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Learning the game...
Some Softball Definitions

Appeal Play:
        Is a play on which an umpire may not make a decision until requested by a manager, coach or player. The appeal may not be made after any one of the following had occurred:
        1.a legal or illegal hit
        2.the pitcher and all infielders have left fair territory
        3.the umpires have left the field of play
Base on Balls:
        Permits a batter to gain first base without liability to be put out and is awarded to a batter by the umpire when four pitches are judged to be out of the strike zone.
Base Line:
        An imaginary direct line between the bases.
Bunt:
        A ball that is intentionally tapped with the bat, slowly, within the infield. A bunt should never be considered an infield fly.
Catch:
        A legally caught ball, which occurs when the fielder catches a batted, pitched or thrown ball with the hand(s) or glove.
        1.In establishing a valid catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove complete control of it and/or that the release was voluntary and intentional. If a player drops the ball after reaching into the glove to remove it or while in the act of throwing, it is a valid catch.
        2.If the ball is merely held in the fielder’s arm(s) or prevented from dropping to the ground by some part of the fielder’s body, equipment or clothing, the catch is not complete until the ball is in the grasp of the fielder’s hand(s) or glove.
        3.The fielder’s feet must be within the field of play, touching the “out of play” line or in the air after leaving live ball territory in order to have a valid catch. A player who is out of play” and returns must have both feet touching the playable area or one foot touching or the other in the air, before a catch is legal.
        4.It is not a catch, if a fielder (while gaining control), collides with another player, umpire or fence, or falls to the ground and drops the ball as a result of the collision or falling to the ground.
        5.A ball which strikes anything other than a defensive player while it is in flight, is ruled the same as if it struck the ground.
        6.An illegally caught ball occurs when a fielder catches a batted or thrown ball with anything other than the hand(s) or glove in its proper place. Should the catcher catch any fly ball with the mask, the batter would not be out.
Dead Ball:
        The term used for a ball that:
        1.touches any object or player out of play.
        2.is lodged in umpire’s gear or in an offensive players clothing.
        3.the umpire has ruled dead. A dead ball line is considered in play.
Double Play:
        A play by the defense in which two offensive players are legally put out a result of continuous action.
Fair Ball:
        A batted ball shall be judged according to the relative position of the ball and the foul line, including the foul pole, and not as to whether the fielder is on fair or foul territory at the time the fielder touches the ball. It does not matter whether the ball first touches foul or fair territory, as ling as it does not touch anything foreign to the natural ground in foul territory and complies will all other aspects of a fair ball. A fair ball is a legally batter ball that:
        1.Settles or is touched on or over fair territory between home and the first base or between home and third base.
        2.Bounds over or past first or third base, which is in fair territory, regardless of where the ball hits after going over the bases.
        3.While on or over fair territory, touches the person, equipment or clothing of a player or an umpire.
        4.While over fair territory, a runner interferes with a defensive player attempting to field a batter ball.
        5.Touches first, second or third base.
        6.First falls or is first touched on or over fair territory beyond first, second or third base.
        7.While over fair territory, passes out of the playing field beyond the outfield fence.
        8.Hits the foul pole.
Fair Territory:
        That part of the playing field within, and including, the first and third base foul lines from home plate to the bottom of the playing field fence and perpendicularly upwards.
Fielder:
        Any player of the team in the field.
Fly Ball:
        Any ball batted in the field.
Force Out:
        An out which may be made only when a runner loses the right to the base that the runner is occupying because the batter becomes a batter-runner, and before the batter-runner or a succeeding runner has been put out. If the forced runner, after touching the next base, retreats for any reason towards the base last occupied, the force play is reinstated and the runner may again be put out if the defense tags the runner or the base to which the runner is forced.
Foul Ball:
        A batted ball that:
        1.Settles or is touched on or over foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base.
        2.Bounds or rolls past first or third base on or over foul territory.
        3.While over foul territory, a runner interferes with a defensive player attempting to field a batted ball.
        4.First hits the ground or is first touched over foul territory beyond first or third base. A caught fly ball is not a foul ball.
        5.Touches the batter or the bat in the batter’s hand(s) a second time while the batter is within the batter’s box.
        6.Goes directly from the bat, not higher than the batter’s head, to any part of the catcher’s body or equipment and is caught by another fielder.
