Held Ball Signal
 

In my pregames with partners, I always ask how they signal a held ball. Whether they come up with the thumbs-up signal or come up with a hand, followed by the thumbs-up signal. I ask this to prepare for double whistle situations.

In conversation with last nights partner, he questioned which was proper. I think the held ball signal is used to stop the clock and indicate the call. I prefer the raised hand first, but I do not believe this is the NFHS mechanic.

What do you normally use when calling a held ball? Is it an incorrect mechanic to stop the clock with the hand before signalling the held ball?

I use the 'held ball' mechanic, no raised hand. If crew has a double whistle then we come together and sort things out...quickly.

1. The held ball signal.
2. Yes.

IIRC, the Fed signal chart shows three signals that stop the clock: fist, open palm, and thumbs.

In the Signal Chart at the back of the rule book, Signal 3 is "Stop clock for held ball". Iow, the "thumbs up" signal also stops the clock, so doing the open hand first would be redundant. (And, yes, I'm an expert at redundancy.)

Ah, but are you an expert at repetition? :D

If you go with an open palm first I don't think anyone will flog you for it even though it is not the proper mechanic. I used to do this but have weaned myself off of it in effort to perfect my mechanics even though I think it is useful if you have a double whistle....just like the two fists to the hips for a block rather than open palms to the hips, it just seems smoother to me to go from one fist at the top to two fists at the hips, but that isn't the mechanic so I have weaned myself from that as well...

What other mechanics have you all seen that are consistently butchered?

Make that 4 replies with a total of 14,135 posts (too long to write in binary), my hand is gone forever. :)

I go straight to the thumbs, and that's how I see it done most of the time around here.

Doesn't that leave only one thumb-up ?

This doesnt make sense -- fist and palm?

Of course.

But since one definition of redundant is: "Characterized by verbosity or unnecessary repetition in expressing ideas", that means I usually like to take repetition to a whole new level. :D

How does it not make sense? Unless you thought he meant.....

never mind.

ive never seen the fist then palm technique unless the official made the wrong one first and then changed.

Not what he meant. He simply said there's three separate signals to stop the clock. You would never use the fist and thumbs, either. That was his point. You don't need to use palm then thumbs.