Little League Rule Regarding Thrown Ball Out Of Play

by Lou
(Belleville)

Lou asked: Here is the situation.

No outs, runner on 2nd.

Batter hits a ball to SS who bobbles the ball.

By the time he throws, the batter has already reached 1st base safely. The SS proceeds to throw anyway and as the ball gets by the 1B, the batter begins to go to 2nd.

The ball then proceeds to roll under the bullpen fence out of play.

The umpire awards the runner at 2nd base home and the batter gets to go to 3rd base, ruling that the runner gets to advance two bases on the overthrow.

The game is then protested by the defensive teams's manager, stating the the batter should only be rewarded 2nd base.

The game was later tied in the 6th inning and needed to be suspended due to time constraints.

The same manager is saying that he cannot officially file the paperwork for the protest because the game has not been completed yet.

Can you clarify?


Rick answered: Lou, thank you for your question.

Rule 4.19 Protesting Game

(a) Protests shall be considered only when based on the violation or interpretation of a playing rule, use of an ineligible pitcher or the use of an ineligible player.

(c) Protests shall be made as follows:

1) The protesting manager shall immediately, and before any succeeding play begins, notify the umpires the game is being played under protest.

2) Following such notice the umpire shall consult with the other umpire(s), if the umpire is convinced that the decision is in conflict with the rules, the umpire shall reverse the decision. If however, after consultation, the umpire is convinced that the decision is not in conflict with the rules, said umpire shall announce that the game is being played under protest. Failure of the umpire to make such announcement shall not affect the validity of the protest.

(e)Any protest for any reason whatsoever must be submitted by the manager first to the umpire on the field of play and then in writing to the Local League President within 24 hours. The umpire in chief shall also submit a report immediately.

(f) If the protest is allowed, resume the game from the exact point when the infraction occurred.


7.06 Each runner including the batter-runner may without liability to be put out, advance;

g) Two bases when, with no spectators on the playing field , a thrown ball goes into the stands, or into a bench (whether or not the ball rebounds into the field), or over or under or through a field fence, or on the slanting part of the screen above the backstop, or remains in the mesh of a wire screen protecting spectators, the ball is dead.

When such a wild throw is the first play by an infielder, the umpire, in awarding such bases, shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the ball was pitched; In all cases the umpire shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the wild throw was made.


This situation should never have gone further than a looking in the rule book to clarify the call on the field. Really didn't require a protest.

If the protest wasn't submitted by the coach in 24 hours, there is no protest to allow or disallow.

The game should be picked up from the spot it was postponed, in the 6th inning.

I would believe that umpires are required to carry a rule book at games, for just this sort of scenario.

Coaches should have one as well.

These days you can even have them downloaded to your cell phone. No reason to protest unless the coach still believes the umpire is wrong after reading the rule book.

I found no other reference to having to wait until the postponed game is completed, to file a managers protest.

I would think the league would want to look at that the next day, so that when they reschedule, they resume at the correct spot.

Should they wait until the game is complete, then decide that the protest is allowed, they then have to reschedule to complete the game.

I would be interested in hearing how this one all turned out.

Yours in baseball,

Rick