The document defines various roles and responsibilities of softball umpires as well as common softball terminology. It explains that umpires ensure rules are followed and calls are accurate. The home plate umpire calls balls/strikes and plays at home plate. Base umpires watch plays at bases and stolen bases. Line umpires call fair/foul balls down the lines. It then provides definitions for 44 common softball terms including balls, strikes, outs, and bases.
The document defines various roles and responsibilities of softball umpires as well as common softball terminology. It explains that umpires ensure rules are followed and calls are accurate. The home plate umpire calls balls/strikes and plays at home plate. Base umpires watch plays at bases and stolen bases. Line umpires call fair/foul balls down the lines. It then provides definitions for 44 common softball terms including balls, strikes, outs, and bases.
The document defines various roles and responsibilities of softball umpires as well as common softball terminology. It explains that umpires ensure rules are followed and calls are accurate. The home plate umpire calls balls/strikes and plays at home plate. Base umpires watch plays at bases and stolen bases. Line umpires call fair/foul balls down the lines. It then provides definitions for 44 common softball terms including balls, strikes, outs, and bases.
The document defines various roles and responsibilities of softball umpires as well as common softball terminology. It explains that umpires ensure rules are followed and calls are accurate. The home plate umpire calls balls/strikes and plays at home plate. Base umpires watch plays at bases and stolen bases. Line umpires call fair/foul balls down the lines. It then provides definitions for 44 common softball terms including balls, strikes, outs, and bases.
SOFTBALL TERMINOLOGIES NAMES: GAME OFFICIALS AND THEIR DUTIES Softball officials are known as umpires, and each has a different responsibility depending on where he covers the field.
The umpires must ensure the rules of the
game are followed, and there is a decisive winner and loser based on fair play and accurate calls based upon what happens in the game. HOME PLATE UMPIRE Umpires working home plate in a softball game have the most responsibility of any umpire on the field. They must call every pitch a ball, strike or foul within a strike zone which varies from batter to batter. This requires the umpire to pay close attention to each pitch and the number of balls and strikes with each batter, as well as how the pitcher pitches the ball and whether he is doing it legally or not. They must also pay attention to other rules pertaining to batters and catchers,The home plate umpire must also call base runners out or safe at home plate, which are also often game-deciding calls. BASE UMPIRE First base umpires usually have the most challenging job of the three, as many close plays are made at first base. They must watch the base to see if the runner beat an attempted out and is safe, or if the throw beat them and they are out. These umpires must also watch baserunners who are stealing bases and determine if they were tagged out, picked off, or if they made it to the bag before the tag was made. These umpires must also watch the pitcher, to see if they are pitching illegally. LINE UMPIRE While these umpires are not always needed in smaller league games, they are often hired to simply watch balls hit down the lines of the outfield and decide whether the ball is fair or foul. If the ball lands on or inside the white line, it is fair. If it lands outside the white line, it is foul. These umpires also have the final call on whether home runs bounced off the top of the wall are fair or not. text S O FTBALL TERMINOLOGIES 1. Appeal Play A play upon which an umpire cannot make a decision until requested by a player. The appeal must be made before the next ball is delivered to the batter
2. Ball A legally pitched ball that does not enter the strike zone (four balls equals a walk)
3. Base Path An imaginary line three feet to either side or direct line between the bases.
4. Bases Home plate is one corner of a diamond with bases at each corner. 5. Batter's Box Box marked with chalk near home plate that a batter must stay within while batting.
6. Batter/Baserunner A player who has finished his her turn at bat, but has not yet been put out or touched first base.
7. Bunt An illegally tapped ball not swung at, but intentionally met with the bat and tapped slowly within the infield.
8. Catcher's Box An area which the catcher must stand while and until the pitcher delivers a pitched ball. 9. Dead Ball Ball is not in play and is not considered in play again until the pitcher is within 8 feet of the pitcher's mound and the umpires has called "Play Ball".
10. Double play
A play in which the defense records two outs.
11. Fair Ball
Any batted ball which settles on fair territory between home and first base or home and third base;
12. Fair Territory
Fair territory is that part of the playing field within and including the first and third base foul line 13. Fly ball ball hit up in the air to the outfield
14. Foul Lines
Two lines (first and third base line) that distinguish fair territory from foul territory.
15.Foul Tip A foul ball which goes directly from the bat, not higher than the batter's head, to the catcher's hand and is legally caught.
16. Force Out
when the runner has to advance to the next base to make room for the following base runner. 17. Grounder A ball that is hit on the ground.
18. Hit A batted ball that allows a batter to safely reach base.
19. Home Run
Fair ball hit over the outfield fence between the two foul poles.
20. Illegally Caught Ball
Occurs when a fielder catches a batted or thrown ball with his/her cap, glove, or any part of his/her uniform while it is detached from his/her proper place. 21. Infield The infield is that portion of the field in fair territory which includes areas normally covered by infielders
22. In Jeopardy A term indicating that a ball is in play and an offensive player may be put out.
23. Interference The act of a defensive player which hinders or prevents a batter from striking or hitting a pitched ball, or the act of an offensive player, which impedes, hinders, or confuses a defensive player while attempting to execute a play.
24. Line Drive
Ball hit with a trajectory almost parallel to the ground. 25. Obstruction The act of a fielder, while not in possession of the ball or in the act of fielding a batted ball, which impedes the progress of a base runner who is legally running bases.
26. On deck the next batter
27. Out of Play
A ball that has gone past the out of play boundary lines.
28. Outfield The part of the field beyond the diamond, or infield. It is occupied by the fielders and it is farthest from the batsman. 29. Pitcher's Mound Located near the center of the diamond it is the spot from where the pitcher throws the ball.
30. Pivot Foot
The foot which the pitcher must keep in contact with the pitcher's plateuntil the ball is delivered.
31. Play Ball
indicate that play shall begin or resume.
32. Pop Up ball hit up in the air to the infield 33. Run An offensive player safely tags home plate.
34. Sacrifice Fly
A fair fly ball which enables any runner to advance or enables a runner to score, but which results in the batter/runner to be out.
35. Sacrifice A batter strategically hits the ball into an out situation to advance or score a runner. Usually a “sacrifice bunt” or “sacrifice fly.”
36. Safe Called when a base runner reaches a base without getting tagged out or avoids a force out. 37. Strike Term used when a ball is swung at and missed or is called when the ball enters the strike zone and is not swung at all.
38. Strike Out
Occurs during an at-bat when a batter accumulates three strikes, at which point the at bat ends and the player is called out.
39. Strike Zone
The ball passes the batter over the plate between their chest and knees.
40. Tag out
A base runner that is not on a base when she or he is tagged by a player with the ball. The defense must create three "outs" before it can switch to defense. Outs can be by strike out, force out, fly out or tag out. 41. Time Term used by the umpire to order the suspension of play.
42. Triple Play
A play during which the defense records three outs.
43. Turn at Bat
Begins when a player first enters the batter's box and continues until he is out or becomes a baserunner.
44. Walk Player advances to 1st base when 4 consecutive pitches were called as balls.
