The forty-five-foot running lane, the most
misunderstood one-hundred-thirty-five square feet in the game of baseball. It begins half way from home plate and ends at first
base and is in foul ground the whole way. Even the description of the forty-five-foot
running lane is confusing. I consider the official rulings regarding the forty-five-foot
running lane as some of the most arbitrary and vaguely defined rules in baseball.
I witnessed a MLB batter-runner hit a soft bouncer to the first baseman then as
the batter-runner close to first base with both of his feet in fair
ground, completely out of the forty-five-foot running lane explode full speed
into a defensive player who tagged the batter-runner and held the ball, the batter-runner was then awarded first base. Umpires ruled obstruction, the defensive team protested the game.
Referee
Magazine - NFHS article Nine Rules You Thought You Knew proclaims the forty-five-foot running lane violation is to protect the defense from being
screened while making a play and goes on to state if the ball is not fielded in
the plate area and is thrown down the line to first base the forty-five-foot
running lane doesn’t matter. Mind you, none of this language is in the official
NFHS rule book pertaining to a forty-five-foot running lane violation.
I could be
way off base (no pun intended), I always thought the forty-five-foot running
lane was there both as a safety and interference protection. Intended to
protect defensive players from interference, but everyone from serious injury
as well. You would think that NFHS, safety would be especially important at the
high school level.
The one sure
thing I can take away from the forty-five-foot running
lane violation is that it is the most misunderstood rule in the game of
baseball. When the powers to be fail to give a clear and definitive rule language (not
just talking umpires) it is beyond problematic, it creates inconsistency. Spell out the purpose
and the rules for the forty-five-foot running lane, but don’t keep everyone giving their opinion or no ruling at all!
