Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-01
UISITIVE FANS.

Sporting Editor Star:
I would appreciate it very much If you
would answer the following question by
return mail, using the inclosed stamped
envelope, as / would like to have an
answer by Friday:
There is a man on first and one out
The batter hits a fly to the third base
man, which is coming down very slowly
The man on first had started to second.
but went back toward first on seeing the
fly. The third baseman muffed the fly,
the man on first ran to second and the
batter to first. The third basen1an made
n play for the man on first by throwing
to second, who muffed the ball.
A contends that the infield fly rule
holds in this case. as the man on first
was forced and only one out. Therefore,
the fly was hit, the ball going out Of play
until the man on first returned to first
But, the man on first forgot about the
rule, or did not know it. and forfeited his
right to return to first without molesta-
ton by attempting to go to second after
the fly was muffed, thereby putting the
ball into play again and becoming a base
runner, liable to be put out as If trying
to steal. with the understanding that the
second baseman must touch him with the
ball, as he Is not forced, the batter being
out.
contends that the infielder forfeited
his right to the infield fly rule by play
ing for the man going to second. claim
first, and play must be made on him
to get him out In other words, he holds
that the rule does not exist any longer,
and that if the second baseman had
caught the ball the man would have been
out, and If he had thrown to first and
gotten the man, it would have been a
double play. He says that in order that
the rule remain in force the third base
man should hold the ball. and thereby
causing the batter to be out. Anyhow,
ha ri inns
man on first, who ran to second, and the
batter, who got to first.
A, answering BIS contention that the
ball must be held to enforce the infield
fly rule, states that the third baseman
would not have made play il it was
not that the man on first attempted to
steal second. The third baseman made
no play for the batter running to first,
but took the man on first individually.
E. D.
Both men would be safe. There can
be no inf1eld fly unless first and second,
or first, second and third are occupied.
Sporting Editor Star:
1. Did the rules ever provide for five
balls and four strikes, and If so when
were they in effect and when discon-
tinued? 2. When fly ball is hit to fielder
with man on base must runner walt
until ball is caught before he can leave
base or can he leave as soon as ball
touches fielder's hands?
SUBSCRIBER.
/. In 1887 the rules called for five
balls and four strikes, but that was the
only year this combination existed, ac-
cording to our data on the rules. .. As
soon as the ball is touched by the field
er's hands runner may leave base.
Sporting Editor Star:
Give the details of the inning in
which Fred Merkle made the play that
cost the Giants the pennant MINER.
In the ninth inning, with two out and
score tied. Mccormick on third and
Merkle on first. Bridwell hit good for a
single and Mccormick went home with
what should have been the winning
run, but Merkle, instead of running to
second base. cut across the field to
the clubhouse. Holman ffelded Bird
wells hit. relayed it to Eyers. who
touched second base, and thus Merkle
technically was forced for the third
out, the run not counting. The crowd
thought the game was over and swarm.
ed on the field. Umpire ODay couldn't
clear the field and called the game with
the score tie, on account of darkness.