What year did MLB institute the check swing appeal to 1st/3rd base umpire?

[twinhipper]

http://baseball-fever.com/images/smilies/help.gif
What year did MLB institute the check swing appeal to 1st/3rd base umpire?

I had someone from Yahoo Q/A say "It has been part of the game since the advent of base umpires in the early years of the modern era."

I've been watching baseball the last 40 yrs and I don't remember the check swing appeal in the 60s & 70s. Does anyone have a ballpark year this rule was implemented?

http://baseball-fever.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif
I personally don't like the rule. A check swing is an art just like a left handed pitcher holding a runner close at 1st.

[ipitch]

[url]I personally don't like the rule. A check swing is an art just like a left handed pitcher holding a runner close at 1st.

What's not to like about the 1st and 3rd base umpires helping the home plate umpire make a call? Without their help there would be more bad calls.

[bluezebra]

http://baseball-fever.com/images/smilies/help.gif
What year did MLB institute the check swing appeal to 1st/3rd base umpire?

I had someone from Yahoo Q/A say "It has been part of the game since the advent of base umpires in the early years of the modern era."

I've been watching baseball the last 40 yrs and I don't remember the check swing appeal in the 60s & 70s. Does anyone have a ballpark year this rule was implemented?

http://baseball-fever.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif
I personally don't like the rule. A check swing is an art just like a left handed pitcher holding a runner close at 1st.

I've been watching baseball the last 40 yrs and I don't remember the check swing appeal in the 60s & 70s. Does anyone have a ballpark year this rule was implemented?

You weren't paying attention, or have a short memory. I started umpiring in 1956, and the check swing appeal was part of our mechanics.

Bob

[bluezebra]

What's not to like about the 1st and 3rd base umpires helping the home plate umpire make a call? Without their help there would be more bad calls.

Why do you use the term, "bad calls"? Try getting behind the plate, and determine EVERY time whether the batter swung or held up in time. Especially when the catcher stands up just as the pitch reaches the plate. In my career, I've had that happen HUNDREDS of times.

Bob

[ipitch]

Why do you use the term, "bad calls"? Try getting behind the plate, and determine EVERY time whether the batter swung or held up in time. Especially when the catcher stands up just as the pitch reaches the plate. In my career, I've had that happen HUNDREDS of times.

Bob

I know, I was an umpire. I should have said there'd be more bad calls and more incorrect calls.

[bluezebra]

I know, I was an umpire. I should have said there'd be more bad calls and more incorrect calls.

I repeat. They're not 'bad calls'. They're calls that cannot always be made correctly by the PU. That doesn't make them 'bad'.

Bob

[mordeci]

the players have only been able to ask for the appeal since the '80s. before that it was up to the homeplate umpire to ask for help, which rarely happened.

[KCGHOST]

Maybe my memory is faulty but I recal it being done in the mid-50's. And I never recall it being the player being able to mandate the appeal. I thought, like a batter's request for time out, that it was up to the home plate umpire to ask for the help.

[bluezebra]

Maybe my memory is faulty but I recal it being done in the mid-50's. And I never recall it being the player being able to mandate the appeal. I thought, like a batter's request for time out, that it was up to the home plate umpire to ask for the help.

The catcher asks the PU to check with his partner. The PU then checks with his (appropiate) partner if it was a 'swing', or 'no swing'. The PU may initiate the request if he/she is screened by the catcher. The offense may not appeal a checked swing.

Bob

[bluezebra]

the players have only been able to ask for the appeal since the '80s. before that it was up to the homeplate umpire to ask for help, which rarely happened.

Where did you come up with this misinformation?

Bob

[ipitch]

I repeat. They're not 'bad calls'. They're calls that cannot always be made correctly by the PU. That doesn't make them 'bad'.

Bob

You need to go back and read what I wrote. The original poster said that he doesn't like the fact that the PU can ask the other umpires for help on check swings. I said "without their help there would be more bad calls", meaning there'd be more bad calls (overall) in baseball games if they had to make those calls on their own. I hate to tell you, but even when an umpire's vision is NOT blocked, they will still occasionally make a bad call.

And, BTW, I think MLB umpires do a GREAT job.

[LCB]

In fact, there was no rule change. As an umpire from the '50s stated, home plate umpires have always sought help occasionally from base umpires on half swings. But in the "old days," umpires had way too much pride to "ask" for help. And every catcher knew never to show up Blue by gesturing for help. If the ump needed help, he had a secret sign worked out with the appropriate base umpire, much like the 1/3 base coaches have with hitters and runners. And if the catcher really thought "he went around," he would quietly ask Blue to look for help. Times have changed.