Baseball has its fair share of odd rules, but one of the quirkiest involves something almost every player has tried at some point—using their hat to catch a ball. While it might seem like a fun trick during warmups, in a real game, it can lead to major consequences.
The Rule
According to Major League Baseball’s Official Rulebook (Rule 5.06(b)(4)(E)), if a fielder catches a live ball with their hat, glove, or any other detached piece of equipment, the batter is awarded three bases, and any runners on base advance freely. If it’s a thrown ball instead of a batted ball, runners get two bases. The rule exists to prevent fielders from using their caps as oversized nets to make impossible catches.
A Famous Example
One of the most well-known incidents of this rule being enforced happened in 1954 when St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Bill Virdon attempted to stop a ball by throwing his glove at it. He didn’t quite pull off the trick, but umpires still applied the rule and awarded the batter three bases. While rare, similar plays have happened throughout baseball history, mostly as accidents rather than intentional attempts to cheat.
Why It’s Such a Big Penalty
A three-base award is no joke—it’s essentially the equivalent of a triple being handed to the batter. That means a routine pop fly that could have been an easy out might suddenly put the opposing team in scoring position just because a player got creative with their equipment.
Moral of the Story
No matter how tempting it might be to use your hat for an outfield snag or a glove toss to stop a ground ball, the rule is clear: keep your gear where it belongs, or the other team gets a free trip around the bases.