Be the Referee: Injured Runner
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
April 21, 2026
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 – Injured Runner - Listen
We have a baseball scenario for you today:
Your team is down one in the ninth and you are standing on second base when your teammate hits a mammoth game-winning home run.
You are understandably excited. But – in your excitement of rounding the bases – you trip on third base and tear your Achilles tendon. You are unable to get up and continue to home plate.
The home run hitter stops at second base – unsure of where to go.
Because you are entitled to the next base on a home run, your team is able to bring in a pinch runner for the injured runner, and that person can finish running the bases and cross home plate.
The home run hitter can then continue rounding the bases and score the winning run.
Previous 2025-26 editions
April 14: Officiate Michigan Day - Listen
March 11: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 3: Over the Back - Listen
Feb. 24: Wrestling Out-of-Bounds - Listen
Feb. 17: Backwards Skiing - Listen
Feb. 10: Faking Being Fouled - Listen
Feb. 3: Bowling Pins - Listen
Jan. 27: Ski Gates - Listen
Jan. 20: Cheer Judges - Listen
Jan. 13: Basketball Over the Back - Listen
Jan. 6: Bowling Ball Bounces Out of Gutter - Listen
Dec. 9: Puck on Goal Netting - Listen
Dec. 2: Goaltending vs. Basket Interference - Listen
Nov. 25: Football Finals Instant Replay - Listen
Nov. 18: Volleyball Libero Uniforms - Listen
Nov. 11: Illegal Substitution/Participation - Listen
Nov. 4: Losing a Shoe - Listen
Oct. 28: Unusual Soccer Goals - Listen
Oct. 21: Field Hockey Penalty Stroke - Listen
Oct. 14: Tennis Double Hit - Listen
Oct. 7: Safety in Football - Listen
Sept. 30: Field Hockey Substitution - Listen
Sept 23: Multiple Contacts in Volleyball - Listen
Sept. 16: Soccer Penalty Kick - Listen
Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen
PHOTO Bath and Laingsburg players get in position to collect the rebound off a missed shot during their District Final on Friday. (Photo by John Johnson/MHSAA.)
Be the Referee: Pine Tar Usage
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
March 26, 2025
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 – Pine Tar Usage - Listen
Those of a certain age remember the Pine Tar Incident involving George Brett – when the Hall of Famer was called out after homering in the ninth inning for having too much pine tar on his bat. Kansas City appealed that decision. Major League Baseball agreed and Brett’s homer was re-instated, leading to a Royals win.
Is pine tar allowed at the high school level? It is. Pine tar, resin, or any drying agent can be applied to any bat – up to 18 inches from the base of the knob.
If a bat has too much pine tar, what happens to the offender?
If it’s caught before the at-bat, the bat is simply removed from play.
If the at-bat has started, then the bat is removed from play AND the batter is called out.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
March 11: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 4: Gymnastics Deduction - Listen
Feb. 25: Competitive Cheer Inversion - Listen
Feb. 18: Ice Hockey Delay of Game - Listen
Feb. 11: Ski Helmets - Listen
Feb. 4: Wrestling In Bounds or Out? - Listen
Jan. 21: Block or Charge? - Listen
Jan. 14: Out of Bounds, In Play - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Scoring - Listen
Dec. 17: Bowling Ball Rules - Listen
Dec. 10: Neck Laceration Protector - Listen
Dec. 3: Basketball Goaltending - Listen
Nov. 26: 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen