Legal catch by first baseman - pulled off the bag

Question
Martin,

Question is: is the batter/runner considered out at first base when the throw to first "pulls" the baseman off the bag?  Let's say it was a cleanly caught ball just before the runner steps on the base.  The baseman's foot was on the side of the bag for the catch, but the momentum of the ball literally pulls the baseman, foot and all, off the bag.  While the baseman is off the bag, the batter/runner runs through it.  The baseman does not ever drop the ball.  Neither is the baseman attempting to tag the base quickly with the intention of making an additional play.  The kid was basically too small, and the throw was too hard, pulling him off the base, even though he did catch it.

Was it a fair and legal catch?  Is the runner safe or out?

Thank you!

Stewart

Answer
Stewart,

They only reason I would call the runner safe is if the first baseman did not have secure possession of the ball.  If the momentum carried the fielder off the bag, there could be a possibility there was no secure possession.

As long as the fielder made a catch and had contact with the bag, then it is an out.

-Martin Hoover