The baseball strikeout throw-around

[Wrath]

K, so, after third strike, and with no one on base, the catcher will throw the ball to the 3rd baseman, who hurls it over to the... shortstop who then chucks it to... the 2nd baseman, who then passes it on to... the 3rd baseman again, who finally delivers the seams back to the mound.

Well, what about Mr. Lonely in the infield? Mr. Who on first snubbed by Mr. What... why doesn't HE get involved in the party? Is he too cool for such antics, or too antisocial for the other 3 celebrants? How and why did this ritual begin, and what gives?

[KneadToKnow]

It was explained to me that the first sacker gets enough exercise in the regular course of action (throws to first to hold the runner, dropped third strikes, bang-bang plays, etc.) that his arm will tend to stay loose enough not to need additional work. The others may not be so lucky.

[BobT]

He's only a first baseman. He's not a real infielder.

Besides with most first basemen, you don't want them throwing the ball around, even in practice. Watch Mo Vaughn sometimes.

[Wrath]

Okay, I've heard these before, and I generally agree...

But seriously, it's a celebration for the team, and to snub number 3 on the infield (The ONLY one in the infield who doesn't touch the ball after a strikeout) is tantamount to saying "you're not on the team, so you don't get to celebrate."

I'm more convinced that there's a real superstition involved (baseball players are the most superstitious of any sport). Help me out here!

Oh, yeah: I was a first baseman in h.s. and currently in softball....

[BobT]

OK, I have an alternate reason.

The pitcher is warming up between innings. Meanwhile, the first baseman is rolling warmup grounders to the infielders.

On the last warmup, the catcher throws the ball down to second base and it gets whipped around among second, third, and shortstop, but not the first baseman.

Why?

I think it's because the first baseman usually has a ball in his hand or is throwing his warmup ball back to the dugout. So, he's preoccupied. The strikeout "round the horn"
could be a vestige of this.

The easiest reason is: Because that's the way it's done.

[voguevixen]

I seem to remember the "around the horn" maneuver evoleved from the Negro leagues practice of entertaining the people in the stands between plays so they wouldn't get bored and leave. (It was more of a clowning, juggling sort of thing.)

I was thinking I'd read this in my "Idiot's Guide to Baseball" by Johnny Bench, but a quick flip through didn't find any reference to it except to say it's from first to second (or short) to third when there's no one on base. I'm guessing I'd heard it from one of the color guys during a radio or televised game, so in other words it's likely to be bunk. I've personally never noticed that first base gets left out after a strikeout.