Hidden ball trick

A hidden ball trick is a play in which a player deceives the opposing team about the location of the ball. In the game of baseball, the defense deceives the runner about the location of the ball, in an effort to tag out the runner. In the game of American football, the offense deceives the defense about the location of the ball, in attempt to get the defense running the wrong way, such as in a fumblerooski.

A fielder may employ the hidden ball trick when a runner is on base. Variations of the play exist: they all involve a fielder holding the ball without the runner's knowledge, waiting for the runner to lead off of his base, and then tagging the runner.

In high school and collegiate baseball, the pitcher must be completely off of and away from the pitching rubber. It is also a balk (NFHS R6-S2-A5) if a runner or runners are on base and the pitcher, while he is not touching the pitcher's plate, makes any movement naturally associated with his pitch, or he places his feet on or astride the pitcher's plate, or positions himself within approximately five feet of the pitcher's plate without having the ball. In professional baseball, under Rule 8.05(i), a balk occurs if the pitcher is standing on or astride of the pitching rubber without the ball. As play after a foul ball, hit batsman, or time out, must not resume until the pitcher is on the pitcher's mound, the infielder cannot use these times to obtain the ball.

For the trick to work, the fielder (generally an infielder) must get the ball while the ball is in play, and a runner must not realize that the fielder has the ball.

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