After reading Sandy’s great Brain Game last week about the MLB rule governing what happens if a player catches a ball with his hat or mask or throws his glove at a ball (the batter is awarded three bases and all runners score), we’ve been inspired to go digging for some other strange sports rules. Here are a few other obscure rules you might not have known existed:
1. The Fair Catch Kick
It’s tough to watch a football game without seeing a fair catch, a play where the player returning the opposing team’s punt or kick foregoes his opportunity to run back the ball in exchange for not being touched while trying to catch it. Usually, the receiving team then sends its offense onto the field to start a drive. They don’t have to, though. If the receiving team asks for a fair catch kick, they can use the next play to attempt a free kick. These fair catch kicks are field goal attempts, but they’re undefended. Rather than lining up on the line of scrimmage, the defense has to stand 10 yards downfield, and instead of having a long snapper fire the ball back to the holder, the holder simply starts the play holding the ball for the kicker.
Why would any team try for an uncontested field goal? Usually fair catch kicks only come at the ends of halves; if a team makes a fair catch with 0:00 showing on the clock, its captains can request a free kick, which gives them a chance (albeit a very slight one) to pick up a few points.
Still, it’s fairly uncommon for a half to end with a punt or kickoff. Only a handful of fair catch kicks have been attempted in NFL history, and the last successful attempt came off the toe of Bears kick Mac Percival in 1968. Packers kicker Mason Crosby tried one at the end of the first half of a game against the Lions last season, but the 69-yard boot didn’t quite make it.
2. Substitute Baserunners
Here’s one from MLB’s rules that came into play a few years ago. In 2005, Red Sox infielder Tony Graffanino belted a homer with outfielder Gabe Kapler standing on first base. As the players did their home run trots, Kapler blew out his Achilles tendon rounding second base. Graffanino had to freeze a few paces behind his injured teammate; if he’d passed the downed man, the homer wouldn’t have counted. Eventually, the umps determined that the Sox were entitled to substitute a baserunner for Kapler since he was already entitled to make the full run home.
3. Nailing the Umps
According to MLB’s rule 5.09(g), if a pitched ball lodges in the umpire’s or catcher’s mask or paraphernalia and remains out of play, all runners advance one base.
4. Taking a Plunk While Stealing Home
Jacoby Ellsbury of the Red Sox stole home against the Yankees on Sunday in a thrilling play. What had happened if the pitch from the Yankees’ Andy Pettitte had bonked Ellsbury on the noggin as he tried to slide home, though? According to rule 5.09(h), if any legal pitch touches a runner who’s trying to score, all runners advance. Thus, the other Sox on base would have all moved up a spot as Jacoby looked for an ice pack.
5. Block that Free Throw
There’s a reason they’re called “free” throws. If a basketball player goaltends or attempts to block a freebie, he’s probably a jerk, and he’s definitely getting tagged with a technical foul. Goaltending a free throw is good for a T, but it can also be a strategic weapon. During a 2008 game against Georgia, much-reviled former Kentucky coach was staring at a 3-point deficit with only a few ticks left on the clock at the end of a game. A Georgia player was about to shoot his second free throw, which Gillispie ordered Perry Stevenson to goaltend. The Cats drew the T, but Gillispie decided he’d rather gamble on Georgia missing both free throws for the technical to ensure that his team got the ball back. Like Gillispie’s career in Lexington, the ploy was an epic failure, but it was worth a shot.
6. Sticking with the Right Batting Order
Everyone knows that if a player bats out of turn, he’s out. A weird situation popped up in a 2005 Kansas City Royals game, though. David DeJesus batted first in the first inning and hit a single. At that point, the umps realized that DeJesus was actually second in the Royals’ lineup and called him out. That meant the second man in the batting order had to come up to bat…David DeJesus. He flew out in his second at-bat. Fans of the Royals will tell you this pretty much encapsulates David DeJesus’ skill set: he’s so bad that he can make two outs in a single inning.
7. Keep that Rosin Dry!
Pitchers rely on the rosin bag to keep their hands try for an optimal grip on the ball, and MLB rules strictly monitor the use of the rosin bag. The ump-in-chief for a game is responsible for placing the bag on the back of the pitcher’s mound, and if it starts raining, the rules dictate that the ump is supposed to instruct the pitcher to put the rosin bag in his hip pocket to keep it dry.
