Letter

For Mercy Rule

March 1, 2001 – Letters from readers

Under the Official Senior Softball Rules, each team is allowed 21 outs per game.

Under the 5-Run Rule, which covers only the first 6 innings, a team could lose and be allowed only three outs the entire game. Their opponents could make 21 outs and win by having a big 7th inning.

In order to allow each team an equal number of outs, wouldn't it be better to abolish the 5-Run Rule and re-establish the "Mercy Rule," that is, call the game if one team is ahead of the other team by a set number of runs after a set number of innings, such as 10 runs after five innings?

R. L. Welsh

Brookfield, Missouri