What Is A Walk Off Hit In Baseball?

A walk-off hit is a hit that ends the game. It is usually a home run, but it can also be a base hit that drives in the winning run.

Definition of a walk off hit

In baseball, a walk-off hit is a single, double, triple, or home run that allows the batter’s team to score the winning run after they had been trailing in the game.

A walk-off can occur in any inning, including extra innings. In Major League Baseball (MLB), it is one of the most exciting ways to end a game.

The term “walk-off” was coined by New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, who said it felt like he had “walked off” the mound after giving up a game-winning hit.

Walk-off hits are typically celebrated by the whole team, especially if it is late in the game and the team was behind. Players will often jump around or do some kind of celebratory dance as they head towards home plate to congratulate the batter.

History of the walk off hit

The term “walk-off” was coined by none other than Hall of Fame Yankees broadcaster Phil Rizzuto. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he would often use the phrase to describe a game-ending home run by the Yankees. It wasn’t until 1974 that the term began being used in print, according to language researcher Ben Zimmer.

The first mention of a “walk-off” home run in The New York Times came on June 23, 1974. In an article about a game between the Seattle Pilots and Oakland Athletics, Times writer Robert Lipsyte used the phrase to describe a home run by the A’s Gene Tenace: “Tenace lofted what appeared to be a routine fly to right field, but [Pilots right fielder Tommy] Harper lost it in the sun and it fell for a homer, giving Oakland a 5-4 victory and Tenace what he called ‘a walk-off home run.'”

Since then, the term “walk-off” has become commonplace in baseball vocabulary. It’s used to describe any game-ending scenario – whether it’s a home run, base hit, sacrifice fly or even a wild pitch.

Rules of the walk off hit

In baseball, a walk-off hit is a hit by a batter with the bases loaded and his team leading the inning, that ends the game immediately. A walk-off home run is especially dramatic, since the home team always bats last. This game-ending scenario gives rise to the term “walk-off”, which can be used as both a noun and an adjective.

The term “walk-off” has been used in baseball since at least the early 1900s, but it did not become popular until after World War II. The first known use of the term in print was in The New York Times on March 28, 1953, in an article about a spring training game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds. The Times used the term again on April 13, 1953, in an article about a game between the Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Rules of Baseball do not explicitly define what constitutes a walk-off hit, but the general consensus is that it must be a hit that:

– Ends the game immediately
– Is hit with the bases loaded
– Is hit by the home team (which always bats last)
– Gives the home team the lead

Examples of the walk off hit

There have been many great moments in baseball history, but nothing quite compares to the walk off hit. A walk off hit is when the batter hits the ball and it goes over the fence, scoring the winning run and giving their team the victory. It’s a moment that every player dreams of, and one that fans will never forget.

While any walk off hit is special, there are some that stand out above the rest. Here are just a few examples of the most iconic walk off hits in baseball history:

-In 2001, Luis Gonzalez hit a walk off single against Mariano Rivera to give the Arizona Diamondbacks a win in game 7 of the World Series.

-In 2011, David Freese hit a walk off home run in game 6 of the World Series to force a game 7. The Cardinals went on to win that series.

-In 2016, Edwin Encarnacion hit a walk off home run in game 5 of the American League Championship Series. The Blue Jays went on to win that series.