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Protested game

American League president Lee MacPhail upheld the protest by the Kansas City Royals in the Pine Tar Incident in 1983.

A protested game occurs in baseball when a manager believes that an umpire's decision is in violation of the official rules. In such cases, the manager can raise a protest by informing the umpires, and the game continues to be played "under protest." Protests were allowed in Major League Baseball (MLB) through the 2019 season, after which they were abolished, thus making all games official following their conclusion.

Rules

Through the 2019 season, protests in Major League Baseball (MLB) were governed by Rule 7.04, "Protesting Games".[1] Managers could initiate a protest "because of alleged misapplication of the rules", provided they notified the umpires "at the time the play under protest occurs and before the next pitch, play or attempted play" (in the case of a game-ending play, a protest could be filed with the league office by noon of the next day).[1] A protested game was reviewed and adjudicated by the league president,[1] or the executive vice president of baseball operations,[2][3] who could order a game resumed (replayed from the point of the protested decision) only if finding the umpire's decision was in violation of the rules and the decision "adversely affected the protesting team’s chances of winning the game."[1][a] A well-known example of a protested game in MLB was the Pine Tar Incident in 1983, which was the only time that a protested game in the American League was ordered replayed from the point-of-protest. An umpire's judgment call (such as balls and strikes, safe or out, fair or foul) could not be protested.[1]

In 2020, the provision to protest a game was removed, as Rule 7.04 now reads:[4][5][6]

Protesting a game shall never be permitted, regardless of whether such complaint is based on judgment decisions by the umpire or an allegation that an umpire misapplied these rules or otherwise rendered a decision in violation of these rules.

Upheld protests in MLB

Upheld protests were a rare event; the below tables list upheld protests in MLB.

Resumed games

Through 2019, the last season during which protests were allowed in MLB, there were only 15 known occurrences of a protest being upheld and the game being resumed from the point at which the protest was raised.[7] Of those 15 occurrences, the protesting team went on to win eight of the resumed games.

Non-resumed games

There have been other instances of a protest being upheld, with the game not resumed from the point at which the protest was raised; most often, the game was ordered replayed. In one instance, the game was declared a no contest, and in another instance, the protesting team was declared the winner without further play being ordered.[f] Examples include:

