Catcher Interference

[Carl Childress]

Originally posted by rex
You see this weekend I am allowed the use of the famed JEA. And so far I have found no reference to WEAK or STRONGE interference. How would that have come in use when Jim Evans never said it?
I sure hope you get back on this soon, I must return the JEA. Rex

Rex:

Don't bother looking for "weak" interference in the JEA. I scanned my copy (of the original given to my umpire friend at Duke University); it's not there.

But I can explain why. The Evans Academy came late to the umpire school scene and needed some way to compete against the established schools. One way was to produce a manual such as the tome we call (named by Jim Porter) the JEA.

At that time Rick Roder and Chris Jaksa were teaching at the Joe Brinkman (soon Brinkman-Froemming) school. Their tome, which we call the J/R (named by me), does use and discuss "weak" interference. The term, I suspect, was first used in print by Nick Bremigan, and the Brinkman book existed long before Jim wrote his.

From J/R (63, '95 ed):

Interference by a batter may be judged to be "weak" interference; that is, no runner was being played upon when the batter interfered. When weak interference occurs, the ball is dead, and all runners must return to their TOP base.

There's very little to discuss: It describes a batter "interference" that does not normally result in an out. It is of two types:

1. hinder with the backswing
2. hinder the return toss

"Weak" interference also applies to a runner. From J/R (70, '95 ed):

A runner who interferes is declared out unless, as a result of preceding action, he is already out, then the other runner being played against is declared out. If no other runner is being played against, "weak" interference applies; that is, the ball is dead and runners must remain at their last legally touched base.

I hope this helps.

Oh, I should point out that if I were competing with Brinkman, I wouldn't use terms from their book either -- if I could help it.

Finally, you'll note that I always exercise editorial license when I quote authoritative sources, even when I quote myself. Because, Mr. McDonald, you should realize that unlike some on this Board, I only quote relevant material.