Definition of balk:
- part of speech: verb To check, disappoint, or elude: to stop short at: omit .
- part of speech: verb To stop abruptly in one's course, as a sulky horse. ...
- part of speech: verb To disappoint; to frustrate; to refuse .
- part of speech: noun A ridge of unploughed land; a beam; sudden disappointment .
- part of speech: noun A hinderance or disappointment .
What is the meaning of the word Balk?
1 : to refuse abruptly —used with at Congress balked at putting up the money — Thomas Fleming 2 : to stop short and refuse to proceed The horse balked at the jump and threw the rider. 3 sports : to commit a balk (see balk entry 2 sense 1)
What is a balk call in baseball?
When a pitcher is on the rubber and has come set, he can only move his body if it’s part of doing one of three things: Any other body movements when set that are NOT part of one of these three will incur a balk call.
What is the origin of the word Balke?
Middle English balke, from Old English balca; akin to Old High German balko beam, Latin fulcire to prop, Greek phalanx log, phalanx “Balk.”
What is the mysterious balk in baseball?
In practicality, the main things to know about the mysterious balk in baseball are the following: If there are no runners on base, a balk is called an “illegal pitch” and a ball is added to the count This is because he has nothing to lose – if the batter doesn’t get a base hit, then the balk call stands.
What balk means?
1 : to stop short and refuse to go. 2 : to refuse to do something often suddenly He balked at paying the bill.
What does it mean to balk someone?
to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified (usually followed by at): He balked at making the speech. (of a horse, mule, etc.) to stop short and stubbornly refuse to go on. Baseball. to commit a balk.
How do you use balk in a sentence?
I do not balk anymore and I do not strike people down without reason. Farmers often balk at the extra labor cost of doing these extra tasks. It's easy to balk at the prices, which can be steep. Some parents balk at the idea of leaving the door open when they, themselves, are using the restroom.
What is a balk in Old English?
To stop short and refuse to go on. quotations ▼ The horse balked.
What is an example of balk?
What is an example of a balk in baseball? In baseball, the two most common examples of a balk are when a pitcher fails to deliver a pitch after beginning their windup and when a pitcher delivers a pitch without first coming to a set position (sometimes known as a quick-pitch).
Which of the following has the same meaning as balk?
Some common synonyms of balk are baffle, foil, frustrate, and thwart. While all these words mean "to check or defeat another's plan or block achievement of a goal," balk suggests the interposing of obstacles or hindrances.
Why is it called a balk?
The former home of the San Francisco Giants was notorious because of the gusty winds. According to the legend, Giants pitcher Stu Miller was blown off the mound by a gust of wind and the home plate umpire called a balk.
Is balk a Scrabble word?
BALK is a valid scrabble word.
How do you pronounce balk in baseball?
0:010:55Pronunciation of Balk | Definition of Balk - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBoc boc boc boc boc boc boc boc boc boc boc book no boc.MoreBoc boc boc boc boc boc boc boc boc boc boc book no boc.
What is a balk in business?
'Balking' occurs when a customer sees a line or service opportunity and skips it, especially because it appears too long or burdensome. When a customer avoids your goods or services, as you may have guessed, it's bad for business.
Is BAWK in the dictionary?
Bawk , a rafter, joist; likewise, the space between cornfields; to frustrate.
Can you balk with nobody on base?
Umpires will judge a quick pitch as one delivered before the batter is reasonably set in the batter's box. With runners on base the penalty is a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball. The quick pitch is dangerous and should not be permitted.
What is a balk in business?
'Balking' occurs when a customer sees a line or service opportunity and skips it, especially because it appears too long or burdensome. When a customer avoids your goods or services, as you may have guessed, it's bad for business.
Why is it called a balk in baseball?
The former home of the San Francisco Giants was notorious because of the gusty winds. According to the legend, Giants pitcher Stu Miller was blown off the mound by a gust of wind and the home plate umpire called a balk.
Can you balk with no runners on base?
Umpires will judge a quick pitch as one delivered before the batter is reasonably set in the batter's box. With runners on base the penalty is a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball. The quick pitch is dangerous and should not be permitted.
How do you stop a balk in baseball?
To avoid a balk call, be sure that you step toward first base when you throw. You must “disengage from the rubber” before throwing to first base. For RHPs this means you move your back foot [the one touching the rubber] first.
What is a balk in baseball?
But the balk essentially keeps the pitcher in check by limiting his ability to fake a pitch or a pick-off throw to one of the bases. If an umpire deems the pitcher pretended to do either, without clear intention of following through, the balk is called and each of the runners move up one base.
When did the balk rule come into play?
The balk made its way into Major League Baseball’s rule book in 1898, and for more than 100 years, a pitcher could fake a pickoff throw to one base before firing to another (e.g., fake to third, and throw to first) -- but that, too, was moved under the balk umbrella during the 2013 season.
How many balks does Steve Carlton have?
Balks can happen to even the best pitchers; Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton owns MLB’s all-time record with 90 balks to his name. But it’s certainly something to avoid if you’re on the mound, and it’s a rule all pitchers should know inside and out as they rise up the ranks.
What is a balk in baseball?
Official Definition of a Balk: “an illegal act by the pitcher with a runner or runners on base, entitling all runners to advance one base.”. In practicality, the main things to know about the mysterious balk in baseball are the following: If there are no runners on base, a balk is called an “illegal pitch” and a ball is added to the count.
What does it mean when a pitcher balks?
The official baseball rule book defines a balk as “an illegal act by the pitcher with a runner or runners on base, entitling all runners to advance one base. If a pitcher balks with no runners on baseball, a ball is called since no runners are available to advance.
How many ways can you balk in baseball?
There are 13 ways to balk in baseball, and most of them are relatively simple and don’t require much thought as a pitcher once you learn them. Knowing the body parts you can and cannot move while on the rubber is a key part of avoiding balks, and for most young pitchers simply learning a pre-pitch routine will help avoid most of them.
What happens if a balk is called and the batter hits the pitch?
What happens is that if the batter hits the balk pitch, and the batted ball results in all runners advancing at least one base (including the batter – so it must be a base hit), then the balk is disregarded and the batted ball result stands. It should be noted that a runner could be thrown out still on this hit–such as trying to go two bases and thrown out at third or home–and the play would still stand, so the pitcher would get an out on the balk hit in this instance. If the batter hits the ball and gets out or runners do not advance at least one base, then the balk would stand–the runners would move up one base, a ball would be added to the count and the hitter would resume his at-bat.
Is there a delay of game balk in baseball?
This one is self-explanatory. I’ve never seen a delay of game balk called in all my years of baseball, but it’s in the rule book to prevent it if some pitcher does decide to throw a hissy fit and pace around the field all day.
Can a catcher balk?
Yes. A catcher must be in the catcher’s box before the pitcher leaves a pitcher’s hand, otherwise the umpire will call a balk. This is not often an issue in amateur baseball, as many fields will not even have a catcher’s box lined, so this call would be impossible to make. The rule book states: “Except that when the batter is being given an intentional base on balls, the catcher must stand with both feet within the lines of the catcher’s box until the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand.”