Is it interference?

[Richard_Siegel]

Originally Posted by greymule

In a semipro game in 1969, the plate ump shoved me pretty hard back toward the 3B dugout, saying, "You gotta get outta here!" as a double steal was developing. (The runner was put out at home on the throw from F6.)

I didn't think much of the shove, since I was worried that I had missed a sign (but I had not). I wish I could remember the exact circumstances, since I knew to get out of the way without being shoved. However, I do remember not thinking that the ump had done anything wrong.

It makes sense that you remember thinking that the umpire had not done anything wrong. That umpire might saved you from causing interference. That umpire was lucky. What would you manager have said if the umpire accidentally shovle you in front of the guy trying to score and gave the catcher a better oppotunity tag him out?

Like many minor mistakes that umpires often make on the field, we get away with it 99% of the time. It is that "once a season" situation that can bight you in the ***.

Another example is the umpire punches out strike three by turning to the side. Clinic everywhere teach that we should keep our eyes forward, because of that "once a season" chance we will miss a play that might immediatle follow the strike out. Many umpires turn to the side for years and nothing happens, then when it does they wonder how they missed it.