Obstruction 58 8 6ad third basecatcher 5859 8 7 fielder interference 5961 8 8am, note. The umpire shall then call time and impose such penalties, if any, as in his judgment will nullify the act of obstruction. When the rule applies in the first place, we may apply the rule if the ball lies on or touches an immovable obstruction. Baseball has a lot of weird and quirky rules that should be revised, but obstruction is not one of them. Baseball obstruction rules are meant in part to tackle that issue head on. I have my original from 1989 and was used to that original foremat. The only time that a fielder is not obligated to get out of the way of a baserunner is when the fielder is fielding a hit ball or in possession of the ball.
Official rule and does not require a reader to refer to different sections of the official baseball rules book in considering the application of a particular rule. Malicious contact carries the additional penalty of ejection from the game. The distance from home base to the nearest fence, stand or other obstruction on fair territory shall be 250 feet or more. A distance of 320 feet or more along the foul lines, and 400 feet or more to center field is prefer able. The only negative i can see with this book is that it doesnt come in pocket size for you to use at games. Obstruction occurs when fielder does not have possession of the ball or is not in the act of fielding a ball but impedes the runner who is legally running between bases. If a fielder is about to receive a thrown ball and if the ball is in flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy his position to receive the ball he may be considered in the act of fielding a ball. Any rule not covered in the baseball players association rule book will be covered in the national federation of high school rule book. As noted in the magazine article and described below, a georgia appeals court has denied motions by the atlanta braves for a pretrial judgment based on the baseball rule. The more you know about the obstruction rule the smarter you will be. All portions of this particular page and the pages of the official major league rules book are sole property of major league baseball and have been reproduced without any alteration by baseball almanac who first obtained the written permission of the office of the commissioner. For umpires to truly understand obstruction, we need to first define it and then look at how obstruction has been viewed over the history of the game of baseball. Occurs when a fielder who is not in possession of the ball and is not fielding the ball blocks the progress of a runner.
Obstruction and interference little league umpiring. Secondly, we may apply the rule when all three of the following conditions exist. Baseball injuriestrucking catchersobstruction rules. The complete rules are published as the official baseball rules at, the official web site of major league baseball in the united states and canada. Obstruction is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. Official baseball rules obr the official rules of baseball.
Another important point is that there does not need to be physical contact to have obstruction. Obstruction and interference are rule violations that occur in the field of play, typically involving base runners. Diane kluesner from washington, mo asks my grandsons both play baseball, one is 7 years old and the other is 14 years old. It may be that the mother in the stands had been watching baseball under mlb rules, which state. Aug 18, 2017 the ncaa playing rules oversight panel approved a rule banning defenders in softball from blocking the plate or base before they have possession of the ball, effective for the 2018 season. According to the official rule book, obstruction is defined as the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner.
Healy, chief legal counsel for the massachusetts bar association. In baseball, blocking the plate is a technique performed by a catcher to prevent a runner from scoring. Baseball rule suffers another blow in foul ball case. High school and college players are used to simulate a large number of situations including balks that cover nfhs, ncaa and pro rules.
When an arbiter is needed to settle disputes regarding baseball rules, this is the book to consult. Obstruction is an act by which the defensive team impedes the batting team from advancing around the bases. What would happen if the obstruction rule had never been introduced at the turn of the century. Baseball national federation of state high school associations. The obstruction rule bans unsanctioned collisions on the basepaths by preventing defensive players from blocking the passage of the baserunners. Baserunners are generally permitted to run from base to base without being physically blocked or hindered by a fielder. High school games are played by tssaa rules unless otherwise noted. It is the responsibility of the runner to avoid the fielder when the fielder is making a play on the ball. I use it to umpire little league, and it covers everything you need to know in good detail. Baseball injuriestrucking catchersobstruction rules youtube.
The 2014 revision to the official baseball rules, in renumbering the rules, has disposed of the timehonored type a and type b obstruction. Contact does not have to be made for the umpire to rule obstruction. Louis cardinals yadier molina reacts as allen craig lays on home plate after getting tangled. Obstruction describes an act by a fielder, who is not in possession of the ball or in the process of fielding it, that impedes the. That is, in little league a fake tag can be considered obstruction, but it is never considered such beyond high.
