GRGR(5) Katje and the Nazis

[Derek C. Maus]

On Sun, 11 Jul 1999, rj wrote:

> LETTERS AND ABBREVIATIONS
> 
> 3.6 The plurals of letters, whether lower case or capital, are often
> formed with an apostrophe and a roman s, but if the letter is italic or
> underlined the plural may be formed by adding the roman s without the
> apostrophe. Either style, of course, must be used consistently.
> 
>     All the examples were labeled by letter; the a's were tested 
>     first, the b's second, and so on.
> 
>     The A's, I's and S's in the directory were checked by one group.
> 
>     ....
> 
>     The *A*s, *I*s and *S*s in the directory ... [where * * indicates 
>     italics or underscoring]"

8.05 If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when_ 

       (a) The pitcher, while touching his plate, makes any motion
naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such delivery; If a
lefthanded or righthanded pitcher swings his free foot past the back edge
of the pitcher's rubber, he is required to pitch to the batter except to
throw to second base on a pick off play. 
       (b) The pitcher, while touching his plate, feints a throw to first
base and fails to complete the throw; 
       (c) The pitcher, while touching his plate, fails to step directly
toward a base before throwing to that base; Requires the pitcher, while
touching his plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that
base. If a pitcher turns or spins off of his free foot without actually
stepping or if he turns his body and throws before stepping, it is a balk.
A pitcher is to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base
but does not require him to throw (except to first base only) because he
steps. It is possible, with runners on first and third, for the pitcher to
step toward third and not throw, merely to bluff the runner back to third;
then seeing the runner on first start for second, turn and step toward and
throw to first base. This is legal. However, if, with runners on first and
third, the pitcher, while in contact with the rubber, steps toward third
and then immediately and in practically the same motion "wheels" and
throws to first base, it is obviously an attempt to deceive the runner at
first base, and in such a move it is practically impossible to step
directly toward first base before the throw to first base, and such a move
shall be called a balk. Of course, if the pitcher steps off the rubber and
then makes such a move, it is not a balk. 
       (d) The pitcher, while touching his plate, throws, or feints a
throw to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of making a play; 
       (e) The pitcher makes an illegal pitch; A quick pitch is an illegal
pitch. Umpires will judge a quick pitch as one delivered before the batter
is reasonably set in the batter's box. With runners on base the penalty is
a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball. The quick pitch is
dangerous and should not be permitted. 
       (f) The pitcher delivers the ball to the batter while he is not
facing the batter; 
       (g) The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with his
pitch while he is not touching the pitcher's plate; 
       (h) The pitcher unnecessarily delays the game; 
       (i) The pitcher, without having the ball, stands on or astride the
pitcher's plate or while off the plate, he feints a pitch; 
       (j) The pitcher, after coming to a legal pitching position, removes
one hand from the ball other than in an actual pitch, or in throwing to a
base; 
       (k) The pitcher, while touching his plate, accidentally or
intentionally drops the ball; 
       (l) The pitcher, while giving an intentional base on balls, pitches
when the catcher is not in the catcher's box; 
       (m)The pitcher delivers the pitch from Set Position without coming
to a stop.

See...grammar is easier than pitching?

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Derek C. Maus               | "What am I opposed to tell my customers?"
dmaus at email.unc.edu         | Swearingen said. "'Sorry, Washington says
UNC-CH, Dept. of English    | no more fanny packs for you; time to spend
http://www.unc.edu/~dmaus/  | your money on great works of literature'?
                            | It doesn't work that way."   --THE ONION
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