In T-ball there our recreation department
used to have what was known as the "tenth batter rule" - which
stated that once the tenth batter hit the ball all running continued until
the ball was brought back to home plate. The rule was really intended to
limit the number of runs each half inning.
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T-ball games tend to be very high scoring,
'no-outs' games. One such game had the bases loaded when the "tenth
batter" came to the plate.
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The ball was hit hard, picked up and
thrown home as the first run scored. The catcher missed the ball and it
rolled to the backstop. Everyone began to yell for her to get the ball
and stand on the plate. All she heard was "...Stand on the plate!"
Which she did.
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As the umpire in that game, all I could
do was stand and watch all this unfold.
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The second runner scored - running around
the catcher. She just watched everyone coming at her. Now the coach was
yelling at the little catcher - his own daughter.
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She stood there on the plate as the third
run crossed the plate. Now Coach / Dad was out of the dugout yelling and
the little girl just stood watching the fourth run coming in from third.
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As the final run scored, she went over,
picked up the ball and gave it to the me. the umpire and headed back to
her dugout.
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She was so happy. She did what she was
suppose to do, "...stand on the plate."
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As an umpire I know, if it is in the
rule book or IT can happen, it will in T-ball. You may not have to can
balls and strikes but you better know every rule in the book.
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The favorite rule in T-ball is always
- year in and year out - the two (or more) runners on the same base at
the same time play.