Funniest rule interpretation you've even heard?

[111411]

What is a the funniest rule interpretation you've ever heard? This can be as an umpire, coach, player, or spectator.

A few years back, when I was one of the officers in the area Hot Stove, there was a gentleman who had a scewered view of the rulebook. He tried to interpret things that weren't in the book.

After one game I received a phone call about this gentleman wanting to protest. So I decided to umpire his next game against the same team he had a problem with. Wait until you hear this guy's version.............

He wanted to protest the game, at the plate because...........drum roll, please.............his opponent placed his second baseman in the grass toward the rightfielder. He insisted that it was in the Major League rulebook, the you could only have three players in the outfield. After a few, "But I," "But I," "But I," I finally told him that legally, all you have to have is a catcher in foul territory, a pitcher on the rubber, and the other seven could sit in a circle in centerfield, counting each other's toes. He wasn't sure what to say after that comment.

Alright, now the funniest or oddest rule interpretation you've ever heard.

[thePITman]

Haha, that's kinda funny.

I once messed up while umpiring. I was in the field, so it wasn't diretly my call, but I should have stepped in and made it right. The batter had two strikes on him. The last pitch would have been a curve ball strike but the batter leaned in and got hit by the pitch. The home plate umpire called it a strike immediately. The ball rolled to the backstop, and the batter ran to first base without drawing a throw. During the ensuing argument with the coach of the team who was in the field, I, attempting to justify the call on the field (and my lack of action) I said it was interpreted as a missed 3rd strike, and that if the catcher had thrown to 1st in time, he would have been out. I regret that call to this day! Obviously it should have been "Dead Ball, Strike 3."

[pnthrz4life]

I think that may be the right call PIT. That is unless it is only live when the hitter swings on that. The way you mentioned might be dead ball by obstruction on the batter.

[OakHills_Scots11]

I was playing ss once and there was a runner on first he went to steal second and the ball hit his helmet and my glove at the same time the runner clearly out and the mp called him safe because the ball hit his head?

[jbravo]

Just the other day, I was coaching a game where we had runners on first and second with no outs. Lazy pop up to second baseman who had to take 2 steps back into the OF grass and easily made the catch. When I asked the umpire why he didn't call infield fly, he said "How could that be IF fly when he was standing in the OF grass?" :shrug: :confused: :eek: :wallbang:

[BaseballRepresent]

Just the other day, I was coaching a game where we had runners on first and second with no outs. Lazy pop up to second baseman who had to take 2 steps back into the OF grass and easily made the catch. When I asked the umpire why he didn't call infield fly, he said "How could that be IF fly when he was standing in the OF grass?" :shrug: :confused: :eek: :wallbang:

hahahaha. i think you win so far.

[111411]

A classic line from the first base umpire as I was coaching 1B last year at the USSSA State championships. Our batter was hit by a pitch, on the hands. As he trotted to first, the firstbaseman looked at the blue and said, "The ball hit him on the hands, that's a foul ball." The blue looked at the kid and said, "Son, when you go to the store to buy a bat, do you get a set of hands with it?" The look on the kid's face was priceless. I chuckled to myself in the coach's box for the rest of the inning.

[Copley EB 2008]

A classic line from the first base umpire as I was coaching 1B last year at the USSSA State championships. Our batter was hit by a pitch, on the hands. As he trotted to first, the firstbaseman looked at the blue and said, "The ball hit him on the hands, that's a foul ball." The blue looked at the kid and said, "Son, when you go to the store to buy a bat, do you get a set of hands with it?" The look on the kid's face was priceless. I chuckled to myself in the coach's box for the rest of the inning.

:laugh:

[cincysportsman]

I was once at a game were a batter was hit by a pitch. The other team said no it hit his bat its a foul ball. The ump said no he was hit, so the other teams coach yelled check the bat. No exatly right for this thread but still funny.

[WoodyHayes]

Any time a kids parent tries to interpret the rules.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[Yappi]

Pitcher throws a pitch that bounces in and hits the batter. Umpire says that it's a ball. We argue that it's a HBP and batter gets first base. Took a while but we finally convinced him that the HBP was the correct call. The funny part was that he originally sent our runner back to first because he called it a deadball after it hit the batter.

[WoodyHayes]

Pitcher throws a pitch that bounces in and hits the batter. Umpire says that it's a ball. We argue that it's a HBP and batter gets first base. Took a while but we finally convinced him that the HBP was the correct call. The funny part was that he originally sent our runner back to first because he called it a deadball after it hit the batter. It is a HBP. I saw a ball bounce up once and a kid smacked it in to center field. At 9 years old, all he could do was stand there and watch it. He had no clue to run.