Notes

  1. ^ In practice, if the protesting team went on to win the game, their protest was considered moot, although MLB rules did not specifically state this.
  2. ^ See entry of the same date in the table in the following section.
  3. ^ Although started in Philadelphia, the game was completed in New York at Polo Grounds, reportedly "the first time in the history of major league baseball a game started in one city [was] finished in another."[8]
  4. ^ Though the game was resumed as if it was protested by the Dodgers, it is unknown if the Dodgers actually protested this game or if then-NL President (and future Commissioner) Ford Frick made the ruling solely after reading the umpire’s report of the Phillies’ stalling tactics.[21]
  5. ^ Although started in Pittsburgh, the game was completed in Brooklyn at Ebbets Field. The resumption is the first known time in modern major-league history that a team got a walk-off at their opponent’s stadium.
  6. ^ a b This ruling by the league president was challenged, and the league's board of directors ordered the game resumed. See entry of the same date in the table in the prior section.
  7. ^ a b Protest occurred within the Federal League, which is considered to have been a major league.
  8. ^ The original game of July 20, 1947, was ruled a tie.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Official Baseball Rules" (PDF). Major League Baseball. 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019 – via MLB.com.
  2. ^ "What is a Protested Game?". MLB.com. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  3. ^ Imber, Gil (October 5, 2012). "St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves: Umpires Get Infield Fly Rule Call Right". Bleacher Report. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  4. ^ Official Baseball Rules (PDF) (2020 ed.). Major League Baseball. pp. vii, 94. ISBN 978-1-7348793-0-8. Retrieved June 2, 2021 – via amazonaws.com.
  5. ^ Official Baseball Rules (PDF) (2021 ed.). Major League Baseball. p. 94. ISBN 978-1-62937-893-0. Retrieved June 8, 2021 – via mlbstatic.com.
  6. ^ Official Baseball Rules (PDF) (2023 ed.). Major League Baseball. p. 97. ISBN 978-1-63727-284-8. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via mlbstatic.com.
  7. ^ a b "Resumed Protested Games". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  8. ^ "Baseball Ruling a Novel One to 'Fans'". Paterson Evening News. Paterson, New Jersey. September 17, 1913. p. 6. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b "Philadelphia Phillies 8, New York Giants 6". Retrosheet. August 30, 1913. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  10. ^ a b "08/30/1913 - New York at Philadelphia NL". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  11. ^ "New York Giants 13, Philadelphia Phillies 0 (2)". Retrosheet. July 5, 1920. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  12. ^ "Resumed Protested Game: 7/5/1920". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  13. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates 4, Cincinnati Reds 3". Retrosheet. May 28, 1921. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  14. ^ "Protested Game". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  15. ^ "Chicago Cubs 7, St. Louis Cardinals 1". Retrosheet. July 2, 1934. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  16. ^ "Resumed Protested Game: 7/2/1934". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  17. ^ "Philadelphia Phillies 2, St. Louis Cardinals 1". Retrosheet. June 5, 1943. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  18. ^ "Resumed Protested Game: 6/5/1943". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  19. ^ "New York Giants 4, Philadelphia Phillies 3 (2)". Retrosheet. June 13, 1943. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  20. ^ "Resumed Protested Game: 6/13/1943". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  21. ^ "Resumed Protested Game: 8/17/1947". Retrosheet. December 17, 2005. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  22. ^ "Brooklyn Dodgers 7, Philadelphia Phillies 5 (2)". Retrosheet. August 17, 1947. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  23. ^ "Resumed Protested Game: 8/17/1947". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  24. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates 12, Brooklyn Dodgers 11". Retrosheet. August 25, 1948. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  25. ^ "Pirate Protest Upheld". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. UP. August 26, 1948. p. 25. Retrieved July 29, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Milwaukee Braves 4, Cincinnati Reds 3". Retrosheet. September 22, 1954. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  27. ^ "Reds-Braves Game Protest Upheld by NL". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. AP. September 24, 1954. p. 27. Retrieved July 29, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals 9, Philadelphia Phillies 6". Retrosheet. August 1, 1971. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  29. ^ "Atlanta Braves 5, Montreal Expos 4". Retrosheet. May 15, 1975. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  30. ^ "New York Mets 5, Houston Astros 0". Retrosheet. August 21, 1979. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  31. ^ "Astros win protest, still lose game to Mets". The StarPhoenix. Saskatoon. AP. August 23, 1979. p. D4. Retrieved July 29, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "Kansas City Royals 5, New York Yankees 4". Retrosheet. July 24, 1983. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  33. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals 4, Pittsburgh Pirates 2". Retrosheet. June 16, 1986. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  34. ^ "Chicago Cubs 2, San Francisco Giants 1". Retrosheet. August 19, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  35. ^ Nightengale, Bob (August 20, 2014). "Giants win protest over rain-shortened Cubs game". USA Today. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  36. ^ "New York's Protest Upheld". Indianapolis Journal. June 4, 1902. p. 2. Retrieved July 30, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "New York's Protest Upheld (cont'd)". Indianapolis Journal. June 4, 1902. p. 2. Retrieved July 30, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  38. ^ "Dumb Work by Manager Clarke". The Buffalo Times. Buffalo, New York. October 3, 1912. p. 18. Retrieved July 30, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  39. ^ "Pittsburgh's Protest Upheld by Lynch". Washington Times. Washington, D.C. October 14, 1912. p. 10. Retrieved July 30, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  40. ^ "Tinker to Protest Game". The Indianapolis Star. May 15, 1914. p. 7. Retrieved July 30, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  41. ^ "Tinker Protests Yesterday's Game". Buffalo Evening News. Buffalo, New York. May 15, 1914. p. 16. Retrieved July 30, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  42. ^ "Tinker's Protest Upheld". The New York Times. May 23, 1914. p. 9. Retrieved July 30, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  43. ^ "Protest by Baltimore". The Star Press. The Star Press. June 20, 1915. p. 11. Retrieved July 31, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  44. ^ "Buffalo Protest Upheld". St. Joseph News-Press. St. Joseph, Missouri. July 9, 1915. p. 16. Retrieved July 31, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  45. ^ Lieb, Frederick G. (April 28, 1917). "Phillies' Protest Upheld by Tener". The Sun. New York City. p. 13. Retrieved August 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  46. ^ "Karpe's Comment on Sports Topics (column)". Buffalo Evening News. Buffalo, New York. May 4, 1917. p. 20. Retrieved August 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  47. ^ "Ty Cobb Touches Runner and Griffith Protests Game". The Boston Globe. August 20, 1917. p. 5. Retrieved August 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  48. ^ "Griffith's Protest Upheld". The Sun. New York City. September 21, 1917. p. 13. Retrieved August 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  49. ^ "St. Louis Trims Dodgers". The Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. June 4, 1918. p. 9. Retrieved August 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  50. ^ "Dodgers Protest is Upheld by Tener". The Daily Standard Union. Brooklyn. June 15, 1918. p. 15. Retrieved August 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  51. ^ "Sox Victors, 10-5 Browns to Protest". The Boston Globe. July 29, 1924. p. 8. Retrieved August 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  52. ^ "Sisler's Protest Upheld by Johnson". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. August 18, 1924. p. 25. Retrieved August 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  53. ^ "Brooklyn Dodgers 3, St. Louis Cardinals 3". Retrosheet. July 20, 1947. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  54. ^ Smith, David W. (2004). "Protest Upheld, Computer Software Confounded" (PDF). The Baseball Research Journal. Vol. 33. pp. 34–35. ISBN 0-910137-97-8 – via SABR.

Further reading