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Old Sun Sep 27, 2009, 10:49pm
Stat-Man Stat-Man is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: 127.0.0.1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greymule View Post
I think that some people use the word obstruction simply because they think it sounds more official and technical and thus gives them credibility. Sort of like the people who consistently insert "whom" where "who" belongs, thinking they will sound educated.
I've noticed the opposite in my softball experience.

Once in a HS varsity game, I had players in the dugout scraming "interference" when they thought a fielder impeded one of their teammates. After play was over, I turned and asked them if they know that if the umpire called intereference, our girl would be out.

The look on their faces was priceless. I then tried to teach them that the defense can be called for obstruction and offered the mnemonic of "the offense is obstructed by the defense".

Of course they probably didn't remember it 5 minutes later, but I figured I could at least try to teach them the proper terminology.
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