I am adapting this question from the 1970 version of Knotty Problems of Baseball. The names were added to victimize the innocent.
Jack Cust is on first base for the Athletics with one out. Eric Chavez hits a drive to deep center field. Cust assumes that the ball will fall in and is halfway to third. But no! Vernon Wells makes a spectacular catch. Cust now tries to get back to first. But on his way back to first, he misses second. Wells spins and throws the ball back to the first, but his throw sails over the head of Curtis Thigpen and the ball rolls into the dugout. Cust gets back to first. But now Bob Geren is out claiming that Cust is entitled to third because of the bad throw. John Gibbons wants his team to appeal that Cust missed second.
With the ball in play, while advancing or returning to a base, he fails to touch each base in order before he, or a missed base, is tagged.
APPROVED RULING: (1) No runner may return to touch a missed base after a following runner has scored. (2) When the ball is dead, no runner may return to touch a missed base or one he has left after he has advanced to and touched a base beyond the missed base.
So before the next pitch, the Blue Jays pitcher throws an appeal to second base, steps on it, and Cust is declared out.
Also keep in mind:
Rule 7.01 Comment: If a runner legally acquires title to a base, and the pitcher assumes his pitching position, the runner may not return to a previously occupied base.
"In advancing, a runner shall touch first, second, third and home base in order. If forced to return, he shall retouch all bases in reverse order, unless the ball is dead under any provision of Rule 5.09. In such cases, the runner may go directly to his original base."
But rule 5.09 does not include a provision based on a fielder's thrown ball leaving the field of play. It does, however, include a provision if the ball gets stuck in the umpire's mask. Now, how many times has that happened, Mr. Catcher's Interference Guy?
(2) When the ball is dead, no runner may return to touch a missed base or one he has left after he has advanced to and touched a base beyond the missed base.
So, in our scenario, the runner has not touched third base. Therefore he may retouch and advance to third, getting two bases on the overthrow, per rule whatever, I can't remember, but it's always two bases on a throw from the field, which leaves the field.
If you think about it, it's only fair that a guy gets a chance to re-touch on a play where the ball goes out of play. I guess in the case of 7.10.b.2, they thought it was a bit much for a runner to miss a base and just go ahead and chug along to the next one and expect to get bailed out.
And rule 5.09, referred to in comment 3, refers to dead balls which happen when the batter is up (i.e., HBP, foul balls). So it doesn't apply here.
With the ball in play, while advancing or returning to a base, he fails to touch each base in order before he, or a missed base, is tagged.
APPROVED RULING: (1) No runner may return to touch a missed base after a following runner has scored. (2) When the ball is dead, no runner may return to touch a missed base or one he has left after he has advanced to and touched a base beyond the missed base.
So before the next pitch, the Blue Jays pitcher throws an appeal to second base, steps on it, and Cust is declared out.
Also keep in mind:
Rule 7.01 Comment: If a runner legally acquires title to a base, and the pitcher assumes his pitching position, the runner may not return to a previously occupied base.
"In advancing, a runner shall touch first, second, third and home base in order. If forced to return, he shall retouch all bases in reverse order, unless the ball is dead under any provision of Rule 5.09. In such cases, the runner may go directly to his original base."
But rule 5.09 does not include a provision based on a fielder's thrown ball leaving the field of play. It does, however, include a provision if the ball gets stuck in the umpire's mask. Now, how many times has that happened, Mr. Catcher's Interference Guy?
Probably doesn't happen much now since umpires wear masks with bars close enough together that they nothing can get stuck in them.
(2) When the ball is dead, no runner may return to touch a missed base or one he has left after he has advanced to and touched a base beyond the missed base.
So, in our scenario, the runner has not touched third base. Therefore he may retouch and advance to third, getting two bases on the overthrow, per rule whatever, I can't remember, but it's always two bases on a throw from the field, which leaves the field.
If you think about it, it's only fair that a guy gets a chance to re-touch on a play where the ball goes out of play. I guess in the case of 7.10.b.2, they thought it was a bit much for a runner to miss a base and just go ahead and chug along to the next one and expect to get bailed out.
And rule 5.09, referred to in comment 3, refers to dead balls which happen when the batter is up (i.e., HBP, foul balls). So it doesn't apply here.
Well, it jogged MY brain at least.
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