# Unwritten rules of sports **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 31, 2001, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110 "2001-05-31T18:02:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/41 "2001-06-01T14:07:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Ultimate Scapegoat \* > \*\*There was also a controversy in a Busch NASCAR race this weekend when one of the racers was being lapped by the lead driver, and wouldn’t move aside to let him through even though there was no shot of him winning the race, which would also be a breach of ettiquette. Maybe a racing fan can clarify is that is code. > \*\* As in F1, they have a blue flag for overtaking also, but the usual convention in stock car racing (and oval track racing in general) is that if the car being lapped is already several laps down, then they should give way to the leader. However, if the car hasn’t been lapped yet (i.e. it’s the last car on the lead lap), and he isn’t running off the pace, then the driver is under no obligation to let the leader by. If a caution flag came out, he would go right around the track and back at the end of the field for the restart, still on the lead lap, and still conceivably in contention. ---
**Author:** ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/42 "2001-06-01T14:08:10Z")
**delphica** , I’ve never heard of Calcio Storia, but I do know what Ultimate Scapegoat was talking about. It is a game played around Christmas in a small village in Scotland. The ball starts in the middle of town and the goal is for one team to move it the outside of town on their side. There are 2 teams and the game quickly breaks down into drinking and brawling. I think that where I read this said that the game can go on for a week or more. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/43 "2001-06-01T14:15:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > No, but tell me. If nobody’s on, and there’s two outs, why aren’t you swinging for the fences (like Sammy does, every damn time he’s up to bat :rolleyes: )? Well, it’s like this. If no one is on base and there are two outs, you HAVE to get on base. And unless you’re a very proficient slugger, you’re better off getting on so something - anything - can happen after you. If you’re the type of player on whom others rely - such as, for example, Barry Bonds or Sosa himself - then you might be better off swinging for the fences simply because there’s no one immediately behind you in the lineup who can drive you home (presumably). > [@](#): > > On the subject of ‘letting the game run wild at the end’. This bugs me in football as well. The commentators always bitch that you shouldn’t call defensive pass interference at the end of a football game because you should ‘let the players play it out’. > > Well, they’re playing it ILLEGALLY. What’s the difference if it’s 1 minute into the game or there’s 4 seconds to go? grrr The only difference is that if the game’s already out of hand - in other words, one or two scores won’t make a difference in the result - then there’s not much point to the delaying the game further. In other words, the commentators are saying that the penalty won’t possibly change the outcome of the game. In close games, I hope they’re never, ever saying this. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/44 "2001-06-01T14:16:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mongrel\_8 \* > \*\ ***delphica** , I’ve never heard of Calcio Storia, but I do know what Ultimate Scapegoat was talking about. It is a game played around Christmas in a small village in Scotland. The ball starts in the middle of town and the goal is for one team to move it the outside of town on their side. There are 2 teams and the game quickly breaks down into drinking and brawling. I think that where I read this said that the game can go on for a week or more. \*\* This reminds me so much of that game from MAD Magazine - what was it, 43-Man Squeamish? Something like that. IIRC, it was adopted in real life, and MAD had actually invented it. I could be wrong, tho. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/45 "2001-06-01T14:19:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > In close games, I hope they’re never, ever saying this. Oh baby. That’s when they say it the most. Because they rant and rave that a team shouldn’t “win on a penalty”. Let’s say Randy Moss is seventy yards down the field and some guy clotheslines him. That’s a seventy yard gain if they call defensive interference. But a lot of times they won’t do it. even though they’d jump all over it in the third quarter, or even 5 minutes into the fourth. oh god…when does football start? FOOTBALL FOOTBALL FOOTBALL. jarbaby ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/46 "2001-06-01T14:30:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*Oh baby. That’s when they say it the most. Because they rant and rave that a team shouldn’t “win on a penalty”. Let’s say Randy Moss is seventy yards down the field and some guy clotheslines him. That’s a seventy yard gain if they call defensive interference. But a lot of times they won’t do it. > > even though they’d jump all over it in the third quarter, or even 5 minutes into the fourth. > > \*\* Well poop on THEM! Poop, poop, poop! Vigorously. