Continuation Rule Ump Call

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Mar 1, 2013
396
43
As the OP noted,
During contiuation, if a player rounds first and makes an agressive move towards second, but then goes immediatley back to first, is she out? I had an umpire call this on me and I can't seem to find his interpretation of this rule anywhere. It wasn't the lookback rule because she wasn't dancing around. She rounded first agressively, but then went directlty back to first. He told me that if she made an agressive move on continuation she has to go to 2nd. Anyone that has insight, it would be helpful. Thanks

I want to address the "she wasn't dancing around". That makes no difference. As you described it, the rounded, stopped, and returned to first without delay (immediately, as you noted). That's the important part of the look back rule (rule 8.7.T in USA softball). While "dancing around" would be a violation (if the LBR is in effect - i.e. ball in the circle, BR has touched first, and pitcher not attempting to make a play on a runner), that's simply not a criteria listed anywhere in a rulebook. If the LBR is on, she has to make a decision immediately. If moving, she can stop once. Once stopped, she has to immediately move forward or back to a base. If she is stopped on a base, she has to stay put.

I had a situation in a 12U "playoff game" (rec league) where a batter walked, went down to first and rounded, then stopped and stared. Pitcher is ignoring her with the ball in the circle. I gave her a couple of seconds to decide what to do (which is technically longer than required - remember "immediately"). I finally called her out on the LBR. Coach blew up and literally said, "How is that a problem? She wasn't dancing around? She was just standing there!" Sigh. Exactly coach, she was just standing there while the LBR was on and she cannot do that. Ultimately, this coach left the game but not during this exchange.

As others have said, though, this "continuation" thing is a MSU rule, possibly based on some in-house rule from another rec league. As the saying goes, local rules, made by fools.
 
Jun 20, 2015
848
93
we had a player once the was on LBR with ball in circle, started to go to 2b, hooked her spikes together and ended up falling down and starting back to 1b. LBR violation, runner out. I think entire team laughed for the balance of the weekend.
 
Jul 27, 2021
276
43
It's amazing that almost every weekend has some "ump" story.

Rules aren't that hard. Some study, some games, and some more reading of rule applications. Look up the Baseball myth articles too.

Good luck. No one is perfect.
 
Jun 20, 2015
848
93
Why would this be a LBR violation? Does her falling not count as her one stop, and then decide to go back?
stopped, started to go to 2b, tripped , fell, went back to 1b. when she was stopped and decided to go to 2b, that was the decision, going back to 1b with no play made got the LBR violation.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
stopped, started to go to 2b, tripped , fell, went back to 1b. when she was stopped and decided to go to 2b, that was the decision, going back to 1b with no play made got the LBR violation.

I wonder if she had gotten up and continued on to second if LBR would've been called. Technically she "stopped twice," but I'm not sure a trip and fall is in the spirit of that part of the rule if she gets up right away and continues on her way to second.
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
It's amazing that almost every weekend has some "ump" story.

Rules aren't that hard. Some study, some games, and some more reading of rule applications. Look up the Baseball myth articles too.

Good luck. No one is perfect.

This may not be what some would expect to hear from me ...

Not that amazing at all. With the current umpire shortage, any buffoon with $75 is going to get multiple chances before the bridges are burned. Even umpires have bad umpire stories. Two of my last three middle school games I worked with new guys I had never met (or heard of) before ... both of them quit after a few innings. Yeah, QUIT. Walked off the field, packed up, LEFT. There wasn't even anything going on during these games to get your feathers ruffled over. One of them even took the game balls with him when he went. I later found out both of them have been pulling this all season. Maybe that is why I am jaded on this right now. I am happy to work with new umpires and guys who want to get better. I don't care how bad you start out, you will get better. However, morons like these give us all a bad name and we should not tolerate them.

Yes, actually, the rules are hard. Not all of them, but the subtle nuances, the wild interpretations, and the really poor writing in the book do make them hard. That is why umpires should do more studying, more games, and more reading of the rule book.
 

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