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Originally Posted by smoump
it was american legion and the ball had not reached the cutout. However, in legion you must have possession of the ball in order to block base.
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That's simply not true. American Legion plays under slightly modified OBR. Obstruction is not one of the rules that have been modified. This is taken directly from my American Legion Umpires Manual.
4.21 Obstruction:
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.
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.” It is entirely up to the judgment of the umpire as to whether a fielder is in the act of fielding a ball.
After a fielder has made an attempt to field a ball and has missed, he can no longer be in the “act of fielding” the ball. For example: If an infielder dives at a ground ball and the ball passes him and he continues to lie on the ground and delays the progress of the runner, he very likely has obstructed the runner. In all cases of obstruction, the umpire calling the play should have the benefit of the advice of his partners. The umpire watching the obstruction will have difficulty in determining the position of other runners. It is recommended that, when “Time” is called on obstruction, if there is any doubt in the minds of the umpires about where the runners shall be placed, the umpires shall confer.
Tim.