[111411]

Many years ago there was a gentleman umpiring first in an E League (17-18) Regional Final Hot Stove game. This guy had no businees being there in the first place, but there he was.

The ball is hit and a bang-bang play ensues at first. Nothing from the guy.........still nothing...........the plate umpire yells, "Lester, what was the call?" Lester responds, "I don't know, but it sure was close." :laugh: :laugh: I wasn't present, but I was told that the coaches couldn't get to first fast enough to confront poor Lester. The plate umpire had to make the call. I'm guessing that poor Lester was cooked the rest of the game. :laugh:

[DennyCrane]

In portage county, there are a few Hot Stove umpires and coaches that are adament that the pitchers pickoff attempt to first base rule is the same for both left and right handed pitchers.

They take this rule...Rule 8.05(a) Comment: If a lefthanded or righthanded pitcher swings his free foot past the back edge of the pitcher’s rubber, he is required to pitch to the batter except to throw to second base on a pick-off play.

They say that a right handed pitcher (with a runner on first) from the set position, can raise his left leg up than on the way down can whirl and throw to first base in one motion. As long as their foot does not pass the rubber. They refuse to realize that applies to lefties only to first base!

I will not umpire Hot Stove in the summer anymore because of the people running it who have never played ball before. I had huge arguments about this.

I have also had parents who were little league coaches tell me I should have my pitchers do this because it is such a great move. I finally had to tell them to please stay away from me because they are wrong and my pitchers will never do that.

[altiora1]

Umpires' both gaff on same play

Here's one from just a couple weeks ago that occurred in the sectionals. Roger Bacon vs. Clermont Northeastern. Score CNE 3 - RB 1, top 7. No outs, RB has runners at 1st and 2nd. Batter hits a rainbow to 2nd base. Not sky-high, not a line drive. Home plate umpire throws his hand up in the air calling the batter out like an infield fly rule. Runners stay put. 2nd base umpire decides not to call anything, so the 2nd baseman wisely just drops the ball on purpose. Now runners break since no loud infield fly rule call from the field ump. HP umpire now not saying a word, but his out call is on video, that's been seen later. Toss from 2nd baseman to the SS at 2nd, field ump motions out. Throw goes to 3rd base, but no tag is made, so safe call there. The batter reaches first and stays put, with the runner on first being forced at 2nd and he turns around and heads back. The 2nd base ump now points to the guy on first and calls him out, I guess thinking he was the original runner and not the batter.. Tells him to go to the dugout. The batter figures he is out because of the infield fly rule, which the homeplate ump called. So he heads to the dugout. CNE now throws to first and the field ump calls the batter out for leaving the base and heading to the dugout. RB winds up with a runner on 3rd and 2 outs, when it should have been 1st and 2nd with one out. They might not have scored anyway, but the umps took a good chance away from them. HP ump should have taken command and said that he had called it an infield fly because that's exactly what he did.

[111411]

Umpires' both gaff on same play

Here's one from just a couple weeks ago that occurred in the sectionals. Roger Bacon vs. Clermont Northeastern. Score CNE 3 - RB 1, top 7. No outs, RB has runners at 1st and 2nd. Batter hits a rainbow to 2nd base. Not sky-high, not a line drive. Home plate umpire throws his hand up in the air calling the batter out like an infield fly rule. Runners stay put. 2nd base umpire decides not to call anything, so the 2nd baseman wisely just drops the ball on purpose. Now runners break since no loud infield fly rule call from the field ump. HP umpire now not saying a word, but his out call is on video, that's been seen later. Toss from 2nd baseman to the SS at 2nd, field ump motions out. Throw goes to 3rd base, but no tag is made, so safe call there. The batter reaches first and stays put, with the runner on first being forced at 2nd and he turns around and heads back. The 2nd base ump now points to the guy on first and calls him out, I guess thinking he was the original runner and not the batter.. Tells him to go to the dugout. The batter figures he is out because of the infield fly rule, which the homeplate ump called. So he heads to the dugout. CNE now throws to first and the field ump calls the batter out for leaving the base and heading to the dugout. RB winds up with a runner on 3rd and 2 outs, when it should have been 1st and 2nd with one out. They might not have scored anyway, but the umps took a good chance away from them. HP ump should have taken command and said that he had called it an infield fly because that's exactly what he did.

Oh my.

