Clipping:An infield fly; controversy about this point of the game
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| Date | Tuesday, May 14, 1872 |
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| Text | [Troy vs. Athletic 5/13/1872] [bases loaded, McBride on third] After waiting for some time, Fisler popped one up that dropped directly into Force’s [short stop] hands, and then out again, being purposely missed by that individual in order to make a double play. McBride, of course being under the impression that he was forced off third-base, attempted to run home, and amidst a scene of undescribable confusion, the Umpire [Nick Young] decided that Fisler was also out, “caught on the fly” by Force, but on what rule he based that decision, we confess that we are at a loss to know, as the ball just momentarily touched Force’s hands and was not held long enough to constitute a catch. The innings closed... Evening City Item May 14, 1872 ...we never denied but that the umpire was right in deciding that there were two men out; Meyerle forced off second and McBride run out between home and third, but we did question the correctness of the decision made by him [the umpire] that “Fisler was out ‘caught on fly’ by Force.” How a man can be put out as being caught when the ball is deliberately missed, is still a mystery to us, and if all umpires should decide as Mr. Young did on that occasion, there would be no opportunity afforded for the playing of one of the sharp points of the game. Many persons seem to be under the impression that it is forbidden by the rules to purposely miss a ball, but there is nothing that will bear them out in that belief. The whole question hinges upon this, whether Force held the ball long enough to constitute a catch, and if he did, as many persons say, then the umpire was correct; but if he dropped the ball immediately after it touched his hands, as we thought he did, then he was wrong. Evening City Item May 15, 1872 In the game between the Boston and Mutuals last Saturday, in Boston, a precisely similar point to that of Force’s, in the Athletic-Troy, was played by Geo. Wright, but the umpire in this case made a correct decision. Hicks and McMullin were on the first and second bases, when Hatfield popped up a fly that landed into Geo. Wright’s hands and then fell out. Quickly fielding it to Schafer, Hicks was put out by being forced by McMullin, who in turn was forced out at second. This play occasioned some talk between the umpire and the captains of the rival nines, but it was allowed, of course, to pass as a muffed fly. Evening City Item May 16, 1872 |
| Source | Evening City Item |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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