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@PatrickM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickM)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/47 "2001-06-01T14:40:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sauron \* > \*\* > I seem to recall Pete Rose, back when he was chasing the all-time hit record, got upset at a pitcher who faced him. Pete was maybe one hit shy of the record, and the pitcher didn’t back down – pitched to Pete as if it was the last out of the World Series. Rose complained about that later, which I thought was the epitome of whininess. Earn the hit (or the perfect game) knowing that the opposition did everything they could to mess you over. Only then does it mean something. \*\* I don’t recall that happening when Rose was closing in on Ty Cobb’s alltime hit record (which doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen) but I do remember Rose griping in 1978 when his NL record 44 game hitting streak was stopped by Gene Garber of the Braves. Rose, who had always bragged about his “Charlie Hustle” image of playing every game like it was the 7th game of the World Series, bitched and moaned when Garber got him out in the 9th inning of a game to stop his hitting streak. Rose complained that Garber was pitching to him like it was the 7th game of the World Series. Being the big hypocrite that he is, Rose apparently thought only he was to play hard all the time. ---
**Author:** ![plasticbryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@plasticbryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plasticbryan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/48 "2001-06-01T15:02:21Z")
When a pitcher is batting the opposing pitcher is not supposed to throw a breaking ball. Only fastballs and straight changes. ---
**Author:** ![Milossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Milossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milossarian)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/49 "2001-06-01T15:06:58Z")
Some off the top of my head: **baseball** - It’s considered bad form to steal a base if your team is up by 5 or so runs. This one, however, appears to be going by the wayside lately. With teams playing in bandboxes like Houston’s “Ten-Run” Field, no lead is ever safe. A cool little tradition from baseball to watch for: If the catcher is momentarily hurt by a foul tip, rather than throwing a new ball out to the pitcher, the umpire will slowly walk out to the mound and hand it to him. This gives the catcher a moment to shake it off, without a big production being made. Catchers will act similarly to give the ump a minute, too. Don’t talk to a pitcher in the dugout while he is throwing a no-hitter. Don’t don’t stand at the plate and admire your home run after you’ve hit it. (Superstars like Sosa and Bonds sometimes get a pass on this one.) Also, get around the bases quickly after hitting one, or the next batter – or you, the next time you come to bat – will be plunked by the pitcher. **Auto Racing** - If a driver is slowing down for some reason, he raises his hand so cars behind him can see and check up. To my knowledge, this is _never_ used in a way to trick another driver. Too important. **Hockey** - After winning the Stanley Cup, the team’s captain accepts the Stanley Cup first. I am interested to see if the Avs win it this year, will Ray Borque accept the cup from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman? I imagine Sakic still will, but I **guarantee** he will skate immediately to Borque and hand it to him. ---
**Author:** ![Milossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Milossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milossarian)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/50 "2001-06-01T15:15:31Z")
Another one: **bowling** - Similar to the “don’t talk to a pitcher who is throwing a no-hitter,” you can talk to a bowler who is bowling a perfect game, but don’t acknowlege the perfect game in progress. On a bowling league I was on once, I started a game with six straight strikes. Over bounces my clueless best friend. “Holy shit! You’ve got a perfect game going!” Guess what happened the next frame? He has no trouble remembering. He is reminded frequently, about 10 years later. ---
**Author:** ![plasticbryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@plasticbryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plasticbryan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/51 "2001-06-01T15:32:37Z")
Milossarian wrote: > [@](#): > > Don’t talk to a pitcher in the dugout while he is throwing a no-hitter. Good one. Should have been the first one, I can’t beleive we missed it. Also, when a batter is hit on the helmet, or up near the head, isn’t everyone supposed to run onto the field and start a brawl? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/52 "2001-06-01T15:38:37Z")
And when a pitcher throws a piece of a bat at your head, isn’t he supposed to claim that he thought it was the ball? 😃 jarbaby ---
**Author:** ![plasticbryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@plasticbryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plasticbryan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/53 "2001-06-01T15:59:19Z")
Jarbabyj wrote: [QUOTE] And when a pitcher throws a piece of a bat at your head, isn’t he supposed to claim that he thought it was the ball? [QUOTE] Only if you are a Yankee can you get away with that move. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hibbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ce73a5/32.png) [@Hibbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hibbins)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/54 "2001-06-01T16:50:21Z")
