Charging the mound
As charging the mound (in German about "storm on the hill" ) is called in baseball the physical attack (or the attempt to attack) on the pitcher by the batter , usually as a result of a hit by pitch or a ball that almost leads to hit by pitch, which the batter does not interpret as a failed throw, but rather as a deliberate attempt by the pitcher to hit him. Since a not inconsiderable risk of injury is associated with a hit by pitch, this reaction is understandable, but prohibited (unsportsmanlike conduct, attacking players or referees; Rules 9.01 (d), 9.05 (b)).
The term charging, i.e. attack or storm , is derived from the English charge , which in this case stands for a sudden attack on something or someone, which is often unexpected for the opponent, in this case the pitcher's mound and the pitcher located there.
Such situations generally get out of control within a very short time, and the process is often similar. The catcher , as a teammate of the pitcher, tries to protect his pitcher and in turn takes up the pursuit of the bat. The players sitting on the bench now want to compensate for any shortfall situations and within a very short time the entire infield is occupied by both teams, and often more insults than blows are exchanged.
Usually the batsman does not want to hurt the pitcher when charging the mound, but rather reacts spontaneously to a pitch that has hit him painfully.
Charging the mound is often preceded by a series of hits by a pitch which, through mutual acts of revenge, then rock each other into a mass brawl.
In the history of the MLB , the penalties for such situations have increased significantly over time since the eighth commissioner of the MLB Fay Vincent introduced a stricter course of action. Nowadays, the initiators of a charging the mound often face high fines and long-term bans.
Web links
Video of a Charging the Mound on mlb.com