Re: 3rd out question - history???

Peter Callen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

: There was a recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal on Friday
: about the Cubs and talking about history. Specifically they
: re-explained how they  won the Pennant in 1908 with the "Merkel" out
: when they played the Giants. For those that don't know it, the score
: was 1-1 in the 9th inning with two outs and Giants men on 1st and 3rd.
: A single was hit and the man from 3rd scored. Merkel who was on 1st,
: didn't touch 2nd base but instead went into the dugout. The Cubs got
: the ball went to 2nd stepped on the base and declared Merkel as out.
: This was declared a tie and the game was replayed at which time the
: cubs won.

: I believe the rule now is that while the play is still in progress if
: the run scores before the out is made, it counts and thus the game
: today would be over. Was the rule different then?

Unless there's some subtlety I'm missing, the rule is
no different today.  The play at second was a _force_.
If the third out of the inning is obtained on a force play,
any run "scoring" during the play of that batted ball does not 
count.

If the third out is made in a non-force situation, such as if Merkle
had overrun second and then been tagged out coming back, then the run
scoring before the out _would_ count.

Someone have a rule book to quote?

Dave MB