Clipping:Interpreting overrunning first base
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| Date | Sunday, August 13, 1871 |
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| Text | The Atlantics, of Brooklyn, defeated the Mansfield, of Connecticut, on Monday last, by a score of 16 to 15. The only noticeable incident about the game was a decision by the umpire–Ferguson, of the Mutuals–to the effect that a player over-running the first base may run to second without returning and touching the first base. We understand that Mr. Bomeisler, in the Olympic-Expert game, played week before last, gave a similar decision; and that in the Athletic-Boston game, of Monday last, the two captains made an agreement to the same effect. With all due deference for Messrs. Ferguson and Bomeisler, we think that their decisions are directly contrary to section ten of rule four, which says:–“Should a player running the bases touch and overrun his first base, he shall be privileged to return at once to the base, without being put out, provided he does not attempt to make his second base.” Philadelphia Sunday Mercury August 13, 1871 In reply to queries by several correspondents, we give below the rule and its correct interpretation governing the point of play of overrunning first-base. Section 10 of Rule Four reads as follows: “Should a player running the bases touch and overrun his first-base, he shall be privileged to return at once to the base without being put out, provided he does not attempt to make his second-base.” It is claimed that the “privilege” granted in the rule is that of returning to retouch the base or not, as the player chooses. This is a mistake. The privilege refers simply to the player’s being allowed to return to first-base without being put out. If the privilege meant anything else than this, then the base-runner would be as liable to be put out at first-base for overrunning as at any other. Besides, if the base-runner was not required to return and retouch the base, there is nothing in the rule to prevent him, every time he overruns first-base, from running half-way down to second, instead of running on the line of the base toward the foul-ball post. The rule is as we state, and no player can legally make the second-base after overrunning the first-base unless he first returns and retouches first-base. New York Sunday Mercury August 27, 1871 |
| Source | Philadelphia Sunday Mercury |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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