I rounded third base in our Adult Softball League game and ran smack into a tank. At least, that is what it felt like. The "tank" was an opposing player standing in the baseline between me and home. He was built like a tank.
I bounced off him and fell to the ground. When I got up, I saw the umpire standing at home plate. He had his arm extended straight out and his fingers balled into a fist at the end of his arm.
That was the signal for a free base, meaning that the runner (in this case, me) could advance without penalty to the next base (in this case, home plate) due to the opposing player's obstruction. I guess I was dazed from the collision on the base path, because I went back to third base. Even though I was dazed, I knew I would be safe there.
That happened almost 15 years ago. I still think about that night occasionally. It took me awhile afterward to realize that the umpire was signaling obstruction and that I could proceed. In this case, that meant I could go home
I scored on the next batter's hit but my run is not the point of this story. Yes, you could say that my return to third base at the time ended up not meaning a thing because I scored anyway. I think of that. But putting that to one side, when I think of the game that night, regardless of anything else I almost always wonder why I returned to third base instead of going home. Like I said, I was dazed.
But ....
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