# Explain the bases to me **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 13, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056 "2005-04-13T00:51:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cherry8943](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Cherry8943](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cherry8943)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/1 "2005-04-13T00:51:50Z")
In sexual terms what is: 1st base? 2nd base? 3rd base? I assume a homerun is sex? ---
**Author:** ![pasunejen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@pasunejen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pasunejen)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/2 "2005-04-13T00:54:49Z")
I’ve heard at least two systems (and it’s caused some confusion between me and one of my friends in the past…) Both say a homerun is sex, but System 1: 1st base: kiss/hand up shirt 2nd base: hands meet naughty bits 3rd base: oral System 2: 1st base: kiss 2nd base: hand up shirt 3rd base: hands meet naughty bits / wet 3rd: oral For what it’s worth, I’ve only encountered the second system from one person. However, she says it was common where she grew up (southern New Jersey). ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/3 "2005-04-13T00:57:23Z")
I always understood it as: 1st base - Kissing 2nd Base - Breast Fondling 3rd Base - Hand genital contact (fingering) Home Run - Sex ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/4 "2005-04-13T01:13:51Z")
Another vote for the [Kiss -\> Hand-to-Breast -\> Hand-to-Genital -\> Sex] base system. In fact, upon a quick poll of friends via AIM, you can add three more votes for that system (and one confused “…‘bases’?” if you’re interested). ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/5 "2005-04-13T01:18:32Z")
> [@Roland Orzabal](#): > > Another vote for the [Kiss -\> Hand-to-Breast -\> Hand-to-Genital -\> Sex] base system. Yet another. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/6 "2005-04-13T01:21:29Z")
1st base: kissing on the lips 2nd base: groping of the body. Chest, butt, thights, breasts 3rd base: contact between the sex organs of one person and some part of the other persons body that aren’t sex organs. Handjobs, blowjobs, fingering, etc 4th base: sex ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/7 "2005-04-13T01:29:36Z")
On Deck - Having plans for a date Strike-Out - Duh!! Walk - Kissing Bunt - Masturbation Single - Tongue kissing Double - Breasts/chest touched, some clothes off, lots of grabbing and feels Triple - Most of the clothes off, genital contact, mutual masturbation Inside the park home run - Oral Sex Home Run - SEX! Ground Rule Double - would have sex, but no condom Error - Condom breaks during sex Banned for life for gambling - sex without condom Hall of Fame - Marriage Balk - Premature ejaculation Pine Tar - KY jelly Relief pitcher - Vibrator Rain Delay - parents/roommate return home unexpectedly\ Box Seats - Waterbed Seventh Inning Stretch - Unusual positions Rookie - Virgin Switch Hitter - Sex with her one night, and her brother the next. Minor Leagues - Under 18 Loaded Bases - menage a trois Grand Slam - Sex three times in twelve hours Foul tip - VD Three up and three down - impotency 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/8 "2005-04-13T01:34:06Z")
I imagine “switch hitters” are pretty rare in your system **silenus** 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/9 "2005-04-13T01:43:15Z")
I once heard the base system summarised very elegantly as follows: Hand in hand It in hand Hand in it It in it. Which is basically just another way of saying kissing, breast fondling, masturbation and intercourse. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/10 "2005-04-13T01:46:46Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > On Deck - Having plans for a date > Strike-Out - Duh!! > Walk - Kissing > Bunt - Masturbation > Single - Tongue kissing > Double - Breasts/chest touched, some clothes off, lots of grabbing and feels > Triple - Most of the clothes off, genital contact, mutual masturbation > Inside the park home run - Oral Sex > Home Run - SEX! > Ground Rule Double - would have sex, but no condom > Error - Condom breaks during sex > Banned for life for gambling - sex without condom > Hall of Fame - Marriage > Balk - Premature ejaculation > Pine Tar - KY jelly > Relief pitcher - Vibrator > Rain Delay - parents/roommate return home unexpectedly\ > Box Seats - Waterbed > Seventh Inning Stretch - Unusual positions > Rookie - Virgin > Switch Hitter - Sex with her one night, and her brother the next. > Minor Leagues - Under 18 > Loaded Bases - menage a trois > Grand Slam - Sex three times in twelve hours > Foul tip - VD > Three up and three down - impotency > > 😃 You need to stop keeping a box score and get a real life. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/11 "2005-04-13T02:17:08Z")
A real life? What board do I download **that** from? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/12 "2005-04-13T02:29:54Z")
Those switch-hitters, you never know what team they’re playing for. First–kissing Second–breast fondling Third–hand to genital contact Home–sex Then you have those who try to steal bases. How could someone be confused about the base system? I don’t mean about which is which. That obviously varies. But not knowing about them? ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/13 "2005-04-13T02:57:53Z")
I think it’s almost certainly an American system, I think the only times I have heard it used is on American T.V. shows which air in the U.K. That being said I think most U.K. residents understand the principle of the system though we tend to avoid euphemisms and just blurt it out straight. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/14 "2005-04-13T02:59:22Z")
> [@mittu](#): > > I think it’s almost certainly an American system, I think the only times I have heard it used is on American T.V. shows which air in the U.K. That being said I think most U.K. residents understand the principle of the system though we tend to avoid euphemisms and just blurt it out straight. There I go, being U.S.-centric again. :smack: Upon reflection, I wonder if anyone uses other sports this way. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/15 "2005-04-13T03:10:57Z")
Good question. How would you adapt the system to say…cricket? Other than that it would go on for days on end… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/16 "2005-04-13T03:12:31Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Good question. How would you adapt the system to say…cricket? > > Other than that it would go on for days on end… 😃 I don’t like to brag but we Brits do have legendary stamina under the covers 😉 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/17 "2005-04-13T03:14:35Z")
Sort of a “the Sun never sets on the British erection” kind of thing? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/18 "2005-04-13T11:42:41Z")
Well, the most famous (and hackneyed) cricketing example was when Michael Holding of the West Indies was bowling to England’s Peter Willey in an international match some years ago. Cue the commentator: “The bowler’s Holding, the batsman’s Willey.” I can’t remember if it is a true story, but I think it is. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/19 "2005-04-13T12:07:18Z")
And here I thought this thread was going to be about adenosine, taurine, cytosine and guanine. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056/20 "2005-04-13T12:10:19Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > adenosine D’oh! I meant to type adenine, of course. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-bases-to-me/299056.md?page=2)