Had the plate in a LL 50/70 game yesterday. R3 and pitcher throws a WP. Runner comes full speed down the line and slides into home. At the same time the catcher (HSM off) recovers the ball, comes almost directly 3BLX, and dives head first into home, trying for a tag. Tag is way too late, but as R3 slides over the plate, his cleat goes directly into F2's throat (F2 was chest down on the ground). I signal safe and immediately stop play. We carefully turn the player over, more worried about a crushed larynx or slashed carotid (metal cleats being ok in this division) than a broken neck. F2 has cleat marks all over his neck and is having trouble breathing, but seems ok once he calms down. Nurse comes out of the stands, checks him out, and says she is finding nothing major wrong. Kid sits for awhile, ends up going back into the game as F9. I seriously considered suspending the game (his team would have been down to 8 players), but went with the medical professional's opinion as well as my own impression of his injury once he calmed down. Damn kids are resilient.
I have to say, watching that happen scared the crap out of me. I knew it was going to be bad as soon as I saw that F2 lay out for the tag. Took me about an inning to get most of the "what if's" out of my head. Damn kids...