R1, 0 out. Ball is batted to 2B who fields the ball and tries to tag R1 rather than throw to second to start the double play. R1 stops in his baseline and starts to back up to avoid the tag. Is this legal or is R1 out when he starts to retreat towards first base? Official rules.

Thanks.

Legal

Any runner is out when he runs more than three feet away FROM A DIRECT LINE between bases, when a fielder is waiting to make a play.

Backwards is acceptable.

It's three feet from a direct line from the runner to the base.

Jay R, you might have gotten the idea that a runner cannot back up from ASA and Fed softball, in which a runner between home and 1B cannot step backward to avoid or delay a tag. Backing up between all other bases is legal.

Thanks.

Greymule I think that was the problem. I remembered something like this from years ago. I had played softball and baseball.

Was there ever a FED rule like the ASA and FED softball rule cited above? I thought I remembered a rule in HS BASEBALL that allowed for a batter-runner to be out for retreating twoards home after starting o first. However, it's Friday so my mind is almost fried from work. Am I dillusional? Ever an OBR like that either???

I recall none..........


Freix

In FED, you cannot back up towards home. I don't remember the rule reference. BR is out, ball is dead, all runners return to bases occupied at TOP.

"In FED, you cannot back up towards home. I don't remember the rule reference. BR is out, ball is dead, all runners return to bases occupied at TOP."

Sure about that????

Softball rule only.(Fed and other codes) I've seen more than one umpire make this mistake.

Roger Greene

<i> Originally posted by TwoBits </i>

<b> In FED, you cannot back up towards home. I don't remember the rule reference. BR is out, ball is dead, all runners return to bases occupied at TOP. </b>

NOT in FED Baseball Here's a FED case play for reference.

FED case play 8.1.1A

R1, B1 bunts to F3 who fields the ball on the first bounce near the foul line. <b> B1 STOPS and REVERSES toward HOME </b> to avoid being tagged out by F3, who then throws to F6 for a force out on R1, and the relay throw fails to retire B1 at first.

<b> RULING: </b>
<i> As long as B1 DID NOT TOUCH or RUN BEYOND home nor leave the base path to avoid the tag, the action is LEGAL. </i>

Pete Booth

[Edited by PeteBooth on May 10th, 2003 at 10:41 AM]