Balk Rule Situation

Question
QUESTION: Runners on first and third, 2 out.  Pitcher begins his move, runner on first breaks for second.  Runner on third then breaks for home.  Umpire then makes a delayed balk call, of which players are unaware.  Pitcher throws to home plate, runner slides and catcher misses tag.  Runner does not touch home plate and then walks to dugout without touching home plate.  Does Rule 8.05 mean that run counts but that runner has made third out, as well?1

ANSWER: Baylor,

I will assume the game was being played under OBR (Official Baseball Rules) rules, which are the rules used by Major League Baseball.

In your situation, the runner is still required to touch home plate: Rule 7.05(i) Comment: The fact a runner is awarded a base or bases without liability to be put out does not relieve him of the responsibility to touch the base he is awarded and all intervening bases.

However, a player cannot be called out for missing a base without a proper appeal by the defensive team: Rule 7.10: Any runner shall be called out, on appeal, when?d) He fails to touch home base and makes no attempt to return to that base, and home base is tagged.

In other words, if the defensive team failed to appeal the miss of home plate, the run will score and no outs will be awarded. However, if a successful appeal was made, the run would be removed and an out would be awarded.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Game was played under PONY rules.  Appeal was made.  Umpire denied appeal by stating that runner had right to unimpeded access to home plate.  Since catcher had "impeded " his progress by attempting tag, umpire awarded the player home plate, kept the run on the board, and did not call him out.  Does this reasoning change your answer?

Answer
Baylor,

I'm not trained in PONY rules, but I've heard they use modified OBR. None of what you said would change my ruling, but I'm surprised the umpire said the catcher "impeded" progress to the plate by attempting a tag. If players weren't allowed to attempt tags, the game would take a lot longer.

The fact is that the player was awarded home on the balk and should have touched it. I would have upheld the appeal.