A thought about the dropped foul fly

[grstatdoc]

In my reading various posts about the dropped foul fly, some have mentioned that this would be "conditional" scoring, and others had referenced a scoring rule change that took the "conditional" aspect out of it.

I was wondering if it had existed (prior to recodification in 1950), so I thought it good to see if I had any old rule books to consult.

And thus, quoting from the 1961 OBR, Rule 10.13(a), which is now in 10.12 after the 2007 rewrite:

An error shall be charged against any fielder when he muffs a foul fly, to prolong the time at bat of a batter, whether the batter subsequently reaches first base or is put out

Perhaps it was changed/changed back in the intervening years, I don't know. I suspect not, which lends some continuity from then to now.

Ah, those unwritten scoring rules, which complicates the application of the written ones.

P.S.: I do miss errors being in section 10.13 (that seemed to be weirdly appropriate)