Baseball fans can get loud. Sometimes, they get really loud. That’s why umpires (the officials in baseball) use hand signals. That way, the players, coaches, fans in the stands and fans watching TV all know what’s happening. An umpire’s job is to make sure both teams are playing by the rules. The home-plate umpire is in charge. He makes all the calls at home plate, like balls and strikes. He also wears a mask and other padding to stay safe. The umpires at first base, second base and third base make the calls at their positions and in the outfield. Read on to learn some of the most important umpire signals. Plus, learning these signals will help Webelos fulfill one requirement of the Sportsman elective adventure. Here are the seven most common signals used by baseball umpires: Out/Strike Strikes are called with the right hand. Some umpires point to the side; others make a clenched fist. The “out” call — also a clenched fist — is used after a third strike or when a runner is out before reaching a base. Timeout/Foul Ball Used when a batter hits a foul ball or when play must be paused. Foul Tip Used when a batter swings and just barely tips the ball but the catcher still catches it. Do Not Pitch Used to signal the pitcher to wait before throwing his next pitch. Safe Used when a runner safely reaches any base. Play Ball Used to signal the pitcher that it is OK to throw the pitch. Fair Ball Used when a batter hits a ball that lands in fair ground. This signal can be made with either hand. With these seven signals in mind, you’ll understand the most common calls in baseball. But there are other signals umpires use during a game to communicate with players, coaches, scorekeepers and other umpires. Help us keep this list going by describing other signals an umpire uses by commenting below.

Madison Trimble is slowly but confidently making her way around a simple maze of PVC pipes laid out on the ground. Every few steps, her feet or her bright yellow cane bumps against a pipe, and she shifts her direction slightly. When she gets to the end, Madison, an 18-year-old Venturer from Crew 5275C of the Alamo Area Council, takes off the blindfold. She looks behind her. “That was hard!” she says. “You have to use your other senses, like hearing and feel.” That’s exactly the point of the disAbilities Awareness Challenge area at the 2017 National Jamboree. Venturers and Scouts experience the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities or special needs.