Strikeout Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
In baseball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by K or SO) occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and incompetence on the part of the batter, although for power hitters it is recognized that the style of swing that generates home runs also leaves the batter somewhat susceptible to striking out.
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2 Jargon and slang 3 Strikeout records 4 Related articles 5 External links |
Rules
A pitcher receives credit for (and a batter is charged with) a strikeout on any third strike, but a batter is only officially out if one of the following is true:
- the third strike is pitched and caught in flight;
- on any third strike, if a baserunner is on first and there are fewer than two outs;
In scoring, a swinging strikeout is recorded as a forwards-facing K, and a strikeout on a called third strike is recorded as a backwards-facing K.
A swinging strikeout is often called a whiff and a batter who is struck out by a fastball is often said to have been blown away. A batter who strikes out on a swung third strike is said to have been fanned. When a batter takes a called third strike its called a punchout, or said that the batter was caught looking. A pitcher is said to "strike out the side" when he retires all three batters in a half inning by striking them out, usually, but not necessarily, in a row. If they are struck out in a row, the pitcher is said to "strike out the side in order".
In slang, when a batter strikes out three times in a game, he is said to have completed a "hat trick". If he strikes out four times, it is a "golden sombrero" or a "silver sombrero". He receives the "Olympic rings" for striking out fives times and the "horn" for striking out a rare six times in a game.
In older times, a batter who struck out three times in a game was given a white hood (as the three strikeouts would be recorded "K K K"), but this died out after the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.
Season and career strikeout totals for pitchers are followed closely by fans. The top 5 Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders (active players in bold):
This is an Article on Strikeout. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Strikeout Jargon and slang
Strikeout records
The top 5 Major League Baseball single-season strikeout leaders (since 1900):
Related articles
External links