Re-pitch

[mogregg]

Some of you may have seen the replay of a base hit in a Royals vs Indians game that struck a sea gull and could otherwise have been fielded. It was sharply hit and there could have been a play at the plate, but the runner from second scored and ended the game (you might get a slightly different version from an Indian's fan).

But, it got me thinking about our Rule 5, B, 2d. "A shoe that strikes a foreign, moving "object" is not foul and may be re-pitched. I would like some clarification. Is a person, bird, dog or cat an object. I can't think of too many other things that would be moving between the stakes. Maybe we need an example or 2 of a "foreign moving object" in the rule.   

[horseshoe_tosser]

Maybe I could argue that all my misses hit flies that were buzzing around a end up with a perfect game due to the repitch?  what if I hit my leg??

[Jerry]

In the PGA, Freddy Couples shot hit a flying bird and his ball dropped into the water. Unfortunately for him he didn't get a "do-over".
In horseshoes we get a "do-over".  Objects that may interfere could be a bird, maybe a ball of some kind from a nearby game, a newspaper blowing in the wind, or a branch falling from a tree. I doubt that a cat or dog could pose a problem since they are on the ground. Personally I have never seen this happen.
Common sense must prevail in our rules, and I think the rule is very clear. If anyone would like to see examples placed in the RGS book, I would suggest that you go through the proper procedure and submit your proposal.
Jerry

[mogregg]

I wasn't too serious when I started this thread Jerry, but your reply raised a couple of questions with me. I would think a dog could be a problem walking across the pit in front of the stake (my dad killed a cat on his back yard court years ago--one of Mom's best mousers). Also, wouldn't a scorekeeper or judge thinking the game was over count as a Foreign moving object.

[Jerry]

I would agree that any of these cases would qualify as a moving object.
jerry

[groberts]

In over 50 years of pitching I have seen several strange incidents. At the Ross County Fair Tournament a pitcher hit high on the stake causing the shoe to fly high into the air. The shoe then collided with a shoe arriving on the adjacent court. This would be an obvious pitch over situation. At Lakeside, Ohio I witnessed one Jim Lane hang a shoe on an electrical wire at least 16 feet above the court. It took several minutes to dislodge the shoe to allow the game to proceed.

Several years ago a pitcher walked across my court after I had released a shoe. The shoe struck him squarely in the back.
Fortunately, he was not seriously injured. Pitching the shoe over was not a priority!

[Horshooz]

Sometimes, after I have pitched the shoe perfectly and it is enroute as a certain ringer, Gremlins will charge out from under the court covers and shoot their SDI (Star Wars) missiles at my horseshoe in-flight at its highest trajectory, knocking it off course.  Since they are camouflaged, neither my opponent nor the judge ever seem to spot them (Probably other Gremlins causing a diversionary raucous on another court).  If I can show laser burns on the horseshoe to the judge, can I re-pitch the shoe?

[mogregg]

As you probably know when pitching on pemanent indoor courts, quite a few shoes manage to get to a nearby court. We were talking recently about pitching our shoe into a moving shoe from another court and whether or not a re-pitch would be required. Apparently the way the rule is worded, if we like the result we can forget the re-pitch?

[cobbler]

Gary, you always have the best stories!  You need to write a book or something!  The high wire is a neat story, but I think that one is a foul shoe... but if the wire were moving in the wind or something, well, I suppose that's where the common sense comes in, right Jerry?

The rule does sound like you could accept the result of the deflected pitch rather than re-pitch the shoe.  If it ends up a ringer, why not keep it?

OK... the dead cat story was pretty good too!