Rules & officiating
Walk
In baseball and softball, the award of first base to a batter who receives four balls, also called a base on balls.
Rules & officiatingAlso known as: base on balls
Definition
A walk — officially a base on balls — is awarded when a pitcher throws four pitches outside the strike zone that the batter does not swing at, letting the batter advance to first base without being put out. It is one of the most common ways to reach base and reflects the strategic contest between pitcher and hitter over the edges of the strike zone.
An intentional walk is a deliberate choice to give a dangerous hitter first base rather than pitch to them, and in many leagues it can now be signalled without throwing any pitches. The baseball 'walk' is unrelated to basketball's informal use of 'walking' for a travelling violation, which concerns illegal footwork rather than reaching base.
Meaning by sport
This term is used differently across sports:
- Baseball
- A base on balls — the batter is awarded first base after four balls.
- Softball
- A base on balls awarding the batter first base after four balls.
- Basketball
- An informal term for a travelling violation ('walking').
Where you’ll hear “walk”
Sports that use this term:
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Walk to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Officiating
- UmpireA match official who rules on lines, serves and dismissals in racket, bat-and-ball and net sports such as tennis, cricket and baseball — and, in racket sports, also keeps the running score.
- RefereeThe primary on-field official who enforces the rules, controls play, penalises fouls, awards restarts, and blows the whistle to start and stop a match.
- ScorekeeperThe official who keeps the authoritative record of a contest — score, fouls, and statistics — usually seated at a scorer's table beside the timekeeper.
- Line JudgeA boundary-line official who calls whether the ball or player is in or out and flags foot faults, working under the head referee across many sports.
- TimekeeperThe timekeeper is the official who runs a contest's clock — starting and stopping time, timing rounds, races and periods, and signalling when time expires.
Equipment
Adaptive sports
- Seated SportsSports played from a seated position — on the floor, on a bench or in a chair — so that people who benefit from a stable seated base can take part.
- Adaptive sport organisationsThe bodies and groups — international, national and local — that organise, govern and support adaptive and para sport.
- Adaptive equipmentPurpose-built or adjusted gear — from sport wheelchairs to sound-adapted balls — that helps make a sport accessible to play.
- Ambulant Para SportsPara sports for athletes who compete standing or on foot — walking or running — rather than from a wheelchair or seated position.
- Getting started in adaptive sportA gentle, practical introduction to finding a first adaptive or inclusive sport, a welcoming session and a way in that suits you.
Beginner guides
- How to Join a Beginner Group or ClassA warm, practical walk-through of joining a beginner sports group or class — what they are like, how to find one, and what a first session tends to feel like.
- Your First Informal Game or KickaboutA relaxed kickabout, hit or pick-up game is a genuine way into a sport — you learn by playing, the courtesies are simple, and nobody expects you to be good yet.
- Your First Tennis Session: What to ExpectA friendly, honest look at what actually happens at your first tennis session — how it is usually run, what tends to surprise beginners, and how to turn up relaxed and ready to enjoy it.
- Your First Swimming Session: What to ExpectWhat a first swimming session at the pool actually feels like, how to prepare, and how to settle in without any pressure to swim lengths on day one.
- Your first basketball sessionA first basketball session is a friendly, fast-moving introduction to handling the ball, moving your feet and sharing simple play with others — no experience or prior skill needed.
Positions
- Small forwardThe small forward is a versatile wing player in basketball who can score inside and outside while also defending multiple positions.
- Full-backA full-back is a defender who plays on the left or right side of the defence, defending the flank while also supporting attacks down the wing.
- OppositeThe opposite is a volleyball attacker who plays on the right side of the net, opposite the setter in the rotation, and is often a key scorer.
- Power forwardThe power forward plays near the basket in basketball, using strength to rebound, score inside, and defend the paint.
- HookerThe hooker is a front-row forward in rugby who wins the ball in the scrum and typically throws the ball into the line-out.
Player roles
- AnchorThe anchor is a cross-sport holding role: a steadying, defensive-minded player who shields the back line, screens danger and gives teammates a reliable base.
- Target playerA target player is a focal attacker who receives, holds up and links play for others, often physically strong and good in the air or with the hands.
- CaptainThe captain is a team's on-field leader who communicates, makes in-game decisions and sets standards — a role any player can hold, not a fixed position.
- Pace-SetterThe player who sets and controls the tempo of play or the rhythm of an endurance effort, dictating how fast the game or race unfolds.
- All-RounderAn all-rounder is a versatile player who contributes across attack and defence rather than specialising in a single phase, position, or skill.