Be the Referee: Balks
May 27, 2015
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the often-misunderstood baseball balk rule.
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment - Balks - Listen
One of the most misunderstood rules in all levels of baseball deals with the pitcher and the balk rule.
The balk rule is in place to make sure that the pitcher does not cheat to gain an unfair advantage on a baserunner who is either attempting to steal a base or advance to that next base.
In high school, whenever a pitcher commits a balk, the ball becomes dead immediately. The pitch does not count, and simply, all runners on base advance one base.
Under professional rules, when watching the Tigers, you’ll notice that if the pitcher balks – and it’s followed immediately by a pitch – and the hitter then puts the ball in play – and advances to at least first base – the balk is ignored, and we now go based on the ball put in play.
Past editions
May 18 - Baseball Pace of Play - Listen
May 11 - Fair or Foul Ball? - Listen
May 4 - Non-Glare Helmets - Listen
April 27 - Vern L. Norris Award - Listen
March 23 - Deciding the Game - Listen
March 16 - Block/Charge Call - Listen
March 9 - Dive on the Floor - Listen
March 2 - Primary Areas - Listen
Feb. 23 - Too Much TV - Listen
Feb. 16 - Video Clip Library - Listen
Feb. 9 - Cheer Safety - Listen
Feb. 2 - Basketball PA Announcers - Listen
Jan. 26 - Wrestling Health Concerns - Listen
Jan. 19 - Basketball Physical Contact - Listen
Jan. 12 - Video Review Part 2 - Listen
Dec. 29 - Video Review Part 1 - Listen
Dec. 17 - Registration Part 2 - Listen
Dec. 10 - Registration Part 1 - Listen
Dec. 3 - Legacy Program - Listen
Nov. 26 - Sideline Management - Listen
Nov. 19 - 7-Person Mechanics - Listen
Nov. 12 - Blocking Below the Waist - Listen
Nov. 5 - Tournament Selection - Listen
Oct. 29 - Uncatchable Pass - Listen
Oct. 22 - Preparation for Officials - Listen
Oct. 15 - Automatic First Downs - Listen
Oct. 8 - Officials & Injuries - Listen
Oct. 1 - Overtime - Listen
Sept. 25 - Field Goals - Listen
Sept. 18 - Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 11 - Pass Interference - Listen
Aug. 25 - Targeting - Listen
Be the Referee: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
November 19, 2024
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Do you know the two main differences between 8-player and 11-player football?
The name gives away one … 8-player is played with 3 less players.
The other difference is the field size. An 11-player field is 120 yards long and 53½ yards wide. An 8-player field in Michigan is the same length, but 40 yards wide, which moves the hash marks in as well.
But other than those two differences, the rules of football remain pretty much the same. At least five players on offense must be on the line of scrimmage at the snap, and each offensive player must be within 12 yards of the spot of the ball when snapped.
High school overtime rules are the same – each team gets four downs from the 10-yard line to score.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen