Multiple foul?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Anybody else want to offer an opinion as to why these very rare multiple fouls probably do occur, but are seldom, if ever called?

My opinion:

1) In the beginning, there was the foul.

2) Then, someone asked "what happens if two players foul each other?" Thus begat the double foul.

3) Referee, being human, occasionally messed up the application of the double foul, applying it when the conditions weren't met. Thus begat the false double foul.

4) To "close the loop", the rules makers added a "false multiple foul" to cover the situation where the person who was fouled gets fouled again (after a period of time, but before the ball becomes live).

5) You can't have a "false double foul" without having a definition of a "multiple foul", so that was also added to the book.

IOW, it's there not to be called (in the normal pace of play), but merely so other parts of the book make some sense.