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I WOULD LIKE TO PUBLISH SOME
COMMON "MIS-CONCEPTIONS" ABOUT THE GAME OF BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL IN ORDER TO
EDUCATE THE GENERAL POPULACE. PERHAPS THAT WOULD HELP SOME OF OUR
PARENTS ABOUT THE ACTUAL GAME ITSELF!
FOR EXAMPLE:
(1) THE "TIE" DOES NOT GO TO THE
RUNNER. THE RULE STIPULATES ONLY THAT THE "THROW" MUST BEAT THE RUNNER TO THE
BAG. IT IS A MATTER OF JUDGMENT FROM THE UMPIRE, THAT DECIDES IF THE THROW
ACTUALLY BEAT THE RUNNER TO THE BAG OR NOT.
(2) THE "HANDS" ARE PART OF THE BAT.
THIS IS INCORRECT. IF A PITCHED BALL HITS THE BATTER ON THE HANDS, HE/SHE WILL
BE AWARDED FIRST BASE. HOWEVER, IF THE BATTER SWINGS AT THE BALL AND IT HITS
HIM/HER ON THE HANDS, IT IS A STRIKE AND A DEAD BALL - EVEN IF IT GOES INTO
FAIR TERRITORY.
(3) WITH A RUNNER ON THIRD BASE, THE
BATTER HITS A LINE DRIVE WHICH DEFLECTS OFF THE PITCHER'S GLOVE, HIGH INTO THE
AIR AND IS CAUGHT BY THE SECOND BASEMAN. THE RUNNER ON THIRD TOOK OFF AS SOON
AS THE BALL HIT THE PITCHER'S GLOVE AND SCORES. THE SECOND BASEMAN THROWS TO
THE THIRD BASEMAN WHO TAGS THE BAG. THE RUNNER IS OUT BECAUSE THEY FAILED TO
"TAG" UP...... THIS IS INCORRECT, ONCE INITIAL CONTACT OF THE BALL WAS MADE BY
A PLAYER, IT RELEASED THE RUNNER - THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO TAG UP IN THIS
INSTANCE.
(4) IN THE DEBS AND BELLES, ONLY THE
STARTING PITCHER CAN RETURN TO THE MOUND..... THIS IS BOTH TRUE AND FALSE.
DIXIE RULES STIPULATE THAT IF THE STARTING PITCHER WAS THE "PITCHER OF RECORD"
(THE PITCHER WHO THREW THE LAST PITCH,) AND REMAINS IN THE GAME - SHE CAN
RETURN TO THE MOUND (1) TIME PROVIDED NO OTHER PITCHER COMES IN FOR THE
SUBSTITUTE. IF SHE IS REMOVED FROM THE GAME OR IF SHE STAYS IN THE GAME AND
ANOTHER PLAYER REPLACES THE SUBSTITUTE, THAN THE STARTING PITCHER IS NO LONGER
THE "PITCHER OF RECORD" AND MAY NOT RETURN TO THE MOUND.
(5) A JUDGMENT CALL (FAIR/FOUL,
SAFE/OUT, BALL/STRIKE) CAN BE APPEALED @
ANY TIME..... INCORRECT! NO WHERE IN THE RULE(S) BOOK DOES IT STIPULATE WHERE
PLAYER'S OR COACHES HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THIS. HOWEVER, IT IS COMMON COURTESY
THAT UMPIRES EXTEND COACHES AND PLAYERS IF THEY ASK IF A BATTER ACTUALLY
"OFFERED" AT THE BALL OR ON A CLOSE PLAY A FIRST, DID THE FIRST BASEMAN "PULL"
THEIR FOOT.
(6) A BALL BOUNCES IN FRONT OF PLATE
AND HITS A PLAYER IN THE BATTER'S BOX. THIS IS SIMPLY DECLARED A "BALL."
