Base hit, or hit in general, is a technical term used in Baseball, which is denoted by H. The base hit is usually credited to the batter when he successfully passes the ball into a good spot. To be credited, it should be done correctly or depends upon the fielder’s choice. Only the batter can achieve a base hit record, so to do so, he has to reach the base before the opposing fielder does or when another player tags the ball with as he reached first base. If the batter had successfully reached first base due to the opposite runner, he would still be credited with a base hit.
Types of Hits a Batter is Performing
The infamous types of hits are named single, double, and triple and it is indicated for one base for the single hit, two bases for the double hit, and three bases for the triple hit. Even a home run can also be credited as a hit. The single, double, and triple hits are also called extra-base hits. Another type of hit is the infield hit where the ball remains intact infield. This type of hit is very uncommon, and this can only be done with advanced runners.
History of Base Hits
In the 18th century during Major League Baseball, even the bases on balls is considered as hits, which led to an impossible result of a batting average of more than .500. In 1887, it was Tip O’Neill who reached a batted average record of .485, which the MLB recognized. After that season, records of controversy were formed, leading the MLB to experiment on how to determine the batting average more accurately. In the official rule of MLB, the base will be considered if the batter had reached the first base up to the home base safely.
The Controversy Behind the Base Hits
After Tip O'Neill's batting average record, controversy emerged as to how the records were interpreted. As a result, they have calculated it by counting the legitimate walks and at-bats. Since then, this method has been widely used because of its straightforwardness. Unfortunate, MLB had reversed the decision in 2000, where they have stated that the statistical record of O'Neill was a result of his walk omitted.
