A pitcher engages the rubber with the stride foot partially outside the 24" width of the pitcher's plate. Is this considered an illegal pitch?

• A. True
• B. False

Answer: (B)

A pitcher is required to have both feet in contact with the pitcher's plate when delivering a pitch. If the stride foot is partially outside the 24-inch width of the pitcher's plate, it does not automatically constitute an illegal pitch, as long as the entire pivot foot remains in contact and the proper pitching motion is executed. The rule focuses on ensuring that the pivot foot must remain in contact with the plate during the delivery, which means that having the stride foot outside the width does not invalidate the pitch. The important aspect is the positioning of the pivot foot and the overall execution of the pitching motion. Therefore, the scenario presented would be classified as not an illegal pitch.