...and since the board is slow lately, I just thought that I would poll the board and see how many of you, when there is no tournament rule to indicate otherwise, flip the coin only once. How many twice? How many more than twice(if that is possible)?

I, myself am a one flip guy. Whoever arrives at the plate conference first is heads, the other is tails.

I'm not an ump but in all the leagues and tourneys I've played in, I've never seen them flip more than once

I always flip twice...team on first base side is heads, third base side is tails. Winner calls heads or tails.

Only exception is if one of the two coaches wants to have the other team call the flip.

One flip only. Home team take the field!


Scott,

Are you going to do the college look tourney in NRH? Saw your name on the email from Jay.

Gary

I do it twice, one flip to see who calls the flip, because thats the way I've always seen it done.

Long ago in another life (as a TB coach) We had a flip at the plate and the ump said you are tails, you are heads and flipped. We lost and other team chose home. My assistant coach began to instruct the umpire that the way we do this at home.... I really wanted to hide! The PU told him "It's too early in the day to start this" as I was trying to pull my guy away. I have only seen one guy argue the coin toss, that was it!

A couple of years ago, my partner did the one flip as was his usual routine. Losing coach gets upset with the flip format. (Only because he lost.) Mind you, he was told prior to the flip that there was only going to be ONE.

One thing lead to another and the coach was ejected before the actual game even started!

Up until 2 weekends ago, I'd say I only flip once with the team that travelled the furthest calling it. @ weekends ago, I had the coin land on it's side, straight up & down - and there it stayed. So I have done a game where I flipped the coin twice now.

my hell, flip once and play, why does it have to be so controversial... I know I've been in games where it was a good thing we were home to come back in the last inning and I know I've been in other games where we were visitor and we wish we would have had the last at-bats, but truly in every one of those games, you can't pin the win or loss on being home or visitor. Flip it and play, bring your "A" game, because the majority of the time, the team that hits and fields better is going to win regardless of who won the first (or second apparently) coin toss. I mean if a player or coach really cares that the other team got to call the coin toss, (thus the need for 2 flips) maybe they're putting too much effort/emphasis on something that is pure luck instead of just kickin' a$$ on the field. Am I missing something here? Just my 2 cents on this whole 1 vs. 2 flips.

Once. Prior to the flip, I ask who is going to call it. If I do not get a response, I will point toward whomever I feel like and tell them to make the call.

And, yes, I cover the coin, ask for their call, flip the coin in the air and always let the coin drop to the ground.

Flipping
 

I only flip one time. After showing both sides of the coin to the coaches I say "this side is for your team and the other side is for your opponent. After the flip I ask the winner of the flip whether they want to be home or visior.

No fuss....no muss!

Michael

Most in this area flip twice. Catch first one, let
final flip hit ground. Like Steve, I had one land in
the sand on its edge, so I did a three flipper.

Never have I called NSA, but coached in quite a few in tournies. A lot of those the teams were to do the coin toss and determine dugout selection (1B side home, 3B visitors) before the umpires got there. Of course that was not an NSA rule, just the way the TD set it up.

If the first coin flip is to determine who calls the second coin flip, statistically it serves no purpose whatsoever.

No, it doesn't statistically influence home/visitors, but tossing twice allows coaches to think they have a fair shake. I admit, when I first was asked to do it in a state tournmanet, it didn't make much sense. But coaches around here seem to expect it, so I do it.

Had a team this year ask if they could be visitors...other team wanted to be home team...everyone happy? Play ball!

I am thinking maybe I am. I haven't talked to my local association's assignor yet to make sure that nothing is going on that weekend. But I am supposed to see him tomorrow for a tournament in Allen, so I thought I would ask then. Until then, I am waiting to obligate myself!

I take it you are going to be there???

I allow whichever coach or captain is the first to arrive at the plate for the pregame conference to call heads or tails (after both are in my presence), and whoever wins the toss gets the choice whether they're home or visitors. I'm a football guy too, so allowing the choice is habit for me.

Scott,

I will see you in Allen this weekend. Has Rickey called with your schedule yet?

Haven't gotten release from my assignor for the NRH event yet. Lot's of tourneys that weekend. I'll have to wait and see.

Gary

No. And I am surprised. I usually know by Thursday night what I am going to be working. Look for me there.

Right now I am keeping a close eye on the weather to make sure that we get this one in!

I have actually seen this done at a tournament before.

Instead of a coin flip, the PU will take both of the balls provided before the game and hand one each to the captains of each team. While standing in opposite batter's boxes, the captains will do a little curling/bocce and try to make it as close as they can to the pitching plate. The BU determines who won.

Sounds like a time waster, but innovative nonetheless.

I have done some magic in the past. Once at the plate, with one team there and us waiting on the other team, I did the old trick where the coin disappears and reappears behind someone's ear. After that, they didn't trust my coin nor the honesty of my coin flip. I had to let my partner flip his coin.

Now, no more tricks. Just one flip.

If kids on just one team come to plate, I ask which one of them wants to call it.

If kids on both teams come to the plate (which seems to be the norm) I ask who came the furtherest to be at the tournament and let them call.

If no kids come to the plate, I will just ask, "so who's going to call it?" I've never had a problem getting an almost immediate answer.

Hey Gary:

Once again it was nice to meet you. Too bad that I didn't have a little more free time to visit....

Depending on the age group and the importance of the game, I like to add a little to my coin toss. Like most on the board, whomever is at the plate first generally gets to call. I look at the girl who is going to call it and say, "Call it in the air. I will catch it flat. If I drop it, the other team wins (instead of we'll flip again)" Amazing that out of all the times I've done this (about 15), only two girls have caught what I said, and they were both 10 year olds!! Go figure!!

Coin Flip
 

In a very serious voice while showing the coaches the coin I'll say "Ok, let's save some time today, I turn to one coach while saying heads...you win....turn to the other coach and say tails....you win."

For the real deal, I only flip once.

Michael

Time to visit? You wouldn't come off the field!!

Actually, Scott had to do five in a row Saturday due to an umpire shortage. The new "Iron Man in Blue".

Great to finally meet you. Looking forward to working with you in the future.

Gary

You know, it wasn't so much the five in a row that got me. It was more the fact that everyone of those five ended in ITB with the exception of one!

Scott,

Do we need to send you to a class on Game Management? I guess that explains why my last game was 1:15 late in starting.

Blame it on the one who left. He cursed the field, I tell ya...cursed it!!! :D

Rock, paper, scissors! Get science involved for crying out loud.

Kidding, for our tourneys it's usually the farthest traveler gets to call the flip. All things being equal I decide that 3rd base side is heads and 1st base side is tails on the flip.

One manager challenged the other to rock, paper, scissors at last tourney and the girls got a kick out of it.

I must admit, I did too!