Unique-Sports Quiz: You Make the Call

10 Points- Major League Manager             7-9 Points- Assistant Coach          

5-6 Points-High School Coach

3-4 Points- Little League Coach  0-2 Points- First time playing baseball?

1)     A right handed batter hits a hard ground ball down the third baseline, into the left field corner. The ball gets lodged between the ground and the fence with half the ball still poking out in play. The left fielder attempts to pick up the baseball and shortly after throws up his hands to declare the ball is dead. What’s the call?

A)     It is a live ball            

B)     Ground Rule Double               

C)      Ball is dead and runner goes back to base occupied when the ball entered the fence

D)     Home Run

2)     A fly ball is hit near the first base foul line. The pitcher and first baseman both run for the baseball and collide while attempting to make the catch. The ball hits the ground fair, half way between home plate and first base without making contact with either the pitcher or first baseman and rolls foul. What’s the Call?

A)     Fair Ball

B)     Dead Ball

C)     Foul Ball

D)    Ground Rule Double

3)     A batter swings at a third strike thrown in the dirt and blocked by the catcher. The ball rolls towards the foot of the hitter, and the hitter unintentionally kicks the ball into foul territory. The catcher picks up the kicked ball, but the runner beats the throw to first. What’s the call?

A)     Runner is safe

B)     Runner is out

4)     Runner on first and second base and no one is out. The pitcher jump turns to pick off the runner on first base but discovers the first baseman is not by the bag (note the pitcher did not step off before making the pickoff attempt).  In an attempt to not throw the ball away, the pitcher throws the ball to the ground about 5 feet in front of himself. What’s the call?

A)     Live ball

B)     Dead ball, no pitch

C)     Balk, runners advance one base

5)     On a 4-6-3 double play, the shortstop short hops the first baseman on his throw causes him to drop the ball and the runner is safe at first base. Who is the error charged to?

A)     Shortstop

B)     There is no error

C)     First Baseman

D)    Second Baseman

6)     Runner on second base with two outs. The hitter hits a line drive up the middle that strikes the umpire. What’s the call?

A)     Live ball, continue play

B)     Ground rule double

C)     Batter is out

D)    Dead ball, hitter is awarded first base and runner on second remains oat second.

7)     In a two strike count the hitter swings and fouls the ball into the catcher’s knee. The ball pops up in front of the plate and the catcher is able to catch the ball before it hits the ground. What’s the call?

A)     Foul Ball

B)     Out, Recorded as a strikeout

C)     Out, Recorded as a pop out

D)    Dead ball

8)     With a two strike count, the hitter squares to bunt and the ball is bunted foul. What’s the call?

A)     Foul Ball, batter stays for next pitch

B)     Foul Ball, Batter is out

9)     If you were a Major League Umpire, how long does the pitcher have to deliver the ball to the plate when all other bases are unoccupied?

A)     10 seconds

B)     20 seconds

C)     22 seconds

D)    12 seconds

10)  Runner on first and second base with one out. The batter hits a pop fly to the pitcher’s mound that is eventually dropped by the pitcher. While the ball was in the air, the runner on second base ran all the way to home and scored. What’s the call?

A)     Infield Fly. Batter is out; runner on second scores the run.

B)     Infield Fly. Batter is out and runner on second is out because ball is dead once infield fly is called and he tried to advance.

C)     No ruling, ball is live.

Answer Sheet:

1)     (A) It’s a live ball. Once the outfielder makes and attempt to field the baseball, the ball will remain live. If the outfielder would have thrown up his hands without attempting to dislodge the ball, the call would have been a ground rule double.

2)     (C) Foul ball. If the ball hits fair without making contact with a player or umpire and rolls foul before first or third base, then it is a foul ball.

3)     (A) Runner is safe. If the umpire judges that the kick of the ball is unintentional, then the runner is sage. If the umpires judgment was that the hitter intentional kick the ball, then the hitter would be called for interference and would be called out.

4)     (C) Balk. Each runner one base will advance to the next base. When a pitcher does a quick move over to first base, he is required to make and attempt to get the runner out at first. Since he tried to prevent the runners from moving up a base by throwing the ball into the ground, a balk is called. If the pitcher steps off the rubber first, then he is not required to make a throw to first.

5)     (B) There is no error. By rule, as a score keeper you cannot assume a double play. So after the first out is made, no error can be made on an attempt to continue the double play at first base.

6)     (D) Dead ball. If a batted ball strikes an umpire in fair territory, the ball will be announced dead and the batter will be awarded first base. Runners only advance if they are forced.

7)     (B) Out, recorded as a strikeout. Since the ball hit of the catchers knee and was caught it would be seen as a foul tip and a strikeout will be recorded.  

8)     (B) Foul ball, batter is out. On an attempted bunt on a third strike. If the ball is bunted foul, the batter will be called out.

9)     (D) 12 seconds. The time starts once the pitcher has received the ball back from the catcher and the hitter is in the box ready to hit. The time stops when the pitch is delivered.

10)  (A) Infield fly, batter is out and runner scores. An infield fly is designed to protect the offense from an intentional drop to turn a double play. An infield fly is applied when runners are on first and second or bases load with less than two outs. Once infield fly is called by the umpire, the batter is out, but the base runners must play it like any other fly ball throughout the game. If the ball is dropped there is not penalty to the runner in this situation. But if the ball had been caught, a force out could have been made at second base after the catch.