Incorrect Rule Interpretations - a running list

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Jul 31, 2019
6
3
Popup lands on the right edge of the chalk 30 feet past 1B. Ump calls it foul because the line runs down the middle of the chalk and it hit on the foul side of that line.
 
Jul 31, 2019
6
3
Unsure on this one. Runner at 2B collides with SS fielding a grounder. Dead ball interference. Runner out. Batter goes to 1B

Or

Delayed dead ball. SS throws runner out at 1B anyway. Both are out.

I’ve had it called both ways. USSSA rule says the first way is right. But 18.8.H also says runner closest to home is out if illegal act by their team prevents a runner from being put out.

So I guess which is it. Same for batter interferes with throw to 3rd. Rule says dead ball batter out.

What if they clearly would have been thrown out. Are both out then as well.

Same for BR going backwards between 1B and home. Does that illegal act get another runner called out if it prevents a clear out from happening?

How liberal do you get with 18.8.H?
 
Last edited:
Jul 31, 2019
6
3
USSSA 12U Batter steps out of box in the way of catchers throw to 3rd. Is called out for interference. Coaches and parents and girls are clueless. Have no idea what rule is or how to not get called out. Parents coaches all yelling stay in the box. This is deep in national tournament winners bracket. Umpire stops gams and establishes control. Announcing loudly to everyone that batters box is the batters. Catcher has to go around her whatever she does as long as she’s in the box. If she is outside the box and interferes both batter and runner closest to home will be out.
 
Jul 31, 2019
6
3
Last one. Usssa my reading of the rules seems to tell me that pretty much in all cases a runner must avoid a fielder. Can’t make contact if fielder is on the bag when no play is being made. Can’t make contact in the base path rundown or not fielder has ball or not. If fielder is obstructing runner must slide or go around and hope ump calls obstruction. If they contact the fielder it is interference and overrides obstruction. They are out. I’ve never seen it coached or called this way so I’m guessing I’m reading it wrong?

Rundown between home and 3rd at LL WS last week. Runner clearly had to go around the 3rd baseman standing in front of bag waiting on the ball. Was tagged out instead of getting obstruction.
 
Jul 31, 2019
6
3
Usssa Strike Zone. Any part of ball over any part of plate between armpit and top of knees.

So ball could be mostly below knees if 1% of ball is at top of knee but 99% is below. Same for armpit. Ball could be pretty much all above the top of armpit except a sliver of it so essentially at the shoulder.

Why is it written this way? It is never called shoulders to bottom of knee.
 
Jan 27, 2019
141
28
Popup lands on the right edge of the chalk 30 feet past 1B. Ump calls it foul because the line runs down the middle of the chalk and it hit on the foul side of that line.

If this is a question about the rule then the umpire got it wrong.
NFHS Rule 1-1 article 5 says the infield and outfield, INCLUDING THEIR BOUNDARY MARKS...are fair grounds"
Rule 1-1 article 8 says the outermost edge of each boundary mark is its restricting line
 
Jan 27, 2019
141
28
Unsure on this one. Runner at 2B collides with SS fielding a grounder. Dead ball interference. Runner out. Batter goes to 1B

Or

Delayed dead ball. SS throws runner out at 1B anyway. Both are out.

I’ve had it called both ways. USSSA rule says the first way is right. But 18.8.H also says runner closest to home is out if illegal act by their team prevents a runner from being put out.

So I guess which is it. Same for batter interferes with throw to 3rd. Rule says dead ball batter out.

What if they clearly would have been thrown out. Are both out then as well.

Same for BR going backwards between 1B and home. Does that illegal act get another runner called out if it prevents a clear out from happening?

How liberal do you get with 18.8.H?


Immediate dead ball, runner guilty of interference is out.

Not real familiar with USSSA, but most rulesets have a provision for a retired runner, closest to home is out, or an interference that would have prohibited a double play, runner closest to home is out. (If you call this one you have to be absolutely certain)
 
Jan 27, 2019
141
28
USSSA 12U Batter steps out of box in the way of catchers throw to 3rd. Is called out for interference. Coaches and parents and girls are clueless. Have no idea what rule is or how to not get called out. Parents coaches all yelling stay in the box. This is deep in national tournament winners bracket. Umpire stops gams and establishes control. Announcing loudly to everyone that batters box is the batters. Catcher has to go around her whatever she does as long as she’s in the box. If she is outside the box and interferes both batter and runner closest to home will be out.

As long as the batter's follow through is natural and normal. If she begins to do jumping jacks or swing her hands in the air and appear to interfere intentionally then the box is no protection for her. It's not an automatic safe zone but affords a little more protection than wandering around outside of the box.
 
Jan 27, 2019
141
28
Last one. Usssa my reading of the rules seems to tell me that pretty much in all cases a runner must avoid a fielder. Can’t make contact if fielder is on the bag when no play is being made. Can’t make contact in the base path rundown or not fielder has ball or not. If fielder is obstructing runner must slide or go around and hope ump calls obstruction. If they contact the fielder it is interference and overrides obstruction. They are out. I’ve never seen it coached or called this way so I’m guessing I’m reading it wrong?

Rundown between home and 3rd at LL WS last week. Runner clearly had to go around the 3rd baseman standing in front of bag waiting on the ball. Was tagged out instead of getting obstruction.

Again, not familiar with USSSA, but mostly this is not exactly true with other rulesets. We do not want the players making contact at all if possible, but it's not always possible. When there is contact the umpire has three choices: 1) no foul, just a softball play 2) interference 3) obstruction. (Maybe misleading because malicious contact can also become part of the equation and will take precedence over int or obs)

Key determining factor is the presence of the ball in most cases. If the fielder is making the initial play on the ball the runner must avoid contact or be guilty of interference. If the fielder does not have possession of the ball and it not making the initial play then contact will likely be ruled obstruction against the defense. If the contact is made with excessive force and considered malicious by the umpire then immediate dead ball and the offending player is ejected.
 
Jan 27, 2019
141
28
Usssa Strike Zone. Any part of ball over any part of plate between armpit and top of knees.

So ball could be mostly below knees if 1% of ball is at top of knee but 99% is below. Same for armpit. Ball could be pretty much all above the top of armpit except a sliver of it so essentially at the shoulder.

Why is it written this way? It is never called shoulders to bottom of knee.

If they called it bottom of the knee then you will just move the zone up and down the size of the softball. You'll have strikes called that are chin high and mid shin. No one wants to see that, except maybe pitchers, their parents, and pitching coaches.
 

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