8. Stay Off the Rims in Warmups!
This rule came out to bite the Harlem, Montana, boys’ high school hoops team last month. According to the state’s rules, players are not allowed to dunk during pregame warm-ups and can be slapped for a technical if a ref sees them throw one down. One of Harlem’s players found out during this spring’s playoffs that the consequences can be far worse than that, though. He hit a jam with such force that he shattered the backboard, which should be the high point of any high school baller’s career. According to Montana’s rulebook, though, if a player shatters the glass during pregame warm-ups during the playoffs, his team automatically forfeits the game. Don’t feel too bad, kid. You may not have won the title, but you broke the glass as a high schooler. You’re not going to have any trouble finding a prom date.
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Regarding the fair catch kick:
If the fair catch is made at the end of a half with no time remaining on the game clock, the receiving team would *not* be allowed to put the ball in play from scrimmage (i.e. on a first down), as time has expired. *However*, the receiving team *is* allowed to request a fair catch kick.
After a fair catch with no time remaining in a half, the option is not whether to try a Hail Mary or a fair catch kick (in which case putting the ball in play from scrimmage would be the only logical choice). Rather, the only option is whether or not to attempt a fair catch kick.
For another obscure football rule, there’s also the continued existence of the drop-kick field goal, which has only shown its face once in recent memory. (Doug Flutie converted the first one in 64 years in a meaningless game a few years ago..)
posted by CJ the Football Fan on 4-28-2009 at 3:13 pm
Good call, CJ. We’ve edited the post accordingly.
posted by Jason English on 4-28-2009 at 3:21 pm
in lacrosse, my fave call is “dangerous propelling”…which is exactly what it sounds like hahaha
posted by victoria on 4-28-2009 at 6:41 pm
Cool article. I love reading stuff like this!
posted by Michigan Mom on 4-28-2009 at 7:51 pm
I don’t remember the circumstances, but in Doug Flutie’s last game in the NFL a few years ago he did a drop kick right at the end of the game. None of us watchig had ever seen anything like it before.
posted by eroe777 on 4-28-2009 at 8:13 pm
My sister played waterpolo in high school and I always thought it was funny that they were lined up before the match to check the fingernails and toenails. It makes sense though since a lot of stuff can happen under the water when everyone is fighting for the ball.
posted by Tricia on 4-29-2009 at 6:30 am
Something seems to be missing from the piece on “Block that Free Throw.”
posted by Steven on 4-29-2009 at 11:16 am
I wish the drop-kick was used more often in football. I believe it’s a hold-over from rugby rules, as rugby union (not sure about rugby league) uses it fairly often, and it makes for an exciting scoring attempt.
Also, the fair catch (and fair catch kick) is unique to American football. Canadian football has no fair catch rule – you gotta run that sucker out no matter where you are on the field.
posted by Bert on 4-29-2009 at 11:42 am
The infield-fly rule should be added.
posted by Ed on 4-29-2009 at 12:22 pm
Actually, my high school team (St. Xavier, Cincinnati) attempted and scored on a fair catch kick in the 1998 OHSAA playoffs at Welcome Stadium in Dayton, if my memory serves me correctly. I had never heard of hte rule before, and I’ve never forgotten it since.
posted by Matt on 5-27-2009 at 5:08 pm
The article states that “Everyone knows that if a player bats out of turn, he’s out.” Actually, the player batting out of turn is not out. The person called out (if he finishes the at-bat) is the batter who was supposed to be batting in that spot. After he is called out, the person in the lineup following that batter comes up to the plate. Often, that is the person who just batted out of order, which is why DeJesus batted twice in a row.
posted by Will H. on 5-28-2009 at 3:51 pm
Another weird rule I can’t confirm. I once heard the announcer of a college football game say that if a field goal kick hits the top of a goal post, its four points. Is this true?
posted by Klunker on 7-8-2009 at 7:45 pm
\Fans of the Royals will tell you this pretty much encapsulates David DeJesus’ skill set: he’s so bad that he can make two outs in a single inning. \
DeJesus has a career fielding percentage of .991 (16 errors in 757 games played since 2003). He is currently second on the team with 65 RBI’s, and has the third highest on-base percentage on the team. And he has already tied his career high for triples and home runs in a season.
So, no, I dont think Royals fans would tell you this.
