# five ways to get to first base without hitting the ball **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 13, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-ways-to-get-to-first-base-without-hitting-the-ball/658265 "2013-05-13T21:43:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-ways-to-get-to-first-base-without-hitting-the-ball/658265/21 "2013-05-24T15:01:33Z")
> [@inept](#): > > What about “Foreign Substance on Ball”? > > I had heard from an old timer “Eleven Ways to Get to First Base:” > > Hit > Walk > Hit By Pitch > Dropped 3rd Strike > Error > Ball Hits Runner > Delay of Game > Foreign Substance on Ball > Pinch Runner > Fielder’s Choice > Interference Fielder’s Choice appears to be a bookkeeping term that does not create a separate condition from the other ones listed. A batter gets on base by a hit. The reason he got on base from the hit was because the fielder chose to throw the ball somewhere else (Fielder’s Choice), or because he overthrew into the stands (Error?), or because he threw slow (batter reached base before the ball) or because he dropped the fly ball. It’s all a “Hit”. As explained, Foreign Substance on Ball doesn’t get you to first, unless it’s counted as your fourth ball. That’s a “Walk”. I’m also unclear on distinctions of “Ball hits runner” and “interference”. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-ways-to-get-to-first-base-without-hitting-the-ball/658265/22 "2013-05-24T15:07:54Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I’m also unclear on distinctions of “Ball hits runner” and “interference”. “Ball hits runner” is a subset of base hits. When a batted ball hits a baserunner, the runner is out, but the batter is awarded first base and credited (for no good reason) with a single. Interference, in this context, refers to catcher’s interference. It is a subset of “errors”. When the catcher tips the batter’s bat in the course of a swing, the batter is awarded first base by catcher’s interference. It is scored as an error by the catcher, but (unlike with errors on batted balls) the batter is not charged with a time at bat. Runners advance if forced to advance, as with a walk or a hit batsman. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-ways-to-get-to-first-base-without-hitting-the-ball/658265/23 "2013-05-24T16:30:44Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Fielder’s Choice appears to be a bookkeeping term that does not create a separate condition from the other ones listed. A batter gets on base by a hit. The reason he got on base from the hit was because the fielder chose to throw the ball somewhere else (Fielder’s Choice), or because he overthrew into the stands (Error?), or because he threw slow (batter reached base before the ball) or because he dropped the fly ball. It’s all a “Hit”. No it’s not. He hit the ball, but a Hit is something scored as a Hit. If a batter reaches first on a Fielder’s Choice, he is not given a Hit, but he is given an At Bat, and his Batting Average is affected as a result. The batter would have been out except that the fielder chose to attempt to throw out a preceding runner. The batter doesn’t get credit for getting on first base because he hasn’t advanced his team’s position on the bases. If there was runner on second already and he’s thrown out at third he’s made his teams position worse. A Fielder’s Choice is no more of a Hit than a Popup or any out. ETA: I realize now you may have been referring to the title of the thread which includes ‘without hitting the ball’. So yes, it is bookkeeping. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-ways-to-get-to-first-base-without-hitting-the-ball/658265/24 "2013-05-24T16:33:03Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > “Ball hits runner” is a subset of base hits. When a batted ball hits a baserunner, the runner is out, but the batter is awarded first base and credited (for no good reason) with a single. > > Interference, in this context, refers to catcher’s interference. It is a subset of “errors”. When the catcher tips the batter’s bat in the course of a swing, the batter is awarded first base by catcher’s interference. It is scored as an error by the catcher, but (unlike with errors on batted balls) the batter is not charged with a time at bat. Runners advance if forced to advance, as with a walk or a hit batsman. I don’t remember the details, but doesn’t interference also include blocking the basepath? ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-ways-to-get-to-first-base-without-hitting-the-ball/658265/25 "2013-05-24T16:53:00Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I don’t remember the details, but doesn’t interference also include blocking the basepath? That’s properly called “defensive obstruction”, and you _could_ get to first base that way, although it would be unusual. You would need to have a defender, without the ball, intrude onto the basepath and obstruct the batter. Perhaps a pitcher might overrun a dribbler and plow into the batter. I’ve never seen it, but it _could_ happen. If it did it would be scored as an error. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-ways-to-get-to-first-base-without-hitting-the-ball/658265.md?page=1)