The Official Baseball Rules are made by a committee led by Major League Baseball, but they are also used by the minor leagues, and also by many amateur leagues with slight modifications. The Official Rules' references to specific fines and penalties for certain violations, all of which apply only to Major League Baseball, are disregarded here. 

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	Little League Regulations

Differences Between Little League (LL) Rules
and Official Baseball Rules (OBR)
By convention, the Little League rule is noted as "LL", and the Official Baseball Rule as "OBR".

Rule 1.04 - The Playing Field

Distance Between Bases

LL - 60 feet
OBR - 90 feet
Distance from Front of Pitcher's Rubber to Tip of Home Plate
LL - 46 feet
OBR - 60 feet, 6 inches

Distance from Front of Pitcher's Rubber to Outfield Grass

LL - 50 feet (recommended)
OBR - 95 feet
Size of Pitcher's Rubber
LL - 18 x 4 inches
OBR - 24 x 6 inches

Size of Bases

LL - 14 x 14 inches
OBR - 15 x 15 inches

Rule 1.08 - Benches

On-Deck Area
LL - Not permitted
OBR - Usually located just outside dugout

Rule 1.10 - The Bat

Maximum Length

LL - 33 inches
OBR - 42 inches

Maximum Barrel Width

LL - 2 1/4 inches
OBR - 2 5/8 inches

Aluminum Bats

LL - Permitted
OBR - Not Permitted

Rule 1.11 - The Uniform

Jewelry or Other Metallic Items

LL - Not permitted
OBR - Not permitted for pitcher

Rule 2.00 - Definitions

Strike Zone: Top of Zone

LL - Armpits
OBR - Halfway between shoulder and belt

Rule 3.03 - Substitutions

Re-entry Rule

LL - A starter may re-enter once, at any point in the batting order, provided the re-entrant's substitute has played six consecutive outs and batted at least once.

LL Tournament - A starter may re-enter once, in his original spot in the batting order.

OBR - No re-entries permitted. A player removed from the line-up may not re-enter.

Rule 3.17 - Bench Personnel

Bench Restrictions

LL - Only manager, 2 coaches, and uniformed players are permitted on bench. Bat boys, etc., are not allowed.

OBR - Trainers, bat boys, and any listed coaches are permitted in dugout.

Rule 4.05 - Base Coaches

Who May Be a Base Coach

LL - Uniformed players; one adult base coach is permitted.
OBR - Non-roster players permitted, but must be in uniform.

Rule 4.10 - Ending a Game

4.10 (a) - Duration of Game

LL - 6 innings
OBR - 9 innings
Note: All references to the 9th inning in the OBR are changed to the 6th inning in LL.

4.10 (c) - Regulation Game

LL - 4 innings (3½ if home team leads)
OBR - 5 innings (4½ if home team leads)

4.10 (d) - Tie Games

LL - Suspended games (but see Rule 4.12)
OBR - Written up as a tie, played off at later date

4.10 (e) - Games Called Prior to Regulation

LL - Suspended game if at least 1 inning completed, otherwise "no game"
OBR - "No game"

4.10 (e) - Mercy Rule (LL)

LL - If one team has a lead of 10 runs or more after the game becomes a regulation game, the game is over (local league option; mandatory in Tournament play)
OBR - No rule

Rules 4.11 (d) and 4.12 - Regulation Game Called

If score is tied at end of inning, visitors score, home team does not re-tie ...

LL - Suspended game
OBR - Tie game, must be replayed in its entirety

If home team leads at end of inning, visitors tie or take lead, home team does not reverse ...

LL - Game over, score reverts to end of previous inning, home team wins
OBR - Suspended game

Rule 4.13 - Doubleheaders

Two Games Involving Same Teams on One Day

LL - Limited to once in a calendar week, Sunday through Saturday, unless first game is completion of previously suspended game
OBR - Permitted; second game begins 20 minutes after first game ends

Rules 4.15 - 4.18 - Forfeits

Administering a Forfeit

LL - Board of Directors must rule on validity of any forfeit
OBR - No rule

Rule 6.05 - Batter Is Out

6.05 (c) - Dropped Third Strike

LL - Batter is out on third strike, whether caught by catcher or not
OBR - Batter not out on third strike dropped by catcher unless first base is occupied with fewer than two out

Rule 6.10 - Designated Hitter

Additional Player in Line-Up, Batting for Pitcher

LL - Not permitted
OBR - May be adopted by a league (currently used in AL, not in NL)

Rule 7.03 - Home Run

Minimum Distance for Home Run Over Fence

LL - 165 feet
OBR - 250 feet

Rule 7.08 - Runner Is Out

7.08 (a) (3) - Slide or Avoid

LL - Runner is out if no attempt made to slide or get around fielder with ball waiting to make tag
OBR - No rule

7.08 (a) (4) - Head First Slide

LL - Runner is out on head-first slide except when returning to a base or in rundown play
OBR - No rule

Rule 7.13 - Leaving Base Too Soon

Position of Runners at Time of Pitch
LL - Runner may not leave base before pitch reaches batter. If violation, no runner may advance farther than forced by batter's action. Exception under Note 15.
OBR - No rule

Rule 8.01 - Legal Pitching Delivery

Pitching from "the Stretch"
LL - Complete stop not required
OBR - Must come to "complete and discernable stop"; penalty, illegal pitch

Rule 8.05 - Balk

Illegal Delivery

LL - No balk; "Illegal Pitch" is delayed dead ball, pitch is called a "ball" unless every runner including the batter advances at least one base as result of batted ball

OBR - Balk; delayed dead ball, all runners (but not the batter) advance one base unless every runner including the batter advances at least one base as result of batted ball

Rule 8.06 - Visits to Pitcher

Position of Manager

LL - Must not cross foul line when visiting pitcher
OBR - No rule

Number of Visits Allowed

LL - Must change pitcher on third visit of inning (or fourth of game, in tournament rules)
OBR - Must change pitcher on second visit of inning