How myths get perpetuated

[umpire_scott]

So I worked with a partner for the first time this weekend.  He was much better than some of the guys I am used to working these tournaments with so that was refreshing.  I had balked a kid in a game for something my partner did not catch and he was asking me about it.  He then adds "you know what is also a balk that no one realizes?  If the pitcher is in the windup then they step off and then take a position to go from the stretch".  I was like where did you hear that?  He said "it's the last line of that particular balk rule in the book, another umpire showed it to me".  I asked "was his name Jeff?".  He's like "yeah".  I told him "Jeff is interpreting that wrong".  The last line means that you can't go directly from the windup to the stretch.  You have to step off first.  I told him I posted this on here and many experienced umpires that umpire college baseball agreed that this is an improper interpretation.

 

I posted about a month ago where I worked with an umpire that was going around telling all these coaches about this balk rule that no one calls.  Below is the exact verbiage for the rule he says is a balk:

 

8.01(a) comment: In the windup position the pitcher is premitted to have his "free" foot on the rubber, in front of the rubber, behind the rubber or off the side of the rubber.  From the windup position the pitcher may:

(1) deliver the ball to the batter, or

(2) step and throw to a base in order to pick off a runner, or

(3) disengage the rubber (if he does this he must drop his hands to his side)

In disengaging the rubber the pitcher must step off with his pivot foot and not his free foot first.  He may not go into a stretch or set position - if he does it is a balk. 

 

His claim for those that did not read my previous post is that the bolded and underlined portion means that if they disengage properly and then reengage and go to the stretch or set it is a balk.  He claimed they have to make a play on a runner, then get the ball back before they can reengage the rubber and go from the stretch.

[Jocko]

[grayhawk]

Moe's thread about the proper way to appeal got me thinking about this subject.  I think that poorly informed umpires are more responsible for perpetuating myths than anyone else.  They make these stupid rulings during games and players, coaches and fans all buy it and then repeat it in other games.

[basejester]

Many of them come from learning rules by watching them enforced and generalizing wrong. They may even be generalizing rules or myths from other sports, e.g, "Hands are part of the ball" implies "Hands are part of the bat".

[Jeff C.]

Moe's thread about the proper way to appeal got me thinking about this subject.  I think that poorly informed umpires are more responsible for perpetuating myths than anyone else.  They make these stupid rulings during games and players, coaches and fans all buy it and then repeat it in other games.

Yep, and then you hear "But in our last game .....".

[Jocko]

Moe's thread about the proper way to appeal got me thinking about this subject.  I think that poorly informed umpires are more responsible for perpetuating myths than anyone else.  They make these stupid rulings during games and players, coaches and fans all buy it and then repeat it in other games.

and, delving deeper, some of those myths were enforced when we were kids playing. And they were never debunked by the players-become-umpires. Theyre just generically accpeted as fact. Then enforced. And the myth continues. Circle of life kinda sh!t.

[umpire_scott]

Why do people think that there are explicitly written rules that never get called for decades?  I can understand some of the common myths, but his one regarding the balk the dude that said it didn't even call it.  Right after he told me about it we had a pitcher do it in the game.  I of course was not going to call it as I thought he was wrong.  But he, the one who has been telling everyone and their mother, that it's a balk, also did not call it.  I guess I should be thankful that he didn't further perpetuate the myth by also calling it in games.  And he said that a coach first pointed it out to him and then he confirmed it with the rule book.

[goody14]

Plus, you have to be a little (OK a lot) type A to be an umpire.  The best ones have an unwavering confidence.  Put a little ignorance into that mixture and myths are sure to spread.

 

myth = ignorance + arrogance