(Reproduced for the benefit of WISUA umps only)
FAST-PITCH 2010
SOFTBALL CANADA NATIONAL UMPIRE EXAM
CANADA
The Officiating Development Committee acknowledges the contributions of the following umpires in assisting with the development of this exam:
Noreen Atkinson / Joel Balberman / Jim Barr / Ian Brown / Wayne BrownLucie Carmichael / Bonnie Gostola / Bob Henning / Grant Hood / Kelly Hunter
Don Kennedy / Serge LaFlamme / Frank Omoe / Keith Pender / Aaron Poulin
Tonya Ribalkin / Joyce Schroeder / Brian Sharples / Bob Stanton / Susan Strafford
Al Strang / Brian Van Os / Daryl Way / Doug Webster / Mitch Zuk
THE FORMAT OF THIS EXAM IS AS FOLLOWS
Minimum Pass Mark
Level I - answer questions 1 to 50 - 60% Level IV - answer questions 1 to 90 - 85%
Level II - answer questions 1 to 65 - 70% Level V - answer questions 1 to 100 - 90%
Level III & WISUA UMPS - answer questions 1 to 75 - 80%
1. You are required to write from question 1, up to and including the questions listed for your level, and obtain the acceptable pass mark for the level of officiating that you are registering.
2. Questions 1 to 80 inclusive are True or False. The entire question must be correct in order for you to answer "True". Should any portion of the question be incorrect, then the response made is "False". Questions 81 to 100 are multiple choice. Select the most correct response from those given for each question.
3. All questions pertain to Fast-Pitch.
4. Mark the most correct response (there is only one) on your answer sheet.
5. Please read each question carefully and double-check your answer sheet before submitting.
6. Use every means possible to come up with the correct answer!
SOFTBALL CANADA'S UMPIRE CASEBOOK is an excellent resource to assist in answering exam
questions. (Order Form on the back cover)
BR - Batter-Runner F2 - Catcher
R1- Runner on 1st base F3 - 1st Baseman
R2 - Runner on 2nd base F4 - 2nd Baseman
R3 - Runner on 3rd base F5 - 3rd Baseman
PU - Plate Umpire F6 - Shortstop
BU - Base Umpire F7 - Left Fielder
F8 - Center Fielder
F9 - Right Fielder / DR - Designated Runner
DP - Designated Player
FLEX - the player for whom the DP bats
U1- 1st Base Umpire
U2 - 2nd Base Umpire
U3 - 3rd Base Umpire
Answer Questions 1-50 inclusive on the answer sheet provided (TRUE or FALSE)
1. R1 is stealing 2B on a foul tip. The umpire must call "Time" and return the runner to 1B.
2. F2 attempts to pick off R1, R1 returns to the orange portion before the tag and is ruled safe.
3. Ball players should be allowed to wear their caps with the peaks turned backwards if they so choose.
4. F5 was legally substituted for, one inning later re-enters the game without being announced, when appealed, the umpire should eject the player and the manager.
5. The home team is losing by one run after five and a half complete innings. The home team scores two runs in the bottom of the 6th inning, but the game is called due to weather conditions, before the home team has completed its turn at bat. The umpire rules this is a regulation game with the home team winning?
6. R2 and the batter has a count of 3 balls and 1 strike. The defensive coach calls time and starts to step out of the dugout. The pitcher in his/her pause removes one hand from the ball and steps back off the pitching rubber. The plate umpire calls an illegal pitch and awards the batter, ball 4 and advances R2 to 3B.
7. B1 hits a double using a baseball bat that has been reduced in diameter to softball size. The umpire rules that the bat is an altered bat. B1 is out, the ball is dead and runners may not advance. B1 is ejected from the game for using an altered bat.
8. R1 and R2, a pitched ball bounds past the catcher, ending up out of bounds. The umpire should advance the runners one base.
9. A delayed dead ball should be called on obstruction.
10. For the sake of the game and to get the right call, an umpire should reverse a wrong call made by one of the other umpires.
11. A protest should be allowed or considered on a question of whether a batted ball did or did not clear the fence in flight.
12. A thrown ball to any base for a force out which is caught with the glove over the ball on the ground, is not a trapped ball.
13. The distance from home plate to 1st base is discovered to be incorrect at the bottom of the third inning, the umpire waits until the inning is concluded to correct the problem.
14. If the bat approval notice cannot be read due to wear and tear on the bat, the bat will not be permitted in play.
15. An ineligible player may be used as a replacement player in the case of a player being removed due to the blood rule since this action is not a substitution.
16. A game that is called for bad weather in the top of the 4th inning is considered to be a regulation game.
17. Resin must be kept on the ground behind the pitcher's plate when not in use.
18. A batter is caught using a bat on the ASA non-approved list. The umpire declares the batter as out and ejects him/her from the game.
19. R1 with 1 out, batter hits a ground ball to F4, who makes a play on the ball and fails to catch the ball. The ball rolls behind him and R1 contacts F4 as F4 steps backwards to retrieve the ball. The umpire signals obstruction and upon completion of the play, awards R1 2nd base.
20. R1, R2, and R3 and no outs. Defensive head coach requests time which is granted and proceeds to go to the mound for the first time that inning to talk to Fl. At the same time the assistant coach for the defensive team calls F5 and F6 together and confers with them (in fair territory in the infield). Both coaches then leave the field at the same time. The umpire charges two conferences to the defense.
21. A pitched ball is hit hard on the ground. The batted ball deflects off the second baseman and makes contact with the base umpire. The ball is alive and still in play.
22. The pitcher throws a pitch to the batter before the batter is prepared to receive the pitch the umpire rules a "No Pitch".
