Balk rule per OBR.
 

The game was boys' 18U summer travel league using OBR.

Play: Runners on 1B and 2B with no outs. (MTD, Jr. is the PU and I am the BU in the "C" position. LHP does not come to a complete and discernable stop. I shout BALK! And the F1 delivers a pitch which the batter (LHB) hits to left-center field (for a single, remember this). The B/R takes two or three steps down the first base line toward 1B and then returns to the LHB batter's box while, the runners on 1B and 2B remain on their respective bases, and F7 throws the ball to F4 who throws the ball to F1.

My Ruling: When the ball was returned to F1, I waited to see if there was going to be a play made on the B/R. F1 made no play so I called Time and placed B/R on 1B, thereby moving the two base runners up on base.

MTD, Jr., and I admit that we are not the most knowledgeble umpires per OBR. So how bad did I screw the pooch?

MTD, Sr.

Well, you did the best you could with what sounds like a bunch of kids playing under Fed. rules. Nobody advanced, including the BR, so you enforce the balk. Sounds perfect.
Did ya get some goofy looks?

Doh, well perfect accept "BR should have been back at the plate, same count."
Sorry didn't read far enough into the OP..

Why would an 18U league play OBR... things like this will happen.

The correct ruling was above, just wonderin.

Thanks
David

Right, no pitch. Everone, including the BR must advance before you ignore the balk. Also most of the summer HS and up leagues in our area are playing OBR.

Why under OBR would you put the BR at first ? If you enforce the balk, just advance the 2 runners and the BR is still up.

Mark, when B/R returns to the plate, he's out for abandonment. Since he did not reach 1B, enforce the balk: no pitch, runners move up a base, batter returns to the plate.

balk rule per OBR
 

Since b/r is out for abandonment, why would he return to the plate?

Because most 18U leagues, especially travel or wood bat varieties, play under modified OBR rules. Vary rare to find a FED game away from high school out in this state.

He's not out for abandonment, he just did not acquire a base along with each runner, so enforce the balk. (advance each runner one base, and batter remains at bat with original count)

Why did I put the B/R on 1B? Because I was under the misguided thinking that I could put runners where they should be if they had even a smidgen of knowledge of the rules. After the game was over, MTD, Jr., and I started to second guess ourselves about putting the B/R on 1B.

MTD, Sr.

Except for the local high school summer league here, most of the travel tournaments are played under OBR. The 4th of July tournament that I worked Wednesday and Thursday was using OBR as well. I was waiting for a situation like MTD had and I envisioned myself having to figure out that mess with everyone screaming "The ball is dead!".

It really is a simple rule, but after doing HS for so long, you really have to scratch your head when you call a balk and the batter hits it.

.... and this is why I like it in my area where it is slightly modified OBR only .

Because that's part of the penalty for a balk. It's just as if the pitcher balked, the batter hit a grounder to short, and he was thrown out at 1B: yeah, he's out on the play, but when you enforce the balk the batter returns to the plate.

In OBR, the ball is live after a balk, and it's ignored if the batter hits the pitch and he and each runner advance at least 1 base.