Rules question answer: If the umpire is positioned in front of all of the infielders except the pitcher and gets hit by a batted ball, the ball is dead immediately.

The batter is awarded first base and credited with a hit. I would have to do a rule book review to be sure, but, if I remember correctly, all runners move up one base.

My next story is not about me. I wasn’t present for the incident, but it is so humorous that I have to include it.

The story involves my sometime partner, Mel Skillman, and a coach, Lou.

Many readers will remember Mel, as he was the head football coach at both Atlanta and Alpena for a short time.

Now, while Mel was at Central Michigan University, he was a teammate of Lou on the CMU baseball team. At that time, they taught at different high schools but in the same school district. So you know they knew each other very well.

You also have to know that Lou was a pretty laid-back guy. Nothing ever seemed to upset him, so his actions here are really out of character.

Mel is the base umpire and Lou’s team is in the field. There is a play at second base and Mel called the runner safe. It wasn’t a particularly close call, but Coach Lou calls time and takes a very slow walk out to the second base area to talk to Mel.

Mel told me later that he had no idea why Lou was coming out to see him, as it was not a close call.

Lou gets to Mel, takes off his cap and slaps it on his thigh in pretend disgust.

Here is the gist of the one-way conversation from Coach Lou: “Gee, Mel, I just don’t know what to do with these guys (slaps cap on thigh again). They can’t field. They can’t hit. I can’t get them to play hard (another cap slap). Now I have to go back to the bench and sit with them (throws up hands in fake disgust and stomps off the field).”

Meanwhile, the fans of Lou’s team are hooting at Mel: “Give it to him, coach,” “Way to go, coach,” and similar things.

Mel is left standing there thinking, I’ve been had. The fans think Lou has chewed me out when all he did was whine about his players.

Mel and Lou have both passed away in the last couple years, but that story remains a favorite in my memory bank.

Coach Lou was a character. I also taught in the same district as Lou and for a few years played on the same adult basketball team with him.

I was umpiring for his team one early spring and the temperature was about 43 degrees and the wind was blowing. Lou is bundled up in a heavy coat. Between innings, I went to his bench and said, “Hey, Lou, I’m freezing. Why don’t you come out and argue with me on my next call. I’ll eject you, and, since you don’t have an assistant coach to take over, we’ll have to cancel the game and we can go home.”

He didn’t, but I know he thought about it.

Rules question: Right-handed batter drops a bunt in front of home plate. The batter/runner is two-thirds of the way to first base but is running inside the baseline. The catcher’s throw to the first baseman hits the batter/runner in the back and the ball bounces out of play.

What is the ruling?

Les Miller, of Hubbard Lake, has retired after 53 years officiating multiple sports around Michigan. He can be reached at theoldref@yahoo.com.