[EB08]

Umpires' both gaff on same play

Here's one from just a couple weeks ago that occurred in the sectionals. Roger Bacon vs. Clermont Northeastern. Score CNE 3 - RB 1, top 7. No outs, RB has runners at 1st and 2nd. Batter hits a rainbow to 2nd base. Not sky-high, not a line drive. Home plate umpire throws his hand up in the air calling the batter out like an infield fly rule. Runners stay put. 2nd base umpire decides not to call anything, so the 2nd baseman wisely just drops the ball on purpose. Now runners break since no loud infield fly rule call from the field ump. HP umpire now not saying a word, but his out call is on video, that's been seen later. Toss from 2nd baseman to the SS at 2nd, field ump motions out. Throw goes to 3rd base, but no tag is made, so safe call there. The batter reaches first and stays put, with the runner on first being forced at 2nd and he turns around and heads back. The 2nd base ump now points to the guy on first and calls him out, I guess thinking he was the original runner and not the batter.. Tells him to go to the dugout. The batter figures he is out because of the infield fly rule, which the homeplate ump called. So he heads to the dugout. CNE now throws to first and the field ump calls the batter out for leaving the base and heading to the dugout. RB winds up with a runner on 3rd and 2 outs, when it should have been 1st and 2nd with one out. They might not have scored anyway, but the umps took a good chance away from them. HP ump should have taken command and said that he had called it an infield fly because that's exactly what he did.


Wooowww

[bucksman]

Umpires' both gaff on same play

Here's one from just a couple weeks ago that occurred in the sectionals. Roger Bacon vs. Clermont Northeastern. Score CNE 3 - RB 1, top 7. No outs, RB has runners at 1st and 2nd. Batter hits a rainbow to 2nd base. Not sky-high, not a line drive. Home plate umpire throws his hand up in the air calling the batter out like an infield fly rule. Runners stay put. 2nd base umpire decides not to call anything, so the 2nd baseman wisely just drops the ball on purpose. Now runners break since no loud infield fly rule call from the field ump. HP umpire now not saying a word, but his out call is on video, that's been seen later. Toss from 2nd baseman to the SS at 2nd, field ump motions out. Throw goes to 3rd base, but no tag is made, so safe call there. The batter reaches first and stays put, with the runner on first being forced at 2nd and he turns around and heads back. The 2nd base ump now points to the guy on first and calls him out, I guess thinking he was the original runner and not the batter.. Tells him to go to the dugout. The batter figures he is out because of the infield fly rule, which the homeplate ump called. So he heads to the dugout. CNE now throws to first and the field ump calls the batter out for leaving the base and heading to the dugout. RB winds up with a runner on 3rd and 2 outs, when it should have been 1st and 2nd with one out. They might not have scored anyway, but the umps took a good chance away from them. HP ump should have taken command and said that he had called it an infield fly because that's exactly what he did.

Put it this way, you got something for which the batter is out. Probably should be infield fly with a VERBAL call. If you don't call the infield fly, you then have a DEAD BALL batter's out on intentionally dropping a line drive.

PIT -- You've got a dead ball on that once it hits the batter, period. Whether it's interpreted that the batter didn't make ordinary effort on a ball (staying there), the ball hit the batter in the strike zone (strike), or ordinary effort made on a ball (getting first) - the ball is dead. You can bail yourselves out and "kill" the play when it should have been dead (much better than having to undo a "dead ball").

[thePITman]

PIT -- You've got a dead ball on that once it hits the batter, period. Whether it's interpreted that the batter didn't make ordinary effort on a ball (staying there), the ball hit the batter in the strike zone (strike), or ordinary effort made on a ball (getting first) - the ball is dead. You can bail yourselves out and "kill" the play when it should have been dead (much better than having to undo a "dead ball").

Yes. I understand, now, that it should have been a Dead Ball right away, with Strike 3 on the batter. :)

[ucbearcats513]

play at second with a hard slide and the kid was thrown out. The umpire stated," The runner appeared to ATTEMPT to make malicious contact."-interesting way to interpret that. I guess since one team appears to be better than the other its just automatically the case that they are better

[pnthrz4life]

play at second with a hard slide and the kid was thrown out. The umpire stated," The runner appeared to ATTEMPT to make malicious contact."-interesting way to interpret that. I guess since one team appears to be better than the other its just automatically the case that they are better

This is one of my biggest pet peaves. I don't like in any sport when an umpire or referee tries to judge the intent of a player. If a player does the action he has done it no matter what he attempts to do.

[COFan]

Out on a tie at first. (This was from a kid not the ruling)