It's a lovely image, but I have mixed feelings... especially that the umpire was completely wrong (technically, twice!) and forced this admittedly charming moment.
(I don't know that much about softball/baseball, but I know that an earned base can be taken by the pinch-runner even in the case of an injury. She didn't have to risk compounding a serious ankle injury with being jogged around the baseline just to get credit for the homer).
Having said that, yeah, there are a lot of ripples from an event like that. It's heart-warming and awe-inspiring. I personally couldn't see myself in a sport where "the game must go on" even after one of the players took an injury like that.
As I understand it, from the article alone, the pinch-runner could have taken the earned base, but it would not have counted as a home run-merely a single. And there is some sort of cachet and memory to a home run. Maybe that's a league rule, I don't know. I do seem to recall that one can't argue the rules with an umpire
( ... )
One's team staff can always contest a ruling (if one is correct). There are rulebooks and such. Someone can be shown to be right. If there is doubt, I expect the ump's ruling would stand.
And I do like the message of empathy. I just was disappointed that it came out of an artificial crucible created by an umpire who didn't know the rules well enough. :(
Comments 7
Reply
I REALLY needed that spot of sunshine right at this moment. gracias!
Reply
Reply
Reply
(I don't know that much about softball/baseball, but I know that an earned base can be taken by the pinch-runner even in the case of an injury. She didn't have to risk compounding a serious ankle injury with being jogged around the baseline just to get credit for the homer).
Having said that, yeah, there are a lot of ripples from an event like that. It's heart-warming and awe-inspiring. I personally couldn't see myself in a sport where "the game must go on" even after one of the players took an injury like that.
Reply
Reply
There's a "Rule clarification" section on an ESPN posting on this story: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/story?columnist=hays_graham&id=3372631
One's team staff can always contest a ruling (if one is correct). There are rulebooks and such. Someone can be shown to be right. If there is doubt, I expect the ump's ruling would stand.
And I do like the message of empathy. I just was disappointed that it came out of an artificial crucible created by an umpire who didn't know the rules well enough. :(
Reply
Leave a comment