PU-Throwing Ball Back to Pitcher-Let the Players Play the Game

[Tim C]

I have not thrown a ball back to F1 since August 8, 1981.

I was told by two MLB catchers that they (and all other catchers they knew) want to throw the ball back.

Both catchers noted that in the "olden days" umpires were supposed to 'prove' they were athletic enough to be on the field.

Since the early 1980s umpires are not required by MLB to throw the ball back (as an aside at umpire school in the 1970s not only were umpires required to throw the ball back to the pitcher they were also required to throw the ball right handed ONLY).

"Could you provide the name of the pitcher or umpire or team, approximate date and jurisdiction, please.

"An exhaustive search for "umpire liability" lawsuits conducted last year did not reveal this one."

This obviously wasn't an NFHS game as they have no record of anything like this.

I too would like a little more information since I have three articles due for High School Today that deal with official/participant safety.

[JPaco54]

Thanks Tim for some of the background info. I have learned over the years that baseball has a long historial life to it that continues to evolve and there is usually a reason or explanation to the rules and traditions to the game. Appreciate the info.

Still can not find Rule 9.04(a) 1(a) OBR...lq

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by JPaco54

Still can not find Rule 9.04(a) 1(a) OBR

Keep looking. You'll find it right next to the keys to the batter's box.

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Keep looking. You'll find it right next to the keys to the batter's box.

I wike u. Yu catch on reel quik!

Yu veery funny!!!!!

[RPatrino]

Clearly, there are two schools of thought on this issue. In one case, I have been told that under no circumstances are we to throw a ball back to the pitcher, and when I work in that environment, thats what I do. I also was dinged on an evaluation for NOT throwing a ball to the pitcher while the F2 was waddling back to the backstop to pick up a throw. Their comment was , " why just stand there with your finger in your ...??". The first comment was for youth ball and the second was for HS. Your mileage may vary.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by Tim C

This obviously wasn't an NFHS game as they have no record of anything like this.

I too would like a little more information since I have three articles due for High School Today that deal with official/participant safety.

According to the poster it was a D-II game. I sent an inquiry in to NCAA asking what they have on this. It could be recent, I guess, but it wasn't included in information provided earlier, which was supposed to be inclusive to 2007.