Baseball is a game of individuals and confrontations between individuals. At that moment when the pitcher stares into the catcher's mitt, scratches himself, gets into his windup, and fires the pitch home, it's all between him and the batter. There may
fielders in set and ready position on the field, baserunners languishing off their bases, and teammates and coaches watching anxiously from the dugout, but during those few nanoseconds of drama, baseball becomes a two player game. Likewise, on virtuall any play - a flyball, a grounder, a popup etc. - all attention focuses only on the fielder and perhaps the runner that he will attempt to throw out. All plays that is, except for the hit-and-run.
Simply put, a hit and run is a play in which a runner on any base (usually first) takes off as soon as the pitcher releases the ball, and the batter at the plate attempts to make contact no matter what kind of pitch he gets and wherever it's thrown.
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