ONLY in high school baseball

Dodgers also had a game where the opposing catcher used his mask to scoop up a loose ball. Lasorda caught it and that's also illegal, another obscure rule. I'm not sure but I think it's a two-base advancement or something like that.

 

I was actually just reading a 1972 Baseball Digest where, in the "So You Think You Know Baseball?" column, they had this rule. If the fielder throws his glove at the ball it is three bases for any baserunners.

By HARRY SIMMONS

If you have to blow off steam in baseball, don't throw things. Here is the hypothetical case of a player who did, causing quite a ruckus.
Say it's the Detroit Tigers and the California Angels in the last half of the fifth in a close game at Tiger Stadium. Al Kaline opens with a sharp double to left center. Norm Cash gets nicked by an inside pitch and takes his base. Willie Horton then lifts an infield pop. As the Angels' first baseman runs toward it, the umpire calls, "Infield fly, if fair!"
The Angels' first baseman gets under the ball in fair territory, but it merely touches his glove, then bounces and rolls into foul ground. In disgust, the first baseman flings his mitt at the ball, hitting it and stopping the roll.
Kaline and Cash halt at second and third respectively, while Horton legs it to first base. But you, as umpire, can't let them stay there.What would you do?

Answer:
Call Horton out, and send Kaline and Cash around to score. Two rules, in quick succession, govern this play:
Horton is automatically out when the umpire calls an infield fly and the ball is touched in fair territory. (See Section 6.05e of the Official Baseball Rules: "A batter is out when an Infield Fly is declared.")
When the first baseman's thrown mitt touched the batted ball, it entitled both Kaline and Cash to three bases. (See Section 7.05c: "Each runner, including the batter-runner, may, without liability of being put out, advance three bases, if a fielder deliberately throws his glove at and touches a fair ball.") The rule continues, "The ball is in play and the batter may advance to home base at his peril," but this must be disregarded in the case of an Infield Fly.

From the May 1972 Baseball Digest

 

If the ball was foul, then this award was wrong. It's only a fair batted ball that gets the award of three bases.

Also, a batted ball prevented from going over the fence for a home run by a detached glove, then it's still a home run.

 

I was thinking the same thing. It's like a foul ball that dribbles toward a dugout...a bench player stops it with a bat...just a foul ball. I think the ball has to be hit between the lines to make any of these rules come into play.

 

7.05(a) and 7.05 (b) in OBR ... I don't have my NFHS rule book with me, but i think it's Rule 5 somewhere... similar awards to OBR. Detached equipment in foul territory is nothing.

 

That's correct.

And don't even get me started on base path violations.

 

They must be some triple-hitting machines down in T-ball, then. The cowhide flies at that level.

 

I thought it was three bases for attempting to throw the glove at the ball.

 

it's 3 bases for the detached player equipment (mask, cap, glove, etc.) if the ball is batted fair and the equipment touches it. The attempt itself isn't an award.

 

Mike Scioscia, as catcher of the Dodgers, also did the same thing. Runner was at third and there was a pitch in the dirt. He knocked the ball down and it rolled about an arm's length away from him. Without thinking, he used the mask to pull the ball close to him. Opposing manager called it, umpires met, runner at third was allowed to score.

 

I never heard of Lasorda doing that, but I do remember Gene Mauch of the Angels getting a run for the Angels when the Tigers' catcher scooped up the ball with his mask, and Mauch had to point out the rule to the umps before they allowed the Angels' runner from third to come in and score.

 

OK, Han, NOW you've got a story -- umps screwed the pooch and got the call wrong. And not a can't-do-anything-about-that judgment call, either, but an incorrect application of the rules. Was that a playoff game? Can the losing team protest and have it replayed from that point?