B1 Turning Right

ozzy6900

Thought I'd bring this to the experts.

In the baseball world, it is a myth that when B1 runs through 1st base, turning left (toward fair territory) he can be tagged out. the "wives tale" states that B1 must turn right (toward foul territory).

Well, my daughter's coach told the team that if they turn left, they can are liable to be tagged out. This is girls 12U fast pitch using the double 1st base. I know nothing about softball so I need a bit of advise.

[deleted]

I don't know about baseball but in softball this is not true. Left or right foul or fair territory it does not matter. Making a move toward second base does.

Brenda

In softball you must make a move to second, although you will hear some coaches yell at his players "tag her, tag her" and when the player is tagged and not called out it takes a while to explain to him/her that she made no effort to go to second and that all she did was turn left instead of right.

ozzy6900

Thanks for the quick answers. I umpire baseball (over 20 years) and I just couldn't believe my ears when the coach made the statement. Being detached from softball, I wasn't sure if a new rule was snuck in!

TwoBits

Either the coach is ignorant of the rules or he was protecting his/her players from ignorant umpires.

CecilOne

TwoBits wrote
Either the coach is ignorant of the rules or he was protecting his/her players from ignorant umpires.

That's correct and a good point. Some rule misunderstandings and myths come from what coaches teach. In this case, teaching a player to always turn right unless actually trying for 2nd is good strategy, not just for ignorant umpires but because that also minimizes the judgement factor on what the runner was trying to do. Also, it reduces the runner's exposure on the NFHS version of the rule.

blueump

I've actually seen a player turn left and then when some ignorant fool in the crowd screams "tag him!, tag him!" the runner stupidly breaks for second base for fear of being tagged. The tag is applied, and the runner is OUT!

mcrowder

And I've seen a player turn left, and when F3 tries to tag after their coach yells "Tag her", the player tries to dodge the tag and takes a step to her right (the general direction of 2nd base, but not an attempt to GO TO 2nd base), and an umpire (partner, in fact) ring her up when tagged. A reaction from BR that happens to be toward 2nd is not necessarily and ATTEMPT to attain 2nd base.

IRISHMAFIA

blueump wrote
I've actually seen a player turn left and then when some ignorant fool in the crowd screams "tag him!, tag him!" the runner stupidly breaks for second base for fear of being tagged. The tag is applied, and the runner is OUT!

Fool in the crowd my @ss, that was the PU!