Oh wait, I get it, he’s on the Royals so he must suck.
posted by Brad on 9-3-2009 at 5:34 pm
Haha Klunker, there’s no way that’s true. It would be impossible to consistently officiate.
posted by Bryan on 11-17-2009 at 1:52 pm
You want obscure sports rules, how about PINCH UMPIRES.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090424&content_id=570093&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp
Enjoy!
posted by Bob Keeney on 12-6-2009 at 4:40 am
I’m surprised that this was missed. In professional baseball it is a rule that umpires must wear black underwear in the event that they split their pants.
posted by cactusjim on 5-1-2010 at 6:30 am
How about switch hitters. A hitter that can bat both left and right handed. If a hitter goes up to the plate he/she can start left handed and switch to right handed in the middle of the plate appearance until a strike is thrown. Once a strike is thrown the hitter must stay on that side of the plate for the remainder of the at-bat.
posted by Bunk on 6-10-2010 at 1:45 pm
What’s with the crack at DeJesus. While not a superstar or a hall of famer by any stretch, he’s a good solid player.
posted by KevinC on 6-23-2010 at 3:20 pm
The blocked free throw play is explained completely incorrectly here. With 1.2 seconds to go, Georgia was shooting a free throw with a 2-point lead. They were going to miss on purpose, thus making it difficult for UK to control the ball and score. So UK Coach Gillespie had his player goaltend the free throw, thinking that UK would get to take the ball out of bounds. He did not realize that the rule not only gives the point to Georgia but also calls for a technical foul which results in 2 additional free throws and possession to Georgia. This was a misunderstanding of the rule more than an example of a quirky rule.
posted by Pat on 11-17-2010 at 7:50 pm
Pat, I’m not sure your explanation is correct either – I’m not familiar with the specific game or Gillespie, but why would he think his team would get to take the ball out of bounds after his player had goaltended a free throw? If that was actually the case, we’d never see a free throw get near the rim…
posted by Greg on 11-19-2010 at 11:21 pm
One minor point of note on the fair catch free kick is that no such rule exists in the NCAA… only the NFL and high school
posted by Rein on 11-21-2010 at 4:50 pm
Greg, I didn’t see the play, but I think Pat’s explanation is right if a touch incomplete. The normal goaltend rule is that the shot counts, and then the other team gets the ball out of bounds as on any made shot. The UK coach must have assumed if they goaltended on the free throw that the refs would count the shot, giving Georgia a three point lead, and then give UK the ball out of bounds as on any made free throw. UK would then have a chance to set up a play to tie the game. Unlikely, but more probable than rebounding a missed free throw and hitting a full court shot in 1.2 seconds.
You also can’t stand under the basket during a free throw like the kid from Teen Wolf, but that’s another issue.
posted by Eric on 12-12-2010 at 10:05 am
never throw the ball at the umpire, lol it’ll cost the other team runners will be awarded one base
posted by Chris on 3-31-2011 at 9:14 am
I agree with all of you who believe the Infield Fly Rule should be included here.
CJ–I’m going to have to beg to differ with you, there. That was Doug Flutie’s last game if memory serves me. Last play, actually–to end his fantastic career by pulling off something that hadn’t been done in 64 years…wasn’t meaningless to all of us :-D
posted by Kevin on 4-1-2011 at 3:04 pm
There is nothing quirky or obscure about the infield fly rule. It is familar to most if not all fnas of baseball. It also makes perfect sense. It prevents the fieldind team from dropping a routine pop up and converting it into a cheap double play.
posted by Stephen on 4-9-2011 at 1:31 am
Most obscure baseball rule ever: If for some reason, one team has to forfeit (so many injuries in one game that the team can no longer put nine men on the field, for example), the final score of the game is always the same 9-0, in favor of the opposing team. This applies regardless of how many or few runs had actually been scored to that point.
posted by Joe on 5-28-2011 at 1:50 pm
Some NHL rules
- If the same team has 2 face-off violations during the same face-off, it’s a delay-of-game penalty.
- If the league finds out that a player’s team paid his fine rather than the player himself, the team is fined $100,000.
- If any unusual delay happens within 5 minutes of the end of the 1st or 2nd period, (ie. broken plexiglass), the Ref can order intermission immediately, then have the rest of the period played at the start of the next period, with the team playing from the same ends of the ice. Then when that time runs out, the teams switch ends and play resumes right away.
- If the puck stops on top of the boards and was never touched by another player, it’s live and playable.
- You have three seconds to play a puck that’s come to a stop on the netting. After that, the play’s whistled dead.
posted by Dave on 6-21-2011 at 6:46 pm
I only needed to read as far as “It’s tough to watch a football game”.
posted by Benny on 8-28-2011 at 1:44 am