Invalid appeal question

[Guest Poj]

I remember this bizarre baseball play but can't remember the official ruling and how it was scored.  I also cannot find the game in MLB history.

I believe it was the magical Tiger's year of 1984 when everything went well for Detroit.  They were playing the Cleveland Indians.on a chilly wet May day.  There was a man on 3rd and less than 2 outs. A sacrifice fly was hit...but the runner left 3rd early...even Ernie Harwell and George Kell knew the runner would be called out on appeal.  They were disgusted.

The appeal was made.  However...for some unknown reason...the shortstop was wandering around in foul ground when the appeal was made.  This made the appeal an invalid appeal as all players MUST be in fair territory for an appeal to be valid.

The ruling was crazy and severe...but I can't remember what it was.  I know the runner was awarded home plate...but I think the fly out was also nullified by the invalid appeal...or...the batter was even awarded first base.  

This is the only time I have ever seen\heard of an "invalid appeal" and I can't find a specific ruling that defines the penalty.

Can the umpires on this site help?

[CJK]

May, 1984 -- Detroit vs Boston.

Marty Castillo of the Tigers doubled, Sox thought he missed first.  F4 Jerry Remy stood outside the foul line behind 1st base in case F1 Bruce Hurst threw wildly on the appeal.

The appeal was denied and Hurst was charged with a balk that moved Castillo to third.

[mw94]

And it was the wrong call

[Jimurray]

30 minutes ago, CJK said:

May, 1984 -- Detroit vs Boston.

Marty Castillo of the Tigers doubled, Sox thought he missed first.  F4 Jerry Remy stood outside the foul line behind 1st base in case F1 Bruce Hurst threw wildly on the appeal.

The appeal was denied and Hurst was charged with a balk that moved Castillo to third.

Must have been an actual balk? Twitch, no step after taking the rubber, some kind glitch while dissengaging? Because there is (was ?) no balk for a fielder in foul territory after the ball is made live or while it is live  to back up an appeal play. And there is no balk for a fielder in foul territory when you make the ball live as you require him to go fair before you do. Or maybe that's why the interp exists now. Also there might have been an indentation problem with the Balk penalty in the rulebook which caused umpires to think it applied in other than an intentional walk.

[Jimurray]

26 minutes ago, Jimurray said:

Must have been an actual balk? Twitch, no step after taking the rubber, some kind glitch while dissengaging? Because there is (was ?) no balk for a fielder in foul territory after the ball is made live or while it is live  to back up an appeal play. And there is no balk for a fielder in foul territory when you make the ball live as you require him to go fair before you do. Or maybe that's why the interp exists now. Also there might have been an indentation problem with the Balk penalty in the rulebook which caused umpires to think it applied in other than an intentional walk.

I'm wrong. No actual balk by pitcher. This is from The Big Book of Baseball Brainteasers. Their conclusion is not correct though. The rules do not support the balk although the indentation problem might have convinced the umpires otherwise.

 

[Guest Poj]

I thank you all for the interest.  I am surprised that my memory of the situation was so far off...but it was a really bizarre play the likes of which I have never heard of again.  Heck...rarely is an appeal upheld...I remember from the radio broadcast the disgust in the announcers voices because they knew the Tiger runner had screwed up.  You have no idea how happy it makes me to now know what the event was.

[Senor Azul]

Mr. Poj, the game you asked about was played the night of  May 1, 1984, in Detroit. You can find the boxscore and play-by-play at retrosheet.org and at baseball-reference.com. Here’s the relevant portion from the play-by-play found at retrosheet:

TIGERS 4TH: Castillo doubled; Hurst balked [Castillo to third]; Red Sox 2B Jerry Remy was called for a balk against Detroit; the Tigers' Marty Castillo had doubled but the Red Sox thought he had missed 1B; Bruce Hurst went to the mound and made the appeal throw to Mike Easler while Remy backed up the play in foul territory; Darrell Evans went to Tigers manager Sparky Anderson to remind him that only the catcher can be in foul territory when the pitcher is on the rubber; Anderson appealed the appeal and a balk was called, sending Castillo to 3B; Rule 4.03 discussed fielders in foul ground, but did not specifically address this situation or the awarding of a balk;

For Mr. Richvee, the losing pitcher in this game was Bruce Hurst of the Red Sox whose middle name is Vee. Perhaps he is related or your favorite player?

[Jimurray]

37 minutes ago, Senor Azul said:

Mr. Poj, the game you asked about was played the night of  May 1, 1984, in Detroit. You can find the boxscore and play-by-play at retrosheet.org and at baseball-reference.com. Here’s the relevant portion from the play-by-play found at retrosheet:

TIGERS 4TH: Castillo doubled; Hurst balked [Castillo to third]; Red Sox 2B Jerry Remy was called for a balk against Detroit; the Tigers' Marty Castillo had doubled but the Red Sox thought he had missed 1B; Bruce Hurst went to the mound and made the appeal throw to Mike Easler while Remy backed up the play in foul territory; Darrell Evans went to Tigers manager Sparky Anderson to remind him that only the catcher can be in foul territory when the pitcher is on the rubber; Anderson appealed the appeal and a balk was called, sending Castillo to 3B; Rule 4.03 discussed fielders in foul ground, but did not specifically address this situation or the awarding of a balk;

For Mr. Richvee, the losing pitcher in this game was Bruce Hurst of the Red Sox whose middle name is Vee. Perhaps he is related or your favorite player?

Actually, if the book was anything like the current book, the balk penalty might have been seen as being specifically addressed by the umpires

Ken Kaiser, 1B - Rocky Roe, 2B - Larry Barnett, 3B - Dale Ford.

Depends on how their book was printed: