Game ball gets away

[bainsey]

Here's something I've never seen before.

VB game I'm watching, after servicing the JV game. We're in OT.

The ball gets away out of bounds and goes behind the home team bench. There's a full ball rack between the table and that bench. Instead of grabbing the game ball, official grabs a different ball that fell off the ball rack. Apparently, nobody ever noticed that ball, until the official grabbed it. That ball went into the game without anyone noticing.

"That's not the game ball!" a few fans cry. A fan goes to get the game ball, and confused on what to do with it. I'm sitting behind the table, so I ask for the ball, and give it to the scorekeeper. At the next opportune moment, the timekeeper hits the horn, and the game ball gets back into the game. (Insert easy substitution jokes here.)

I got to thinking. Is basketball the only ball sport that is supposed to use the same ball for the entire game? In soccer, we have three balls ready. Baseball/softball? Multiple. Hockey pucks? Multiple. Football? I'm not sure of the exact number, but it's more than one. Volleyball maybe?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bainsey

VB game I'm watching, after servicing the JV game. We're in OT.

And for this, I highly commend you.

Around these parts, we can't get junior varsity officials to stay past their showers, if they take one. Last night, one junior varsity official didn't shower, got changed into his street clothes, and was out the door before our jump ball. The other stayed until halftime, and listened in on our halftime conference. Both were third year officials. Who do you think has a better chance of moving up quicker?

By the way, I was there for their jump ball, and my partner was there for the intermission between their first, and second, period.

[CDurham]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Here's something I've never seen before.

VB game I'm watching, after servicing the JV game. We're in OT.

The ball gets away out of bounds and goes behind the home team bench. There's a full ball rack between the table and that bench. Instead of grabbing the game ball, official grabs a different ball that fell off the ball rack. Apparently, nobody ever noticed that ball, until the official grabbed it. That ball went into the game without anyone noticing.

"That's not the game ball!" a few fans cry. A fan goes to get the game ball, and confused on what to do with it. I'm sitting behind the table, so I ask for the ball, and give it to the scorekeeper. At the next opportune moment, the timekeeper hits the horn, and the game ball gets back into the game. (Insert easy substitution jokes here.)

I got to thinking. Is basketball the only ball sport that is supposed to use the same ball for the entire game? In soccer, we have three balls ready. Baseball/softball? Multiple. Hockey pucks? Multiple. Football? I'm not sure of the exact number, but it's more than one. Volleyball maybe?

I had a fan steal the ball one time. Ran square out of the gym.

[jTheUmp]

I might be wrong about this (I don't have my rulebook with me at the moment), but I don't think there's anything that stipulates that the same ball is supposed to be used for the entire game. It just ends up being that way 99.99% of the time because there's not much chance of the ball becoming damaged/wet/dirty/lost, and therefore needing replacement, during the course of a contest.

[Mark Padgett]

I had some aliens steal the ball at halftime once. At least I think I saw them do it. I dunno. It was right after I changed my meds.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Softball?

My daughter played high school softball on a state championship team. Many games were played at a very high level. In one close game, the other team's top hitter led off, and fouled a ball, that had been used for a few innings, out of play. The umpire put a brand new ball, hard as a rock, into play, which the hitter fouled off behind our bleachers. We all looked at each other and decided not to retrieve it. By this time the other ball had been tossed back to the umpire, who put it in play. That "soft" ball was softly grounded to second base. Two outs later, we were up, and we found the "hard" ball.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by CDurham

I had a fan steal the ball one time. Ran square out of the gym.

Happens in baseball, with foul balls, all the time. Why not in basketball?

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

My daughter played high school softball on a state championship team. Many games were played at a very high level. In one close game, the other team's top hitter led off, and fouled a ball, that had been used for a few innings, out of play. The umpire put a brand new ball, hard as a rock, into play, which the hitter fouled off behind our bleachers. We all looked at each other and decided not to retrieve it. By this time the other ball had been tossed back to the umpire, who put it in play. That "soft" ball was softly grounded to second base. Two outs later, we were up, and we found the "hard" ball.

Which is why the baseball and softball mechanics manuals say that you should replace the ball in play with a replacement ball at the start of the next half of an inning, if one of your replacement balls hasn't yet been used.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Which is why the baseball and softball mechanics manuals say that you should replace the ball in play with a replacement ball at the start of the next half of an inning, if one of your replacement balls hasn't yet been used.

Softball mechanic. If you can find it written in a baseball mechanics manual (I'll take your word if you can find it in the NFHS manual -- it came today and it's in the trash) let us know.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Softball mechanic. If you can find it written in a baseball mechanics manual (I'll take your word if you can find it in the NFHS manual -- it came today and it's in the trash) let us know.

I don't recall reading this advice in my Fed baseball manual, but then I've never gone very long without having to use all the baseballs either.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

I might be wrong about this (I don't have my rulebook with me at the moment), but I don't think there's anything that stipulates that the same ball is supposed to be used for the entire game. It just ends up being that way 99.99% of the time because there's not much chance of the ball becoming damaged/wet/dirty/lost, and therefore needing replacement, during the course of a contest.

See NFHS rules 1-12-3 and 2-4-1 as well as case book play 1.12.3. All specify a ball (singular), not balls. And yes, it is used the entire game unless circumstances warrant a replacement ball(singular).

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by bainsey

"That's not the game ball!" a few fans cry. A fan goes to get the game ball, and confused on what to do with it. I'm sitting behind the table, so I ask for the ball, and give it to the scorekeeper. At the next opportune moment, the timekeeper hits the horn, and the game ball gets back into the game. (Insert easy substitution jokes here.)

The substitution was legal, as the game ball had remained out of the game till after the clock had legally run.

[TimTaylor]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Volleyball maybe?

I'm with BillyMac - commend you for staying & watching.

In Volleyball we typically use one game ball that we inspect & set the pressure of before the match. Sometimes a school will have more than one in case a ball goes under the bleachers, get's stuck in the rafters, etc. In that case we make sure they are all in good condition, and set the pressure for all of them before the match. The game ball(s) remain at the table when not being used in play for the duration of the match.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by mbyron

The substitution was legal, as the game ball had remained out of the game till after the clock had legally run.

That's correct. The ball must sit a tick, it doesn't have to play a tick.

Also, if a game has more than one ball participating simultaneously, then a technical foul is charged.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Also, if a game has more than one ball participating simultaneously, then a technical foul is charged.

So, what happens when there's a T on the ball? Do the players shoot each other?

(I may have opened up a deluge with that one.)

Thanks for the nice words, Billy & Tim. I stay when I can, typically depending on anything domestic going on that evening. (Kids need help with homework, etc.) I didn't ask this crew to go into the locker room; as I spent halftime chatting with a reporter (former official) covering the game.