Can you please tell me the definition of a crow hop.

Simply put, a crow hop occurs when the pitcher's pivot foot releases from the pitcher's plate and replants prior to the release of the pitch.

Simply put, a crow hop occurs when the pitcher's pivot foot releases from the pitcher's plate and replants prior to the release of the pitch.

Simple, but accurate!

On the field you may see two forms of the crow hop. One - with her weight shifted back, the pitcher will pick up her pivot foot and and replant it either on the plate or in front of the plate. Illegal in both cases. However, sometimes it is only a slight rise and replant on the plate, or sliding to a new position on the plate. Legal in that case.

Second - on the drive, both feet may become airborne and the pivot lands first, somewhere in front of the plate. Definitely illegal. However, do not confuse this with the pivot foot losing contact with the ground due to unevenness of the ground immediately in front of the plate. That can be legal. Best thing is to watch the angle of the pivot foot. If the toe is up (or level), that is a step and it will be illegal. If the toe is down, that is a drag and even if the foot breaks contact with the ground, that is legal.

WMB

The specific definition of a crow hop depends on what rules you are using. "XRay" on eteamz has done an indepth study of this and can expound at great length on the differences.

One difference is that ASA (unlike some others) requres that the pitcher push off from the replant in order for it to be illegal (they call it establishing a second point of impetus). So, strictly speaking, a replant without a push off is legal in ASA.

This makes calling a crow hop in ASA a bit tricky, since without stop action replay, it can be difficult to see the impetus with a highly skilled crow-hopper. And, with runners on base, the penalty for an illegal pitch can be severe and game-deciding, so umpires will not call the crow hop unless they are sure.

And, the trickiness tends to intimidate the less experienced umpires, who then don't call it at all.

Fortunately, most less skilled crow hoppers also leap (a different "illegality"), and that is easy to see with a two man crew. The only real issue with leaping is the hole in front of the plate, as WMB pointed out.

Thank-you very much for your answer. I tried to tell an ump that and and he said: she was not hopping so no crow hop.????????????