Base running dilemma

[Warren Willson]

The following situation, or at least one very like it, has been debated at another forum for some days now, with no real sign of any agreement. Personally, I didn't think it was all that hard. I've decided to post the situation here to see what some of you guys might think. I have changed a few words to turn the situation into a question, and to clarify the dilemma.

By rule, the bases must be touched in order whether going forward or backwards.

A runner was on 1st when a fly ball was hit to the outfield. There was only 1 out, but the runner thought there were 2 out so he ran at the crack of the bat. He touched 2nd, but before he touched 3rd he realized that the ball was caught by a diving F9 and so headed back toward 1st, barely missing 2nd on his way back. Trying to throw the ball to F3 for an appeal on the leaving early at 1st, the defensive outfielder threw the ball wild and into the dugout.

If R1 was not all the way back to 1st when the ball went dead, would he need to stop, go back, and touch 2nd BEFORE he touched 1st or would he still be vulnerable to an appeal after touching 1st without correcting his miss of 2nd even if he later touched 2nd base while accepting his 2-base award on the overthrown ball?

I won't betray the specific point of disagreement just yet, and I'll reserve my $AUD0.02c worth until some of you guys have had your say. Any takers?

A word of caution: the situation would be ruled differently from JEA than from J/R, and the PBUC has evidently changed its "mind" on the pivotal question in the last few years.

Cheers