Earlier this year we had a couple of instances in which outfielders got a glove on the ball but inadvertently deflected it over the fence for a home run. And, of course, we are all well aware of the famous home-run-off-the-head-of-Jose-Canseco play from back in the day.
In addition to being fun, such plays are instructive. They remind us that a player’s body is more like thin air than it is like the ground or the outfield wall inasmuch as, when the ball hits a fielder, the rules which apply to it are the same rules that apply to a ball that is flying through space. It can hit a guy, go over the fence and still be a homer. Likewise, it can hit someone and be caught by someone else and still be an out.
An example of that comes from Korea this morning:
*extremely Mel Allen voice*
How about that!
