Following a night-long beer-in-hand debate of Major League Baseball’s official rules, the age-old trivia question of how many ways to get to first base came up with varying results. After doing some sober research, the results put everyone in their place as I am sure it will for everyone that reads on…

The official ways to get to first base comes courtesy of Gary Belsky and Neil Fine’s book 23 Ways to Get to First Base. A great piece for every sports trivia buff’s collection, the book details out each and every way possible to reach base, and I quote:

Determining the precise number of ways to reach first base is like filing a tax return. The numbers vary, depending on who does the counting. The Baseball Hall of Fame looked at the Official Rules and came up with 23 possibilities. For the record, just three-hit, walk and hit by pitch-officially extend a streak of reaching safely in consecutive games.

1. Hit

2. Fielder’s choice - Example: runner on second base, ball hit to shortstop, shortstop throws to third base for tag.

3. Forceout at another base

4. Preceding runner put out allows batter to reach first base - Example: as in the fielder’s choice example, shortstop tags runner.

5. Sacrifice bunt fails to advance the runner - Example: fielder’s choice on a bunt.

6. Hit by pitch

7. Error

8. Walk

9. Intentional walk

10. Pinch-runner

11. Dropped third strike

12. Catcher interference - Example: catcher impedes batter.

13. Fair ball hits runner

14. Fair ball hits umpire

15. Sacrifice fly dropped

16. Obstruction of runner - Example: second baseman obstructs baserunner on way to second on batted ball in play.

17. Fielder interference - Example: pitcher obstructs batter on his way to first base

18. Spectator interference - Example: spectator interferes with the ball

19. Fan obstruction - Example: fan interferes with the batter

20. Runner out on appeal - Example: runner on first base, ball hit to right field, runner misses second base on the way to third base and is called out on appeal; batter at first base is credited with an at-bat but not a hit.

21. Failure to deliver pitch within 20 seconds on a three-ball count

22. Four illegal pitches

23. Game suspended with runner on first; if he is traded or is on the disabled list prior to the makeup game, another player may take his place

(7 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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