Quote:
Originally Posted by Forksref
the wing would signal with a fist (much like punching back a backward pass) toward the EZ that the runner had crossed the GL,
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And they would "sell" that call with a repeated and/or exaggerated "punch" if it wasn't obvious. I've seen film of such a case (ball crossing plane, runner landing in the field of play) where you could see both wing officials facing infield and swinging their fist from the field-of-play side arm over their head toward the end zone and back, at least twice, like they were mimicking the action of the ball.
Last time I saw this signal was on TV in the Hula Bowl in the 1970s, and the official used an open hand; looked like a rugby ref giving a try.
There's a remnant of this practice in an umpire's fist-with-thumb-up signal.