QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Jul 14, 2006 -> 07:13 PM)
It's not a catch, plain and simple. I had a similar situation occur when I coached a LL team, but rather than two players colliding, it was a player and a fence. Here is the supporting text from the definition of a catch in Official Baseball Rules:
In this situation, dropping the ball, regardless of its position in relation to the glove, applies. GoRowand was correct in this case that voluntary and intentional release of the ball from the glove is necessary after such a collision.
A perfect example is a few years ago, an MLB outfielder (Pittsburgh, I think) caught a ball on the fly and ran into the wall. After hitting the ground his glove fell off with the ball still in it and laid on the warning track next to him as he lay in pain. His fellow OF came over to see if he was okay ignoring the ball, assuming the catch. The batter circled the bases for an inside-the-park HR. The Pirates (again, I think) made a hell of an argument but lost. The HR rightfully stood.
ok but what if the other outfielder had simply picked up the ball? a ball in the air that hits off of a glove or another player and is subsequently caught before hitting the ground is an out... so..?