has it ever been illegal to carry the bat to first bases

[Guest Bucci]

has it ever been illegal to carry the baseball bat to first base?

[The Man in Blue]

In the rule sets I am familiar with, there is no rule saying the batter must discard the bat.  Always fun to point that out if throwing the bat becomes an issue.  “What do you want him to do Blue?!”  “There’s no rule saying he can’t hang on to it, Coach.”

 

I don’t know about historically ... 

[Lou B]

Having the bat in your hands could come in handy when a fielder is trying to tag you out! 

[Richvee]

It’s an unwritten rule. Had it not been the World Series, there very well may have been retaliation. You may still see some next spring. 

[beerguy55]

It's never been a rule - this was brought up by self-titled know-it-alls watching Major League claiming Cerrano should have been called out for carrying the bat around the bases on his home run - no...he should not.

In fact, you can carry it around the bases on a live ball (if you really want to try to run the bases with a bat in your hand) - as long as it doesn't interfere with any play.

[Jimurray]

One technique to cure bat throwers is to make them carry the bat to 1B.

[noumpere]

I seem to recall that it used to be the standard to carry the bar. No, I don't have any specific reference and it might just be anecdotal, or it was the standard in one local league of something. 

[Tborze]

24 minutes ago, noumpere said:

I seem to recall that it used to be the standard to carry the bar. No, I don't have any specific reference and it might just be anecdotal, or it was the standard in one local league of something. 

Babe Ruth?

[scrounge]

It's one of the myriad of grumpy old men unwritten rules from the baseball dinosaurs.    Don't like it? Don't give up a HR.

[Rich Ives]

2 hours ago, noumpere said:

I seem to recall that it used to be the standard to carry the bar. No, I don't have any specific reference and it might just be anecdotal, or it was the standard in one local league of something. 

If you remember that you're a lot older than me.

 

[Richvee]

4 hours ago, scrounge said:

It's one of the myriad of grumpy old men unwritten rules from the baseball dinosaurs.    Don't like it? Don't give up a HR.

So add Chris Singleton to the  grumpy old dinosaur list.  I happened to be in the car that nigh  listening on ESPN  radio. Singleton adamant about it. You don’t do that. Said he’s pretty sure it will “be addressed “ in spring training. 

[Senor Azul]

The 1860 Beadle's Dime Base-Ball Player was the very first baseball guide ever published for commercial sale to the public. It had the then-current baseball rules and even instructions on how to play the game as evidenced by the following bit of text about batting--

The Batsman, when he has hit the ball, should drop his bat, not throw it behind him, and run for the first base, not waiting to hear whether the ball has been declared foul or not, as if it be a foul ball, he can easily return to the base, but should it be fair, he will be well on his way to the base.

 ***

Note that the book does not mention any prohibition by the rules for carrying the bat when running. In addition to the 1860 rules, I checked the 1872, 1900, 1925, and 1950 rule books and found nothing concerning a batter-runner carrying the bat while running the bases.

Obviously there are a lot of years I did not check but I would be willing to bet that there never was a pro baseball rule against a BR carrying a bat to first base. I think that’s because until now it has never become an issue--additionally, home runs were not very common until about 1920. Also, there are questions as to why a runner would want to slow himself down by carrying the bat or open himself up to more possible interference calls.

[Senor Azul]

While it is a baseball myth, it's not totally a softball myth. I found the following rule for NSA Slow Pitch softball that makes it illegal to carry the bat to first base--there are probably other slow-pitch softball leagues that make it illegal as well and I am sure that that is a contributing factor to the baseball myth.

2019 NSA Slow Pitch rule 8-6k

Any batter-runner who carries the bat and legally reaches or touches first base, while still holding the bat, during a live ball situation (including a homerun, see exception), will be declared out…

[Phu Bai]

 I wonder if anybody carried the bat to first base after hitting a home run off Bob Gibson? Then did that same batter ever do it a second time?

 

[yawetag]

On 11/2/2019 at 6:10 PM, Senor Azul said:

Any batter-runner who carries the bat and legally reaches or touches first base, while still holding the bat, during a live ball situation (including a homerun, see exception), will be declared out…

For my curiousty, what's the exception?

[beerguy55]

2 hours ago, yawetag said:

For my curiousty, what's the exception?

The rule says "live ball situation"...I expect a dead ball home run would be the exception, meaning, the guy is out even though it's a dead ball.   Probably mentions GRD too.  

[WilsonFlyer]

On 11/2/2019 at 9:25 AM, noumpere said:

I seem to recall that it used to be the standard to carry the bar. No, I don't have any specific reference and it might just be anecdotal, or it was the standard in one local league of something. 

I sometimes carry a bar with me in the back of the truck depending on the level and who I'm working with.

[The Man in Blue]

12 hours ago, WilsonFlyer said:

I sometimes carry a bar with me in the back of the truck depending on the level and who I'm working with.

I need to work games with you!  Wait, you did mean this, right:
 

[Lou B]

Now THAT's Funny!!! 

[Aging_Arbiter]

.....................all because @noumpere missed by ONE KEY on the keyboard............

[beerguy55]

1 hour ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

.....................all because @noumpere missed by ONE KEY on the keyboard............

I just figured we were talking about slow pitch

[noumpere]

1 hour ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

.....................all because @noumpere missed by ONE KEY on the keyboard............

Glad I could help.

 

[The Man in Blue]

10 hours ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

.....................all because @noumpere missed by ONE KEY on the keyboard............

[Senor Azul]

Ken Burns’ documentary film Baseball is now available on Amazon Prime. I was watching episode 4 (the 4^th inning) about the 1920's and with about 14 minutes remaining at the end it was discussing Babe Ruth’s record of 60 homers in 1927. It said that by the month of September as the possibility of the Babe breaking his own record of 59 homers in a season became more and more likely that Babe Ruth started to carry his bat around the bases on home runs so that his favorite bat would not be stolen by souvenir seekers.

[Replacematt]

On 11/6/2019 at 7:59 AM, Aging_Arbiter said:

.....................all because @noumpere missed by ONE KEY on the keyboard............

That's why I don't use the word "regards" anymore.