[KentuckyBlue]

Agree completely with Mike. Fielder making a play always has priority over the runner, thus dead ball / interference / out. I just wondered if the fair-foul status of the ball had anything to do with it. I seem to remember somehow that if the BR is running down the first base line past a foul-territory dribbling grounder that's bending back toward fair ground, and he sees the ball about to go fair and kicks it away while it's still foul, that there can't be interference on a foul ball. Don't know if that's right either, it might just be one of those rules fragments/outdated bits/urban legends kicking around in the dusty low corners of my attic.

Will call one more weekend of games and hang it up for the softball year. My 11th year of umpiring AA slow pitch has been interesting because of my association's switch from ASA to NSA. It's been fun and the changes have generally improved on ASA with a couple of glaring exceptions. I like the 6-10 foot arc height and I like that you don't have to call "illegal" and stick out your arm. (On a pitch over 10 feet or under 6, you just call a ball and don't even need to say why unless the pitcher asks. Big improvement, lots less confrontation with pitchers, way fewer confused batters.)

BUT: Somebody needs to tell NSA that their rule book is an embarrassment in need of a total overhaul. The rules are sound enough, but they're unclearly phrased in spots, sometimes vague and sometimes use informal diamond terminology that has no place in official rules. (Here to back up my argument I should give a few for-instances, but the rule book doesn't fall to hand and it's 10 p.m.) Plus, the typography is straight out of Microsoft Works, shabby. It could carry much more weight and would be cheaper to produce if it looked more like Official Rules and not like an instruction manual.

Guess I'll put on the stripes to keep in shape over the winter. Already can't wait for next spring. As I will tell my teams after their last fall games next weekend: Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, happy December-holiday(s)-of-your-choice, Happy New Year, Happy King Day, Happy Valentines' Day, Happy Arbor Day and Happy Easter.

-- Ky Blue