Baseball softball lineup sheets 100 sheets baseball softball scorebook. Interference can be committed by the team at the plate or the team in the field, as well as by players not even in the game at the time, an umpire, a fan, or another individual not associated with the team. As well, there are different rules for obstruction, and they are applied differently at different levels. Baseball rule protects ballparks from lawsuits the. No part of the official baseball rules may be reproduced or trandmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission inwriting from the office of the commissioner of baseball. Obstruction asa ruling does the runner automatically get. The rules are also published in book form in north america by the sporting news. As a baseball fan, i thought i knew everything about how the rules of the game, but i wasnt aware of the details of the obstruction rule and its background before researching this article. You may also call the westpoint office at 18003187709 or. Case book material in this edition is in shaded boxes and is labeled as comment. The only time that a fielder is not obligated to get out of the way of a baserunner is when the fielder is fielding or in. Obstruction in high school baseball nfhs baseball umpires. Running over the first baseman stump the ump baseball. Obstruction definition rule 2 a fielder must be in possession of the ball to avoid being guilty of obstruction.
In the past, runners in mlb could truck catchers making plays at home plate, often with serious consequences for. Completely updated for 1999, this is the official rule book used by major league umpires as well as other professional and amateur baseball organizations. Mar 31, 2018 baseball obstruction rules are meant in part to tackle that issue head on. Official baseball rules sporting news, sporting news staff. Case book material is printed in smaller type than the rule language and is labeled as comment. My question is, lately the first baseman on the opposing team is always standing right in front of the base and our runners have to go around him to reach first base.
Text of mlb obstruction rule cited in world series. Tackling obstruction the concept of obstruction in baseball has been part of the game since near its inception. College softball panel approves obstruction rule change. Thirdbase umpire jim joyce called obstruction and the rest is history. The infield shall be graded so that the base lines and home plate are level. Interference is a broad rule book term that refers to a number of illegal actions that occur during a contest to change the course of the game. Elliot hopkins, mld, caa, editor nfhs publications to maintain the sound traditions of this sport, encourage sportsmanship and minimize the inherent risk of injury, the national federation of state high school associations writes playing rules for. In baseball, obstruction is when a fielder illegally hinders a baserunner running within the basepath. By definition, obstruction occurs when a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. The court noted that baseball is an inherently dangerous activity and that the spectator is in the best position to protect him or herself from injury at a baseball game. The baseball rule was devised in the early part of the 20th century when baseball was played at a much slower pace, said martin w. Chinstraps on batting helmets are to be mandatory for pee wee category and lower. In this fast moving user friendly 65minute dvd, the rules are simplified with minimal usage of stuffy rule book language. Win with ruleball is the only baseball instructional video of its kind ever produced.
The words not in the act of fielding have been removed. The act of blocking the plate accounted for most of the physical contact in major league baseball prior to the 2014 season, when it was outlawed except when the catcher already has possession of the ball. Text of mlb obstruction rule cited in world series st. Authors note whats the obstruction rule in baseball. Colorado hs baseball alum brandon mccarthy dishes on pitch cou. Apr 27, 2008 obstruction in high school baseball nfhs obstruction and the related base awards and amount of protection always seem to be confusing on the field and in the classroom whenever discussing the rule.
Traditionally, under the baseball rule, the legal duty of landowners owed to spectators has been limited to providing protection in the zone of danger behind home plate. The ncaa playing rules oversight panel approved a rule banning defenders in softball from blocking the plate or base before they have possession of. Elliot hopkins, mld, caa, editor nfhs publications to maintain the sound traditions of this sport, encourage sportsmanship and minimize the inherent risk of injury, the national federation of state high school associations writes playing rules for varsity competition among. Baseball rule protects ballparks from lawsuits the boston. Many amateur and youth leagues use the obr with only a few modifications for safety. Stars and stripes baseball reserves the right to enforce particular tournament rules. In contrast, in professional and higher amateur baseball, violent collisions can occur without any interference or obstruction, especially when a fielder is receiving a thrown ball near a base where a runner is trying to reach. Obstruction is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball, impedes the progress of any runner.