Little Leaguers

Little Leaguers

Give the Arm a Rest

Little League International said it's time to give those young arms a rest. These days, when you send a pitcher to the mound, it's 75 pitches, no more. That's the new rule on the ball field. Why the new rule?

Well, over the years, orthopedists have been seeing more and more of our young, aspiring pitchers coming into the doctor's office complaining of arm and shoulder pain. They're pulling muscles, straining elbows and hurting their shoulders.

The reason, say doctors, is simply too much pitching for the kids' growing arms. A pitcher who went without a rest in an average game before the rules were imposed could easily throw more than 500 pitches. And with leagues and school ball play going almost all year now, the kids don't get a lot of rest. Correspondent John Berman checked in on some Little League play recently, and he has our Sign of the Times.
Ref. ABCNightline