# Baseball question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/184873>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 27, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/184873 "2003-06-27T22:44:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/184873/1 "2003-06-27T22:44:43Z")

</div>

Can anyone refer me to the specific rules which states a player may not throw their glove and hit the ball?

Also, what happens if a player such as Jim Abbott is holding the glove and the ball hits the glove before he has a chance to put it on his fielding hand?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/184873/2 "2003-06-27T23:10:24Z")

</div>

Rule 7.05 (a) and (b) from [here](http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/baseball_basics/mlb_basics_runner.jsp) says that

> [@](#):
>
> Each runner including the batter runner may, without liability to be put out, advance\_ (a) To home base, scoring a run, if a fair ball goes out of the playing field in flight and he touched all bases legally; or if a fair ball which, in the umpire’s judgment, would have gone out of the playing field in flight, is deflected by the act of a fielder in throwing his glove, cap, or any article of his apparel; (b) Three bases, if a fielder deliberately touches a fair ball with his cap, mask or any part of his uniform detached from its proper place on his person. The ball is in play and the batter may advance to home base at his peril;

As for the Jim Abbott thing, I think the answer lies in the “deliberately” part. If he didn’t try to do it it’s not illegal. Plus the glove would be in “its proper place on his person” when that scenario took place, so no foul on the play, I think.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/184873/3 "2003-06-28T00:21:03Z")

</div>

Thanks. I think this is exactly what I was looking for.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bradwalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@bradwalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bradwalt)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/184873/4 "2003-06-28T02:58:36Z")

</div>

I’ve never seen this happen in a professional game. Rule 7.05 is unusual because of its “three base” penalty, maybe the only infraction in all of baseball with such a stiff penalty.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![doctordoowop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@doctordoowop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doctordoowop)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/184873/5 "2003-06-28T03:15:16Z")

</div>

As an aside- one can catch a ball inside the shirt,if the hand can hold it. This happened last week- I believe Delgado was the 1st baseman. The key is-unintentional. This was the laughable play in “A League of their Own.” Madonna caught a ball in her hat. This is not permitted; I assume the runner can keep running-it is not an out.