... WRONG! WHETHER A PITCH HITS A
BATTER IN THE BOX EITHER IN THE AIR OR WHEN IT FIRST HITS THE GROUND IS OF NO
CONSEQUENCE. THE BALL IS DEAD AND THE BATTER IS AWARDED FIRST BASE. HOWEVER,
THE BATTER MUST MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO AVOID BEING HIT - OTHERWISE, IT
WOULD ONLY BE DECLARED A BALL. IN ADDITION, THE BATTER MAY ACTUALLY TRY TO HIT
THE BALL AS WELL!
(7) A RUNNER WHO CROSSES FIRST BASE,
CAN BE PUT OUT IF THE TURN TO THE LEFT INSTEAD OF TO THE RIGHT.
WRONG AGAIN.... A RUNNER CAN TURN
EITHER WAY SO LONG AS THEY MAKE NO ATTEMPT TO ADVANCE TOWARDS SECOND.
(8) A LIVE BALL HITS AN UMPIRE,
PLAY WILL CONTINUE BECAUSE UMPS ARE CONSIDERED PART OF THE FIELD. TRUE &
FALSE.... IF A THROWN BALL HITS AN UMPIRE, PLAY CONTINUES. CASE #1 - HOWEVER,
UMPIRES CAN CAUSE INTERFERENCE OF A PLAY BY EITHER OBSTRUCTING A CATCHER'S
THROW TO A BAG OR IN CASE #2 - BY BEING HIT BY A BATTED BALL BEFORE IT
REACHES A FIELDER (A PITCHER DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A "FIELDER" IN THIS CASE.)
THE BALL IS DEAD IN CASE #1 - ALL RUNNERS WOULD RETURN TO THEIR LAST BASE. IN
CASE #2 - THE BALL IS DEAD AND THE BATTER WOULD BE AWARDED FIRST BASE.
 9.
A player will automatically be called out for sliding "head first" into a
base. This is both true and false. If a player slides into a bag in this
manner while attempting to reach the next base, he/she is automatically
declared out. However, they are not declared out if a player slides head
first back to a base in which they have already made. In both cases, the
ball remains alive.
10. With bases loaded, the umpire declares
a ball on the batter. The batter thinking it is ball four, walks down to
first base. The runner on third, crosses the plate. The opposing coach
realizes that it is only ball three and lodges a protest to the umpire
stipulating that the run can not score because it was only ball three.
Unfortunately, the coach is incorrect as once time is called and a player
has reached home plate, they can not return to a base. NOTE: It is the
responsibility of the player's and coach's to know the count at all times.
In this case the umpire made a serious mechanics error by not keeping
himself informed as to the correct count. More importantly, he did not keep
the players informed.
**In the spirit of true sportsmanship and
fair play. An umpire should get both coaches together and inform them that
due to a "misapplication of the rule", the batter will return to the plate
with the correct count. And, all runners shall return to their original base
they last occupied.
11. A batter steps on the plate while
swinging at (and missing) a pitch. They would automatically be declared out
in this instance. False! A batter must make contact with the ball in order
to be called out. It is immaterial as to whether a hit ball goes fair or
foul in this instance.
12. A batter makes contact with the ball
while in contact with the front line of the batter's box. Their foot is
situated so that part of their foot is actually located outside the
line. The umpire ignores this and allows the play to continue. True: In
order for a player to be declared "out", their entire foot must be located
outside the box and in contact with the ground when contact is made with the
ball.
#13 Softball - A player hits the ball for a
single and advances to first base. She rounds the base while the ball is
thrown to the pitcher. The pitcher now has possession of the ball within the
8-foot circle and makes no play on the runner. The runner who remains off
base, may remain in that position until the pitcher steps back on the rubber.
INCORRECT: Rule 5:01 B/C stipulates that a base runner "must immediately
attempt to advance to the next base or immediately return to the base she last
occupied. Failure to do so shall result in the base runner being called
"out." This is commonly referred to as the "Hesitation Rule" or "Look back
Rule." It is left entirely up to the umpire's discretion as to when to call
the base runner out. However, the umpire must give the base runner a
"reasonable" amount of time to act.
The Ump...Jon Richards
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