23. To be considered, a protest must be lodged prior to the next pitch, legal or illegal.
24. A fielder while in possession of the ball cannot be called for obstruction.
25. B1 enters the batter's box with a metal bat. The umpire notices that the bat has a large flat area on the barrel end. He rules the bat illegal and removes the bat from play and then continues play. This is the correct action.
26. The replacement runner, who is always the last out, is legal for a catcher who is on base with 2 outs.
27. The plate umpire must have a consensus of all of the umpires on the diamond to call a game due to darkness.
28. R1, no outs. Fl commits an illegal pitch but the batter hits the ball for a single and reaches first base safely. R1 touches 2nd base starts toward 3rd base, hesitates and then returns to second and is tagged out. The umpire rules the runner out.
29. A pitch goes behind the batter's head and strikes the bat. The ball lands and is touched in fair territory. This is an illegally batted ball.
30. The batter swings at a pitched ball and hits the ball fair. The pitched ball contacted part of the batter's hand while holding the bat. The umpire should declare a "Dead Ball" and a "Strike" on the batter.
31. The batter hits a pitched ball to the outfield. The fielder removes his cap and controls the ball with his cap before the ball touches the ground in fair territory. The umpire rules this an illegally caught ball and awards the batter three bases from the time of the pitch.
32. An appeal play is a play where the onus is on the offended team to bring an infraction of a rule to the attention of the umpire, before any action can be taken by the umpire.
33. Regardless of where the ball is hit, infield or outfield, the BR is required to use the foul portion of the double base on their first attempt when a play is made on them.
34. In a minor girl's game, the 1st. base coach of the visiting team is one of the players from the visiting team's roster. She is not required to wear a helmet.
35. There are 2 outs. The coach requests time to inform the umpire the runner on base will be the catcher next inning and wishes to use a replacement runner. This is legal.
36. R3 with 2 out. The batter has a count of 2 balls and 2 strikes. The batter swings and misses for strike 3. The catcher fails to catch the ball and the R3 crosses home plate before the batter runner is thrown out at first base. The umpire scores the run.
37. Just prior to starting to pitch the pitcher steps back off of the pitching rubber then proceeds to begin the pitch. The umpire calls an "illegal pitch" and awards a ball to the batter.
38. The batter runs through the batter's box, does not make contact with the ball and ends up outside the batter's box. The batter is out.
39. If the ball goes out of play, the dead ball appeal cannot be made until the umpire places a new ball into the game.
40. R1, batter hits a fly ball to F9, not knowing if the ball is going to be caught R1 stays tagged at 1st base. The BR passes R1. The ball is not caught and is called foul by the plate umpire. The BR is out for passing the proceeding runner.
41. R3, the pitched ball gets past F2. R3 breaks for home but stops halfway down the baseline, and starts back to 3rd base, ultimately getting caught in a rundown. F5 obstructs R3 in the attempt to get back to 3rd base. The umpire declares the ball dead only after the play has been completed.
42. R2 and two out. Just before the pitcher releases the ball in a legal delivery to the plate, the plate umpire calls, "Dead Ball!" points to R2 and declares, "Runner is out for a lead off." The offensive team seeks to lodge a protest claiming that it is the base umpire's call. The protest is received, considered and rejected as invalid.
43. The PU should rule the ball dead and B1 out for hitting a foul ball with the toe of his foot in contact with home plate.
44. In a game where the double base is being used, a legally batted ball makes contact with half on the white portion and half on the orange. This is a foul ball.
45. Anyone who is receiving warm-up pitches from a pitcher can do so without a mask, throat protector and helmet if they remain in a standing position.
46. Manager of Team A submits his line-up to the official scorekeeper 30 minutes prior to the scheduled game start time. Starting player Davis is injured during the warm-up. The manager inserts Kelsey, for the injured Davis, into the lineup at the home plate conference. This is considered a substitution and Davis may re-enter the game late as he was a starting player.
47. A game that is tied after seven complete innings will continue in the eighth inning with a base runner starting at second base. The base runner starting at second base is the last player called out in the seventh inning for the team at bat.
48. The pitcher comes to the required stop for one second. The pitcher then takes the ball in the pitching hand back past the hip, and then makes a complete revolution, passing the hip a second time, before releasing the ball. This is a legal delivery by the pitcher.
49. The batter is in the batter's box and as the pitch is released, steps out to tie her shoe lace. The ball goes through the strike zone. The plate umpire calls time as the batter stepped out of the batter's box.
50. It is umpire interference if; on a passed ball, wild pitch, or a throw from the catcher; the ball hits the umpire.
51. Defensive player F5 is injured (and blood showing through his pants) when B4 slides into 3rd base. The replacement player inserted for F5 was the starting pitcher, who had been removed from the pitcher's position due to excessive conferences by the manager. The umpire correctly allows this replacement player.
52. B1 hits a fair ball that ricochets off F3 into foul territory. The double base is being used. F3 retrieves the ball and 81 and F3 are side by side running to 1st base. F3 reaches the foul portion before B1 reaches the fair or foul portion. The umpire calls B1 out?
53. There is a runner at 2nd with one out. The batter hits the pitched ball for a single and loses her helmet unintentionally as she leaves the batter's box. The right fielder retrieves the batted ball and throws it toward home in an effort to retire R2 at the plate. The thrown ball makes contact with the batter's helmet. R2 scores on the play. This is not interference and the ball remains alive.
54. The FLEX player may bat or run for the DP or his/her substitute.
55. If an illegal pitch is hit into play, the ball is live and in play. At the completion of the play on option will be given to the offensive coach if the BR does not reach 1st base and all other runners advance one base safely.
56. The batter hits a pitched ball on the ground. While the BR is advancing toward 1st base, the discarded bat rolls against the ball in fair territory. The ball then rolls foul. The umpire rules the ball dead and the batter is out.