Batter Interference Refresher
 

NFHS

QUick refresher for me. I've searched the forum and cant find exactly the answer. When a runner is stealing, does there have to be "contact" with the batter for interference to be called? Either ball or catchers hand/arm etc? I hear many coaches/umpire have yelled "there has to be contact for there to be interference" but i just cant find that in the rulebook. I see "hinder ability" which could mean the batter simple got in the way and the catcher stopped his throw because the batter fell into the plate area after a swing. Does there need to also be a THROW? What if the catch was about to throw and then stopped because he knew he would bust his hand on a helmet during his throw/etc?

You do not need contact and you do not need a throw to get BI. You do need an attempted throw -- so decide if F2 stopped because the batter was in the way, or because F2 thought there was no play / had a bad grip, etc.