Some years ago, while I was umpiring, just not high school yet, I went to watch a high school game that a friend of mine was umpiring. In the late innings, a batter hit an extra base hit to score a go ahead run. After the play was over, his partner called time, called the batter (now on third) out for missing first base, and negated the run. It was the third out. Well all hell broke loose. The coaches and the fans accused him of being a homer and cheating them. The coaches had to be ejected. Some fans had to be asked to leave. It wasn't pretty. I think the only ones that really knew the batter had missed first were the base umpire, the batter and me. No argument from the batter. Anyway, I was confused because I didn't understand why be called the batter out. There was no appeal. I asked after the game, and I was told that under high school rules, the umpire didn't not wait for an appeal, but called the runner out immediate after the play was over. Somewhere over time, that changed. I don't know which way is best. Sometimes I wish we could just call the runner out without an appeal. Players don't watch their bases, and sometimes we really need that out.

Been at minimum 10-12 years since NFHS just allowed the umpire to call a base running infraction without an appeal. I believe it is North Carolina that still allows high school umpires to call it without an appeal, but they are the only state I know of.

The rule changed in 2000 for NFHS, as it was my first registered year in PA (I had worked ASA and NCAA prior). My certification test (we only take it once in PA) was written with the no appeal rule (written on 1999 rules).

2004, PA highest classification game, go ahead run called out for missing the plate without an appeal. Game goes into extras with defensive team winning.

South Carolina, actually; but you were close.

Creates a lot of fun for those in border states .........

Been there, done that. IMO, it helps create lazy/cowardly umpires, or some seriously head-strong ego-maniacs that concentrate more on "catching" players than actually umpiring the game.

Yup, I live in SC, and umpires here do make calls on runners who miss bases, leave early on a fly ball, etc., in high school play. There are a few colleagues of mine who have voiced to me during our pregame that they won’t make the call unless the violation is blatantly obvious. I do think that’s a chicken-sh!t attitude. I always ask them what other not-so-obvious calls are they unwilling to make?

Sorry, but if a runner fails to step on a 17x17 bag or a similarly-sized plate, he/she deserves to be ruled out, and it should be without the need for the appeal. If there are umpires that won’t call it, then drum them out since they will also likely not call illegal pitches, slappers out of the box, failed check swings, etc. etc.

Wow, you guys use bigger bases down there. What size balls do you use?

Sorry; not enough coffee this morning. :o