[greymule]

No abandonment or anything crazy like that. When I saw F4 set up with neither foot near 2B, I made sure to watch his feet until he released the ball to 1B. He came no closer than he was when he caught the throw from F6. It was obvious. Not one of those cases where he might have scraped the bag as he threw, or where one foot was planted so near the bag you couldn't quite tell for sure. So I made the call: "Out at first, safe here [pointing to 2B]. Not on the bag."

All four outfielders vociferously objected. F6 and the coach asked that I get help from the PU, which I refused. F4 didn't yell, but he did say something like, "You gotta give me that play. Nobody makes that call."

The offense got several more runs that inning (with 2 out), so naturally I heard the grumbling about how I was robbing them, how all the runs now scoring were mine, how they have to play against 11 guys, etc. They kept up the whining for another inning or so, and the next time they had a force at 2B, F6 made sure he stomped on the bag.

The team that claimed victim status eventually won the game and the playoff championship, 33-27 in 9 innings. (Too bad. They were visitors and the home team failed on golden opportunities to win in the 7th and 8th.)

I slept well, though. Had I called it the other way, I wouldn't have.