[greymule]

It's not surprising that the general public is confused about this. Once in a televised college game the announcers went on and on about the blown call at 2B where F6 tagged the base with an empty glove on a force play. They showed the replay again and again.

It struck me as strange that the announcers never once considered the fact that absolutely nobody questioned the call.

all professing to be "experts"

Two bits of advice, gdc25. (1) Do not take at face value the statement from anyone that he is an umpire. I've had guys tell me, "I'm an umpire, and right in the book it says runners have to slide." Remember, all it takes to be an official umpire in certain organizations is an internet connection and a charge card number. (2) Do not take as authoritative anything that broadcasters say about rules.

In a reverse insane interpretation, years ago I had a play in which F4 fielded a ground ball and tagged, with an empty glove, the runner forced to 2B. Safe, of course. But the coach argued that since it was a force play, the runner is treated like the base, and any touch by the fielder constitutes an out. He also told me he was an umpire.