Interference while Standing on 3B
 

OBR, R3, 1 out. Batter pops up in foul territory beside 3B. F5 breaks to catch popup. R3 had stood on 3B, evidently so as not to get tagged out. F5 crashes into R3 (while standing on base), and can't make catch. Assuming that in umpire's judgement, catch could have been made with normal effort had the crash not occurred, what is the call?

Would the call vary at all in Little League baseball, Fed, or NSA or ASA softball?

In OBR and ASA, the runner doesn't have to vacate the base or lie down or lean outward from the base. If he stands still or appears to be trying to give the fielder room, I wouldn't call interference. If he actively interferes, he's out.

Don't know about the other codes, but I suspect they're the same.

Runner does not have to vacate the base in FED or NCAA either! Same as OBR, as long as the runner does nothing extra to interfere with the F5, there is no call to make other than the safe sign indicating a train wreck.

He wasn't trying to give the fielder room - he was looking up at the popup too.

Doesn't matter -- if he wasn't trying to interfere, it's nothing.

I agree with all of you, but I was looking for a rule book where I am right now, and the only one I could find was ASA (I work with a lot of females) - now I'm confused. Here's what it says:

Rule 8, Section 7: "The batter is out when:" J. "When the runner interferes:

1. With the fielder attempting to field a batted fair ball or a foul fly ball, or
2. With a fielder attempting to throw the ball, or
3. Intentionally with a thrown ball.

EFFECT: The ball is dead and the runner is out. All other runners must return to the last base touched at the time of the interference.

EXCEPTION: If the interference prevents the fielder from catching a routine fly ball (fair or foul) with ordinary effort, the batter is also out.

I may be doing some ASA umping this summer, and I'll post this on the softball board, but would like your comments.

My comment would be that softball rules and baseball rules are often quite different.

OBR Rule 7.08(b) Comment: A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not.
If, however, the runner has contact with a legally occupied base when he hinders the fielder, he shall not be called out unless, in the umpire’s judgment, such hindrance, whether it occurs on fair or foul territory, is intentional.

Merely standing on the base is not interference......even if the defensive player runs over the offensive player. If the offensive player does something like wave his arms, fake running and that act interferes with the defense then you've got your call.