On the topic of NASCAR, another unwritten rule is that if you have a significant lead and a yellow flag comes out, you slow up to let any lapped cars near you get their lap back. Regarding lapped cars moving over for the leaders or faster cars in NASCAR, it is common practice unless the cars being overtaken are cars that are battling for position. Whether 1 or 20 laps down, they will be unlikely to move over for anyone and will suffer no retribution for it. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/55 "2001-06-01T17:36:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jackknifed Juggernaut \* > \*\*Baseball: > > Catching line drives - If there is a runner on 1st, and a line drive is hit to the 2nd baseman (for example), he won’t intentionally drop it to secure an easy double play. But of course, baseball did need to “write” the infield fly rule, so sometimes you cannot trust players to respect the unwritten rules. > \*\* Actually, they did write it down for line drives, too: 6.05 A batter is out when . . . (l) An infielder intentionally drops a fair fly ball or line drive, with first, first and second, first and third, or first, second and third base occupied before two are out. The ball is dead and runner or runners shall return to their original base or bases; APPROVED RULING: In this situation, the batter is not out if the infielder permits the ball to drop untouched to the ground, except when the Infield Fly rule applies. Guess the umpires have to be psychic, though, to figure out whether the dropped line drive was intentional or not! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/56 "2001-06-01T18:17:25Z")
I’ve seen the rule about dropped line drives invoked a couple of times. The umpires will usually consider the drop to be intentiona if the line drive comes right back to the fielder and then he actually has it in his glove and then “lets” it fall out. However, if it’s hit really hard and the fielder has to dive for it and then it bounces off his glove, everybody better start running. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/57 "2001-06-01T21:23:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PatrickM \* > … I do remember Rose griping in 1978 when his NL record 44 game hitting streak was stopped by Gene Garber of the Braves. Rose, who had always bragged about his “Charlie Hustle” image of playing every game like it was the 7th game of the World Series, bitched and moaned when Garber got him out in the 9th inning of a game to stop his hitting streak. Rose complained that Garber was pitching to him like it was the 7th game of the World Series. Being the big hypocrite that he is, Rose apparently thought only he was to play hard all the time. That’s probably the situation I was thinking about, **PatrickM**. Thanks for the clarification. RE: Not talking to a pitcher while he’s got a no-hitter going: I happened to hear a radio interview this afternoon with Don Larsen, who pitched the only perfect game in the World Series. Larsen said that by the seventh inning, he just wanted to get the damn game over with, because nobody would talk with him in the dugout. He said he felt like a leper. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/58 "2001-06-01T22:13:47Z")
You know what, **Sauron** , it just occurred to me that while it’s taboo to talk to the pitcher during a no-hitter or perfect game, it’s no longer taboo for the radio or TV broadcasters to do so. I remember when I was growing up that the broadcasters were loath to say anything, lest they jinx it, but no one seems to really follow that superstition anymore. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/59 "2001-06-01T22:42:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > it’s no longer taboo for the radio or TV broadcasters to do so. I remember when I was growing up that the broadcasters were loath to say anything, lest they jinx it, but no one seems to really follow that superstition anymore. Dan, I think you and I are going to have to take this into the ring eventually. We just can’t agree on a damn thing 😃 Last week when Kerry Wood had a no no into the seventh, the two radio announcers where delicately trying to tell us that upon returning from commercial without saying “no hitter”. They did it by saying “The Cubs have four hits…and that is also…the…total number of hits for both teams in this game.” Chip Caray and Joe Whatshisname won’t talk about it either. Maybe in Chicago we still do all the old timey things. jarbaby ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110/60 "2001-06-01T22:57:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > > it’s no longer taboo for the radio or TV broadcasters to do so. I remember when I was growing up that the broadcasters were loath to say anything, lest they jinx it, but no one seems to really follow that superstition anymore. > > Dan, I think you and I are going to have to take this into the ring eventually. We just can’t agree on a damn thing 😃 > > Last week when Kerry Wood had a no no into the seventh, the two radio announcers where delicately trying to tell us that upon returning from commercial without saying “no hitter”. They did it by saying “The Cubs have four hits…and that is also…the…total number of hits for both teams in this game.” > > Chip Caray and Joe Whatshisname won’t talk about it either. > > Maybe in Chicago we still do all the old timey things. > > jarbaby \*\* Yeah, like play baseball in the daytime. We’ll drag you guys into the 21st century, kicking and screaming! Who were the radio guys? Steve Stone and someone? (We’re not disagreeing - you’ve just come up with an example that not all sportscasters are with the times… hehe) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwritten-rules-of-sports/67110.md?page=4)