When does the ball become dead after a pitcher's overthrow?

The correct answer states that the ball becomes dead only when it goes into the stands or dugout because, in baseball, there are specific rules regarding how and when the ball is considered dead following an overthrow. When an overthrow occurs, the ball remains in play until it exits the playing field boundaries. This includes scenarios such as going into the stands or dugout, which inherently dictates that play must stop due to the ball being out of play.

When an overthrow occurs but the ball remains in the field of play, such as landing in the outfield, it can still be played by fielders and base runners, which means the ball is live. This is crucial for understanding the dynamics of play following a misthrown ball, emphasizing that it is the location of the ball that determines its status as live or dead, rather than simply the event of an overthrow. Thus, determining the dead ball scenario hinges on the ball’s eventual resting place and not just the act of the overthrow itself.