imaginary runner

[ ih-maj-uh-ner-ee ruhn-er ]

noun

, Baseball, Softball.

1. Also called ghost runner,. a provision of informal, usually childhood play in which a deficit of players allows a base runner to return to home plate for their at-bat while being replaced on base by an imaginary player, the advancement of whom is governed by various rules agreed to beforehand: also utilized in stickball, kickball, and other games related to baseball.

Word History and Origins

Origin of imaginary runner¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Above all, it did not consider whether respiratory droplets from its imaginary runner contained coronavirus and so cannot tell us whether running or walking closely behind someone increases your risk of being exposed to dangerous germs, only that it increases your risk of being exposed to someone else’s breath.

From New York Times

Turner laced a line drive to right field behind the imaginary runner.

From New York Times

Ward called the same situation a few moments later, and Turner bounded a ground ball to second to move the imaginary runner to third.

From New York Times

Rather than walking up to the mound and just faking a throw, they paused, pretended to stare down an imaginary runner, held the imaginary ball for 3-4 seconds and mimicked a complete follow-through.

From Washington Times

Some were knocking out flies and fierce ground balls to the fielders; while the catcher varied the monotony of things by sending down speedy balls to second to catch an imaginary runner from first, after which Julius Hobson or Owen Dugdale would start the ball around the circuit like lightning before it reached the hand of the batter again.

From Project Gutenberg