Foul Tip:
        A batter ball that goes directly from the bat, not higher than the batter’s head, to the catcher’s hand(s) or glove and is legally caught by the catcher.
Infield:
        That portion of the field in fair territory that includes areas normally covered by infielders.
Infield Fly:
        A fair ball (not including a line drive or an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort when first and second bases or first, second and third bases are occupied before two are out. Any defensive player who takes a position in the infield at the start of the pitch shall be considered and infielder for the purpose of this rule. The infield fly is ruled when the ball reached the highest point based on the position of the closest infielder regardless who makes the play.   When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an infield fly, the umpire shall immediately declare: “Infield Fly”. The ball is live and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught. The runners can tag up and advance once the batted ball is touched (prior to catching), the same as on any fly ball. If a declared infield fly becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul.
Legal Tag:
        Runner: A legal tag occurs when a runner or batter-runner that is not touching a base is tagged by the ball while it is securely held in a fielder’s hand(s) or glove. The ball is not considered as having been securely held if it is juggled or dropped by the fielder after tagging the runner, unless the runner deliberately knocks the ball from the hand(s) or glove of the fielder.
        Base: Once the defensive player has control of the ball in his hand(s) or glove, he may touch the base with any part of his body to be a legal touch. (E.g. The defensive player could touch the base with his foot, with his empty hand, sit on the base, etc.) This would apply in force out or appeal situations.
Line Drive:
        A fly ball that is batted sharply and directly into the playing field. A line drive will never be considered an infield fly.
Obstruction:
        Obstruction is the act of:
        1.A defensive player or team member which hinders or prevents a batter from striking at or hitting the pitched ball.
        2.A fielder, who is not:
         a.In possession of the ball.
         b.In the act of fielding a batted ball.
         c.About to receive a thrown ball, which impedes the progress of a runner or batter-runner that is legally running bases. Contact is not necessary to impede the progress of the runner.
On-Deck Batter:
        The offensive player whose name follows the name of the batter in the batting order.
Outfield:
        That portion of the field in fair territory which is normally covered by outfielders.
Overthrow:
        When a thrown ball from a fielder goes beyond the boundary lines of the playing field (dead ball territory) or becomes a blocked ball.
Play Ball:
        Term used by the plate umpire to indicate that play shall start; it shall not be declared until all defensive players are in fair territory except the catcher, who must be in the catcher’s box, and all runners are properly on base.
Protests:
        There are three types of protests:
        1.Misinterpretation of a playing rule.
        2.Illegal player.
        3.Ineligible player.
Runner:
        An offensive player who has reached first base and has not yet been put out.
Sacrifice Fly:
        Scored when, with fewer than two outs, the batter scores a runner with a fly ball or line drive that is:
        1.Caught.
        2.Dropped by any fielder and, in the scorer’s judgment, the runner could have scored after the catch had the fly ball or line drive been caught.
Strike Zone:
        With the batter in a natural batting stance adjacent to home plate, the strike zone is that space over any part of home plate between the batter’s:
        1.(Slow Pitch Only) Back shoulder and the front knee.
        2.(Fast Pitch Only) Arm pits and the top of the knees.
Trapped Ball:
        A trapped ball is:
        1.A batted fly ball or a line drive which hits the ground or a fence prior to being caught.
        2.A thrown ball to any base for a force out which is caught with the glove over the ball on the ground rather than under the ball.
        3.(Fast Pitch Only) A pitched ball which touches the ground on a strike prior to the catcher catching it.
Time:
        Term used by the umpire calling for the suspension of play.
Triple Play:
        A play by the defense in which three offensive players are legally put out as a result of continuous action.
Turn at Bat:
        Begins when a player enters the batter’s box and continues until the player is substituted for, put out, or becomes a batter-runner while at bat.
Wild Pitch:
        (Fast Pitch Only) A legally delivered ball that the catcher cannot catch or stop and control with ordinary effort.







The Umpire
author unknown (and I have adapted the poem a bit)
Of all the thankless jobs on earth, wheneverDuty calls;The worst is his who must decide betweenThe strikes and balls.Who always has to say at once if it is foulOr fair;When some determined player hits theSoftball in the air?The one whose eyes must rove the fieldAnd cover every base;And figure if the defense or the runner wonThe race.He is the softball umpire who must bePrepared to talk;When there is an argument about a run orWalk.But whether crowds stand up and cheer, orPolitely boo and shout;He is the one the softball world can neverBe without.


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