Babe Ruth Rules

[Jim Porter]

As I read your response again, DG, I realized that you might've been talking in general and not referring specifically to the original play. If that's the case, my apologies, and this is how I would answer it:

My response was intended to be about the original play and relaxed/unrelaxed actions.

But also according to J/R, an appeal must be an act that is, "unmistakably indicated by voice, manner, or both." Even though it was written for professional umpires who work where meaningless tags on runners standing on their bases during relaxed action simply don't occur (never mind having the extreme rarity of occurring right at the moment a runner also happens to be in jeopardy from a viable appeal). . .

. . .I think we all can tell the difference between an honest-to-goodness tag, and simply a ninny slapping his glove around on the opposition for no apparent reason.