Fun Facts

Myths and Other Baseball Information

The following tabs contain a number of fun facts, myths and other interesting items about baseball. If you have any suggestions about content for this page send us a note using the website feedback button.

Myths
Positions
Name Origin

1	The hands are considered part of the bat.
2	The batter-runner must turn to his right after over-running first base.
3	If the batter breaks his wrists when swinging, it's a strike.
4	If a batted ball hits the plate first it's a foul ball.
5	The batter cannot be called out for interference if he is in the batter's box.
6	The ball is dead on a foul-tip.
7	The batter may not switch batter's boxes after two strikes.
8	The batter who batted out of order is the person declared out.
9	The batter may not overrun first base when he gets a base-on-balls.
10	The batter is out if he starts for the dugout before going to first after a dropped third strike.
11	If the batter does not pull the bat out of the strike zone while in the bunting position, it's an automatic strike.
12	The batter is out if a bunted ball hits the ground and bounces back up and hits the bat while the batter is holding the bat.
13	The batter is out if his foot touches the plate.
14	The batter-runner is always out if he runs outside the running lane after a bunted ball.
15	A runner is out if he slaps hands or high-fives other players, after a homerun is hit over the fence.
16	Tie goes to the runner.
17	The runner gets the base he's going to, plus one on a ball thrown out-of-play.
18	Anytime a coach touches a runner, the runner is out.
19	Runners may never run the bases in reverse order.
20	The runner must always slide when the play is close.
21	The runner is always safe when hit by a batted ball while touching a base.
22	A runner may not steal on a foul-tip.
23	It is a force out when a runner is called out for not tagging up on a fly ball.
24	An appeal on a runner who missed a base cannot be a force out.
25	A runner is out if he runs out of the baseline to avoid a fielder who is fielding a batted ball.
26	Runners may not advance when an infield fly is called.
27	No run can score when a runner is called out for the third out for not tagging up.
28	A pitch that bounces to the plate cannot be hit.
29	The batter does not get first base if hit by a pitch after it bounces.
30	If a fielder holds a fly ball for 2 seconds it's a catch
31	You must tag the base with your foot on a force out or appeal.
32	The ball is always immediately dead on a balk.
33	If a player's feet are in fair territory when the ball is touched, it is a fair ball.
34	The ball must always be returned to the pitcher before an appeal can be made.
35	With no runners on base, it is a ball if the pitcher starts his windup and then stops.
36	The pitcher must come to a set position before a pick-off throw.
37	The pitcher must step off the rubber before a pick-off throw.
38	If a fielder catches a fly ball and then falls over the fence it is a homerun.
39	The ball is dead anytime an umpire is hit by the ball.
40	The home plate umpire can overrule the other umps at anytime.

The following diagram shows the postions of the players by number.

A double play where the second baseman fields, throws to the shortstop at second base,
who throws to the first baseman is recorded as a 4-6-3 double play.

Origin of the word "umpire"

According to the Middle English Dictionary entry for noumpere, the predecessor of umpire, came from the Old French nonper (from non, "not" + per, "equal"), meaning "one who is requested to act as arbiter of a dispute between two people", or that the arbiter is not paired with anyone in the dispute.

In Middle English, the earliest form of this shows up as noumper around 1350, and the earliest version without the n shows up as owmpere, a variant spelling in Middle English, circa 1440.

The n was lost after it was written (in 1426-1427) as a noounpier with the a being the indefinite article. The leading n became attached to the article, changing it to an Oumper around 1475; this sort of linguistic shift is called juncture loss. Thus today we say "an umpire" instead of "a numpire."