# Another baseball rules question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-baseball-rules-question/493677>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [April 20, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-baseball-rules-question/493677 "2009-04-20T01:16:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-baseball-rules-question/493677/1 "2009-04-20T01:16:56Z")

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A rule in baseball is that if a fielder throws his glove at and hits a batted ball (or uses his hat to catch the ball), everybody gets three bases. My question is, what is to stop an outfielder from throwing his glove at a ball in order to keep it from landing over the fence for a home run? Would the batter still only get three bases, or could the umpires rule that it should be a home run?

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**Author:** ![Fred\_Garvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c67d28/32.png) [@Fred\_Garvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred_Garvin)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-baseball-rules-question/493677/2 "2009-04-20T01:23:33Z")

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> [@Ponch8](#):
>
> A rule in baseball is that if a fielder throws his glove at and hits a batted ball (or uses his hat to catch the ball), everybody gets three bases. My question is, what is to stop an outfielder from throwing his glove at a ball in order to keep it from landing over the fence for a home run? Would the batter still only get three bases, or could the umpires rule that it should be a home run?

Baseball rules 7.05 (a): If a fielder throws his glove, cap, or any article of his apparel and it strikes a ball in flight that in the umpire’s judgment would clear the fence, the batter is given four bases and any runner/runners on base would score on the play.

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-baseball-rules-question/493677/3 "2009-04-20T01:24:19Z")

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The glove has to touch the ball for the penalty to take effect.

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**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-baseball-rules-question/493677/4 "2009-04-20T01:25:14Z")

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> [@Fred\_Garvin](#):
>
> Baseball rules 7.05 (a): If a fielder throws his glove, cap, or any article of his apparel and it strikes a ball in flight that in the umpire’s judgment would clear the fence, the batter is given four bases and any runner/runners on base would score on the play.

Thanks for the quick response!