The Elbert County tribune., 1908-02-13
QUESTION ON A
RARE BALL PLAY
TRICK OF SCORING FROM THIRD
BASE ON THE FOURTH
BALL PITCHED.
SACKS MUST ALL BE FILLED
is Man Entitled to Run or Can Catcher
Put Man Out at the Plate-HeId
That Pitcher Has Right to Throw
to Receiver in Attempt to Head OF
the Runner.

the Runner.
Though 1t takes a vacation of four
or five months during the coolest
weather. baseball is live game the
year around. always furnishing topics
of conversation wherever two or three
fans are gathered together Argu-
ments on questions of baseball history
and records are on top at all times,
and the rules and the finer points of
play are never-ending subjects of de-
bate. An interesting point was sub
mitted recently for decision, after
causing spirited argument among
baseball patrons ct fan fest. The
question is as follows:
There are two men out, with men
on first, second and third. The bat
ter has two strikes and three balls
home just as the pitcher starts to de-
liver the ball. The umpire calls a
ball, and the catcher gets the runner
at the plate. Does he score or is he
out?"
In this play, the runner scores, and
he cannot be touched out by the catch
er at the plate, because he is forced
home the instant the umpire has
called the fourth ball AS soon as the
pitched ball has passed the plate, pro-
yided, as in this case, It is called a
ball, and not third strike, the bat
ter gets title to first base, and, as
the bases are already full. each of the
preceding runners is forced to ad-
vance one base without the liability
of being put out The force is in op-
Grafton the instant the pitched ball
passes the plate. Up to that moment
the runner from third base is taking
his chances, but he becomes entitled
to score in safety just as soon as the
fourth ball has been called on the
batter.
of course, it is understood that IL
the runner from third base starts
home before the pitcher begins to de-
liver the ball the latter has a right
to throw-not pitch-to the catcher
in an attempt to head the runner off
at the plate. This was worked out by
Manager VIII Armour, now of Toledo.
when he was in charge of the Detroit
Tigers during the season of 1906. With
the bases full and three balls on the
batter. Bill instructed the runner on
third to start for the plate after the
pitcher had taken his position in the
box. The pitcher, seeing the move in
time, threw a wide ball to the catch
er and the runner was nipped at the
plate and touched out.
Manager Armour claimed that he
was safe on the ground that the ball
was pitched and was fourth ball for
the batter, thus forcing all the base
runners to advance This claim,
however, was not allowed, and it was
held that a pitcher has perfect right
to throw to the catcher in an attempt
to head of base runner trying to
score, just as he has right to throw
to any other base to catch runner
who has started too soon. That is,
he can do so provided he has not al
ready started his pitching motion.
The fact that he has taken his place
in the box does not prevent him from
throwing home or to any other base.
But the moment he starts his pitch
ing motion he must go ahead with 1t
and the ball delivered must be regard
ed as pitched ball, and judged ac-
cordingly by the umpire. If it is a
called ball, and the fourth for the
batter, the latter is entitled to first
base, and all preceding Ease runners
who are forced are free to advance
without being put out. That is the
case in the question submitted for de-
cision. The runner from third base
can start home the instant the pitch
er begins his regular motion in de-
livering the BALL. II the result Is a
ball and not strike, the runner from
third cannot be put out az the plate.