Any Iowa high school umpires in here? (Question about double-base at 1B...)

[SeeingEyeDog]

I saw some remarks on a YouTube discussion today regarding the new field specifications under OBR to try and reduce RLI. In that discussion, someone unknown to me mentioned that Iowa "will have" the double-base at 1B this season for high school baseball. The new rules are OBR but, I guess Iowa is trying to get out in front of this for high school baseball? Maybe? I don't know...I don't work Iowa.

Can anyone please confirm or provide more context regarding the use of the double-base at 1B? Is this a suggestion or a requirement, etc.?

~Dawg

[Thunderheads]

It's typically only seen in softball.  And, ... you can't believe ANYTHING you see/read on youtube 😉

That said, ...there MAY BE someone out there that knows something.   I'd think that this is something that's FAR TOO NEW for anyone to get ahead of for the 2024 season, but who knows

[Senor Azul]

The use of a double first base is permitted by state association adoption (NFHS rule 1-2-9). There are a couple of case book plays about double first base also.

[SeeingEyeDog]

2 hours ago, Senor Azul said:

The use of a double first base is permitted by state association adoption (NFHS rule 1-2-9). There are a couple of case book plays about double first base also.

Yes! The poster on that YT thread mentioned that NFHS citation. Clearly, the states now have the option. I'm just really curious if Iowa (or any other state athletic associations) are rolling this out for high school baseball...

~Dawg

[noumpere]

1 hour ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Clearly, the states now have the option.

 

The states have had the option for tens of years.

[SeeingEyeDog]

16 minutes ago, noumpere said:

The states have had the option for tens of years.

Clearly, the states are possibly considering implementation of an option they have had for years...

~Dawg

[Velho]

Note: I have zero direct Iowa HS knowledge but I found the below.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/07/22/iowa-high-school-baseball-state-tournament-new-london-remsen-st-marys-score-ihsaa/10040921002/

[Velho]

Pinged a former Iowan friend:

"It’s permitted - not required.  Simply to reduce injuries from collisions at first base.  I’m sure a player at one point in time was seriously injured, with the state population only 3.2 million it was easy to implement"

He also said that, since optional, it is done field by field. Been there since approx. late 90s

[humanbackstop19]

Iowa has had the double base for 20+ years.  Every HS field uses it as a state mandated adoption, not option. IMOP, in 20+ years being around it as a coach and umpire, it causes more confusion and train wrecks at 1st base than not having one.  1B man routinely cross over to the orange trying to hold the bag to field a throw as the runner arrives and BOOM!  Dropped 3rd strikes are a nightmare to officiate as there is no clarification on what bag the fielder has a right to after his initial set-up (batted ball is much more clear)- it just states they can use either bag to retire the runner in this situation.  All this, plus it mathematically puts RH batters at even more disadvantage to run through the orange, which they don't. 

[The Man in Blue]

In the state adoption section, NFHS (baseball, anyway) does not provide any information on the double first base other than it may be used. 

Here is what Iowa says . . . seems pretty simple to me.  I don't even umpire in Iowa and I found it in a matter of moments.

TLDR:

• It is mandatory, not optional. 
• Defense may ONLY use the colored portion on a U3K. 
• If the defense goes colored, the offense should (not must) go white.
• Once the initial play is over, the colored portion does not exist for anybody.

https://www.iahsaa.org/manuals/baseball/

 

Safe-Base (Double First Base) Mandatory

The batter-runner should use the orange base on initial plays at first base, unless the fielder is drawn to the orange base (because of a dropped third strike) in which case the batter runner would go to the white base. Only on a dropped third strike may the fielder touch the orange or white base to retire a batter runner. Any other plays at first base other than a dropped third strike, the fielder must touch the white base or the runner in order to retire a batter/runner. The runner may touch the white or orange base on a dropped third strike, depending on the fielder’s coverage of first base. The fielder must use the white base to retire a batter runner, except on a dropped third strike. A batter runner is never out for touching the white base rather than the orange base, when touching first base the first time. Once the batter runner reaches first base, the batter runner must always return to the white base.