Fed BOO

[WestMichBlue]

I can provide the background detail on this rule.

The NFHS position has always been that an improper batter, when discovered, simply went "poof!" She disappeared. If she was still at bat, she was removed for the batters box. If she got on base, she was removed from the base. If she made an out, the out was cancelled. However, any outs made on other runners would stand.

As Roger noted, up to and through 2002 the rulebook had an Exception with the "supercedes" clause. Thus the out called on the proper batter superceded or replaced the out called on the improper batter.

In 2003 NFHS re-wrote Rule 7 to mirror ASA 7. In doing so they dropped the Exception and said any outs made on the play stand.

I challenged NFHS on this, wanting to know if they now wanted us to call the extra out the way ASA would. They (Mary Stuckhoff) vacillated for a couple days, then said “no.” She issued an “administrative ruling” (not a rules change) telling us to use the 2002 rule. I posted that on this board (and maybe McGriff’s) as that was about the only way umpires would know about it.

NFHS changed the rule in 2004 to add the Effect: “. . . . declare the batter who should have batted out (not the improper batter.) Then they added the word “other," as in “Any other outs on the play stand."

Now we are back where we started. Under BOO, the proper batter is called out; the improper batter is never out, and any outs made by other runners will stand.

WMB

Speaking of "stealth" changes; the NFHS didn't realize they made a change in 2003, and then didn't tell anybody when they fixed the rule in 2004.

[Edited by WestMichBlue on Feb 9th, 2005 at 12:18 AM]