Interference over Foul Territory

[greymule]

The ruling the Wendelstedt School gives—R3 out for INT and BR awarded 1B—is consistent with the letter of the OBR book, and with the tenet that the ball is dead and has become simply an undifferentiated batted ball, neither fair nor foul. But as we all know, the letter of the book is often trumped by interpretation or instructions on how to call a particular play. The 2006 BRD, for example, says that R3 is out and the ball is treated as a foul. (The BRD cites significant differences in the way OBR, NCAA, and Fed would rule on the various possible INTs with ball or fielder when the ball is over foul territory.)

It is interesting that NCAA, ASA, and Fed softball have refined their definition of foul ball with an added stipulation: NCAA: "A legally batted ball that while both the ball and runner are in foul territory, the runner interferes with a defensive player's attempt to field a batted ball." ASA/Fed: "A batted ball that while over foul territory, a runner interferes with a defensive player attempting to field a batted ball."

[Unrelated Quiz: How many grammatical or syntactical errors can you find in the NCAA and ASA/Fed definitions?]