# Help with a baseball puzzle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2003, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697 "2003-09-25T06:31:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/41 "2003-09-26T21:55:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NYR407 \* > \*\*I have a feeling we will either be going :smack: for the simplicity of the answer or arguing the actual answer for days to come after Monday. \*\* Whooops. I have a feeling it’s going to be some trick answer i.e. the mirror. Rather than, well if this and that, and this and that, and … ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/42 "2003-09-26T22:18:33Z")
OK, besides the “3 teammates” thing, the mirror answer seems to be the only reasonble one so far. Especially with the TV being on the “back wall”. I have 1 issue though: While the guy is “not interested” in baseball, he clearly has a good knowledge of the game. Even casual fans aren’t always familiar with a 1st Baseman playing “off the bag” with no one on base. If so and even if he was totally drunk, he clearly would’ve known that no 1st Baseman would ever throw to 3rd in that situation. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/43 "2003-09-27T01:24:05Z")
I agree with Spiff; the foul bunt must be the right answer. Note that the puzzle doesn’t say which umpire makes the “out” call. If the first baseman lunged to field the ball in foul territory before it passed the first base bag, then it’s a foul ball. If it was a bunt and the batter had two strikes, the home plate umpire would signal a foul ball and call the batter out. After an out, when there’s nobody on base, it’s common for the infielders to throw the ball “around the horn”, starting with the third baseman. You wouldn’t normally do that after the third out, but the first baseman could have forgotten how many outs there were. The “three team mates” refer to the ump’s three team mates, i.e. the other umpires. Why would they run off the field with no score after five innings? My guess is that it started to rain heavily at that moment and they were running for cover. ---
**Author:** ![Scoo8b](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scoo8b](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoo8b)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/44 "2003-09-27T03:40:44Z")
I don’t believe this has been suggested yet. What if when he dived for the ball, his glove touched 1st base, giving them the out. Him throwing to 3rd would of had to been a mistaken “around the horn” though… It’s probably the mirror thing though. Puzzles like this usually have answers like that… ---
**Author:** ![NYR407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@NYR407](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NYR407)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/45 "2003-09-27T04:37:34Z")
I still don’t buy the “hard bunt” answer. A sharply hit grounder and a swinging bunt are not the same. Plus, you would have to be a grade A moron to bunt with two strikes in a tie game with two outs and no one on base. The only problem with the mirror answer (and this might be nit picking) is that he doesn’t say the TV is opposite the bar. He only says it is the back wall. We have no idea which of the other three walls the bar is on (or even if its a middle room bar A La Cheers) . If anyone can hear the answer on Monday please let us know ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![knock\_knock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/22d042/32.png) [@knock\_knock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knock_knock)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/46 "2003-09-27T07:02:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Superdude \* > The batter hit a hard grounder, sharply down the first base line. Since there was no one on base, the first baseman was playing off the bag. He lunged and grabbed the ball before it could make it into the outfield. > > Then-instead of running to first base to make the out-he took the ball, and fired it across the diamond to the third baseman, who caught the ball and stepped on third. The Ump made the sign saying, “You’re out!” All three of his team mates ran off the field. I’m not buying the bunt foul explanation, since that doesn’t jibe with “hit a hard grounder.” Also, it says the first baseman was “playing off the bag” and that he chose not to run to first base to make the out, which strongly suggests that he was behind the bag when he made the play. Thus, he couldn’t have been lunging to grab the ball while it was still foul (since it had already passed first base) and he couldn’t have happened to touch 1st base as he dove for the ball (since he would’ve had to run to get there, but he chose not to). It still looks like the best explanation is 1. he was watching the game in a mirror, so that really the third baseman made the diving stop and threw it to the first baseman and 2. the 3 “team mates” were the other umpires, who were leaving the field because of rain. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/47 "2003-09-27T09:03:48Z")
A hijack while we wait … Does anyone know the 5 (five) ways to get to first base without hitting the ball? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/48 "2003-09-27T11:22:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ccwaterback \* > \*\*A hijack while we wait … > > Does anyone know the 5 (five) ways to get to first base without hitting the ball? \*\* Cecil does: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_299.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_299.html) ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/49 "2003-09-27T13:25:47Z")
I don’t really like the mirror explanation though it is probably the correct answer. The puzzle says that the “first baseman” fired the ball to third. If it had said the ball was hit to the right and the baseman fired the ball it would make more sense. It explicitly said “first baseman” though. Haj ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/50 "2003-09-27T14:08:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ccwaterback \* > \*\*A hijack while we wait … > > Does anyone know the 5 (five) ways to get to first base without hitting the ball? \*\* Oh well, you guys are just too good. Q2: A fly ball is hit to the outfield. The fielder tries to catch it, but it hits his glove and lands over the fence. Home run or ground-rule double? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/51 "2003-09-27T14:22:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ccwaterback \* > \*\*Oh well, you guys are just too good. > > Q2: A fly ball is hit to the outfield. The fielder tries to catch it, but it hits his glove and lands over the fence. Home run or ground-rule double? \*\* Whether it bounces off a glove or off Jose Canseco’s head, it’s a home run! ---
**Author:** ![Scoo8b](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scoo8b](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoo8b)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/52 "2003-09-27T14:24:12Z")
That’s a homerun. It’s also a Homerun if it hits off of your head (Jose Canseco) ---
**Author:** ![Scoo8b](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scoo8b](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoo8b)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/53 "2003-09-27T14:27:21Z")
Why must I always be beaten by 2 minutes!?! ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/54 "2003-09-27T14:34:24Z")
Q3: Ball is hit high in the air at an indoor stadium. Ball never comes down, it’s lodged in part of the construction. Foul ball? Batter out? Ground-rule double? Something else? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/55 "2003-09-27T15:09:58Z")
Depends on the ground rules of the stadium, I believe. But chances are it’s going to be called a dead ball, and replayed. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/56 "2003-09-27T15:13:34Z")
Answer (it was just on the local Public Radio Station): mirror ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/57 "2003-09-27T15:45:17Z")
So my original thought was right. Thank you ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/58 "2003-09-27T16:06:18Z")
Ball off the glove and over the fence ees Jone Ron. Remember how that idiot Red Sox-er Conseco had a ball bounce off his head and over the wall for a homer? In case you didn’t know about this, it did happen. Head, glove, same thing. Four bagger. ---
**Author:** ![NYR407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@NYR407](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NYR407)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/59 "2003-09-27T16:14:25Z")
Why did they annouce an answer two days early? It is not on the Car Talk website. Also I decided to listen to the question and it makes quite a difference in the interpertation. The one glaring difference is that they do not say “All three of his team mates…” They say “All of his team mates run off the field”. One more nitpick on the mirror answer (even though I am begining to believe it is the right answer) is that they say the third baseman stepped on third after he caught the ball. Since there was no indication that the ball was thrown away the first baseman (thirdbaseman in the mirror) would have had his foot on first base before the ball arrived. I know. I know I’m stretching here. Anyway after listening to these Car Talk guys it seems they do not really give an exact wording of the question. They credit someone with the “inspiration” of the question so they may have taken some liberities in the way the quesiton was worded. Of course we took the question to be worded exactly as intended so as not to leave open interprertation. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697/60 "2003-09-27T16:23:42Z")
Well, I cut-and-pasted it from another site, so I never actually heard the original terminology, just what the person before me had transcribed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-baseball-puzzle/203697.md?page=4)