when you could have easily slid in next to his foot? This isn't football or hockey.
I mean seriously, look at this lane:
Screenshot from YouTube
I have no qualms with how the rest of this clip plays out.
The umpire immediately ejects the mini Pete Rose and for good reason. Even after the vicious hit, the kid checks on the catcher to make sure he's OK. There wasn't any bad blood between the two.
Still, why did he run him over? Maybe he's seen it done on TV and replicated it. Maybe he just had a brain fart.
Collisions at home are dangerous. That's why MLB has taken steps to prevent them. Buster Posey broke his leg when a dude leveled him. No one wants to see that happen in a little league game.
