In a U13 game B1 hits a HR and just barely touches the plate when he scores after rounding the bases. Defensive coach asks his catcher if he touched home. I yell over that he did, barely. Offensive coach comes to me between innings to find out about our discussion.

His response was, "A homer's a dead ball. The batter doesn't even have to run around the bases. He can just walk back to the dugout after hitting it! You can look it it up. In fact I'll bet you on it!!"

i would have taken him up on his bet then bought the guy a rulebook with the money i won

If the defensive coach yells out to his catcher, I don't say nothing, I just wait for the appeal, if it comes, and then call him safe. I have never seen anyone called out for not touching home after a home run. As for the dead ball comment, I would not bet with a coach, but I would be real tempted to tell him that this is the dumbest thing I have ever heard a coach say.

Why are you suprised? This was a coach, wasn't it?

"A homer's a dead ball. The batter doesn't even have to run around the bases. He can just walk back to the dugout after hitting it! You can look it it up. In fact I'll bet you on it!!"

That was a FED rule about thirty years ago.

I've heard of a batter missing home plate after a home run. And I've also called someone out on appeal for missing the plate after a home run. When I had the situation, it was a grand slam and if I'm remebering correctly, it was R2 who missed the plate.(A grand slam with only one run scored!) He clearly missed the plate and this ended a come-back effort in the last inning.

-Jeremiah

I've CALLED a batter out for missing the plate on a home run. When a ballplayer can't touch a 17" white slab on a dead ball (misses it by 4 inches or more) and the catcher sees it and executes a proper appeal, what else would the umpire do?

He's correct in slow pitch softball.

I'll have to remember that the next time a coach tells me this during a U13 baseball game.

Why? Buy yourself a beer.