⏱️ 6 min read

Professional sports leagues worldwide operate under extensive rulebooks that govern every aspect of gameplay. While fans and players alike are familiar with common infractions and standard procedures, there exists a fascinating collection of legitimate rules that officials can invoke but rarely do. These obscure regulations remain on the books, ready to be enforced when extraordinary circumstances arise, yet they often go years or even decades without being applied in professional competition.

The Obscure World of Fair Catch Kicks in Football

One of the most peculiar rules in American football allows a team to attempt a field goal immediately following a fair catch, without the defense rushing. This “fair catch kick” can be taken from the spot of the catch, and the kicking team may use a tee or have a holder, but the opposing team must stand 10 yards away. The NFL has seen this rule utilized only a handful of times in recent decades, most notably when teams receive a fair catch as time expires in the first half, giving them a free attempt at three points from potentially midfield.

The rule originated in the 19th century when football was transitioning from rugby-style play. While it remains in the official NFL rulebook, the specific circumstances required—a fair catch in field goal range with enough time remaining to make the attempt worthwhile—occur so infrequently that many current players have never witnessed this rule in action during their entire careers.

Baseball’s Ambidextrous Pitcher Regulations

Major League Baseball maintains a specific set of rules designed for ambidextrous pitchers, despite the extreme rarity of players who regularly throw with both arms at the professional level. These regulations, sometimes called the “Pat Venditte Rule” after the pitcher who prompted their formal adoption, require an ambidextrous pitcher to declare which hand they will use before facing each batter. Once declared, the pitcher cannot switch hands during that at-bat unless they sustain an injury.

The rule also stipulates that the batter may switch sides of the plate to counter the pitcher’s declaration, but once both players have committed, neither may change again during that plate appearance. This prevents the absurd scenario of pitcher and batter endlessly switching sides to gain matchup advantages. While elegant in its solution to a unique problem, these regulations affect perhaps one or two players per generation.

Basketball’s Rarely Invoked Jump Ball Violations

While basketball fans are familiar with jump balls at the start of games and during possession disputes, few know about the specific violations that can occur during the jump ball itself. Referees can call violations if jumpers touch the ball before it reaches its highest point, if they catch the ball instead of tapping it, or if non-jumpers enter the restraining circle before the ball is legally tapped. Additionally, jumpers cannot tap the ball more than twice, and they must remain in their designated halves of the center circle.

These infractions technically warrant turnovers or repeat jump balls, but officials rarely enforce the more technical aspects of jump ball rules unless a violation is particularly egregious. The introduction of the possession arrow in many leagues has further reduced the frequency of jump balls, making these already rare calls even more unlikely to occur.

Soccer’s Deliberate Trick to Circumvent Laws

FIFA’s Laws of the Game include a provision against players using deliberate tricks to circumvent the back-pass rule. This regulation prevents players from using tricks like flicking the ball up with their feet to then head it back to their goalkeeper, who can then handle it legally. The rule exists to prevent teams from exploiting loopholes in the back-pass restriction, which prohibits goalkeepers from handling deliberate kicks from teammates.

Referees must judge whether such actions constitute unsporting behavior, and violations result in an indirect free kick for the opposing team. However, the subjective nature of determining what constitutes a “trick” versus legitimate skill makes officials hesitant to invoke this rule. Most referees will only penalize the most obvious attempts to circumvent the spirit of the back-pass law.

Hockey’s Unusual Penalty Shot Circumstances

While penalty shots in hockey are exciting moments, most fans don’t realize the obscure circumstances that can trigger them beyond the obvious breakaway infractions. NHL rules state that a penalty shot must be awarded if a player on the bench illegally participates in play and directly affects the scoring opportunity, if a defending player deliberately removes the goal post during a breakaway, or if someone throws an object at the puck while it’s heading toward an empty net on a clear scoring chance.

Perhaps most unusual, if a team has too many players on the ice during the final two minutes of regulation or anytime in overtime, and this infraction prevents a clear scoring opportunity, the referee has the authority to award a penalty shot rather than a standard minor penalty. These specific scenarios occur so rarely that many hockey officials complete entire careers without awarding penalty shots under these circumstances.

Tennis’s Rarely Applied Hindrance Rules

Tennis maintains strict rules about player conduct and interference, including rarely enforced regulations about hindrances. Officials can penalize players for audible obscenities, visible obscenities, or any action deemed deliberately distracting to opponents. More obscure is the rule regarding unintentional hindrance from objects other than the racket, such as a hat falling off or a ball falling from a pocket during a point.

The rulebook also addresses situations where players claim hindrance from spectators, electronic devices, or even wildlife entering the court. While chair umpires have broad discretion to invoke these rules, they rarely do so unless the interference clearly affected the outcome of a point. The subjective nature of determining what constitutes sufficient distraction keeps these rules largely dormant in most matches.

The Importance of Maintaining Comprehensive Rulebooks

These rarely used rules serve important purposes despite their infrequent application. They provide officials with tools to address unusual situations that may arise only once in thousands of games, ensuring fair competition regardless of circumstances. Maintaining these regulations also preserves historical elements of sports while allowing leagues to address hypothetical scenarios before they become controversial incidents. As sports continue evolving, these obscure rules remind us that even the most unlikely contingencies have been considered and addressed by those who govern athletic competition.