Check out this play...

[Al]

Originally Posted by NSABlue

Al,
I realize this is only T-Ball but it's always a good time to educate the coaches on the rules of the game.

As for having two players on a base at the same time while the ball is live. This is perfectly legal. As long as the following runner does not physically pass the preceeding runner, there is no violation. The defense must tag the runner who is not entitled to the base to record an out. Nothing is automatic.

Now, which runner is entitled to the base?

The preceeding runner is entitled to the base unless he/she is forced to advance. In your situation, the runner coming from 2nd base on the original play (the preceeding runner) is entitled to the base because she is not forced to advance any further than third base. If the following runner advanced to third and the ball was still live, the defense would have to tag her to record the out.

All of this is moot in your situation since you had called "time".

Ain't T-ball fun??

Thanks sir,

Excellent! It's a sad day when coaches and fans act worse than the children. In this same game I had one grandfather say to me "are we going to have two kids standing on 2nd base next"? I just smiled and said: "not if the coaches teach the kids to listen to the umpire when he calls time and play is dead". I'm a grandfather myself and I know the emotions that come, but I don't understand them being so blinded by emotion that they don't realize that they are doing more damage than good when they try to protect their own, against "evil umpires". Of course the same grandparent would be telling me great call ump if the call were against the other team.

You're correct... "Aint T-ball fun?? I see what one of the umpires meant by it being easier to umpire high school players than the youth players. Those coaches in higher play pretty much know the rules. ...Thanks for the great help! ...Al