Mechanic on Obstruction

[tiger49]

When the obstruction occurs point at it just as you would a balk and sell it with "That's Obstruction!". When the play is being made on the obstructed runner the ball is now dead. Call "Time", re-call the obstruction the same way as you did orginally and award the necessary base or bases.

[ManInBlue]

Nothing wrong with what you did. It was all together. You made both calls together.

I learned the "proper" mechanic last fall (not applied to FED at the time), but it's pretty much what tiger said...point, "that's obstruction," play ends, "Time, that's obstruction", then award.

[justanotherblue]

Point and call the obstruction. Remember in Fed there is no difference between type A or B obstruction. It is always a delayed dead ball. Let the play develop as you did, then call time, and enforce the obstruction penalty.

[mbyron]

FED does have a signal for delayed dead ball (left fist extended to side), but it's not crucial. Correct mechanic is to verbalize "that's obstruction!" and don't be shy about it!

[bossman72]

In FED, you are required to keep the ball alive until ALL playing action has stopped. It's not like OBR where you kill it when the obstructed runner is tagged out.

When the initial obstruction occurs, yell "That's Obstruction," then give the delayed dead ball sign.

When the runner is tagged out, keep the DDB sign up, point and say "safe on obstruction" and keep the ball alive.

I've yet to hear a FED interp be released on the proper way to handle this when obstruction occurs. I'm going to ask my state interpreter at a clinic in mid-March.

Maybe Tee can shed some light on this since he's so closely involved with the NFHS...

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by mbyron

FED does have a signal for delayed dead ball (left fist extended to side), but it's not crucial. Correct mechanic is to verbalize "that's obstruction!" and don't be shy about it!

You must work in ball parks that have a silence rule. If anything is crucial, it is the dead ball signal.