Umpire Obstruction
 

I have unfortunately seen this in games I was not officiating and have been asked about it. I have done some research and I haven't found the answer in a rules book yet.

What is the ruling when a Runner runs into an umpire? Both times I have seen this the umpire has been out of correct position. One time it did made a difference in the play, the runner was called out on a close play at the base he was trying to advance to. What is the correct ruling in this situation? Can somebody inform me of a rule #?

Play on.

There are two instances enumerated in the rules for umpire interference. One is when the PU interferes with a catcher's throw to retire a runner and another is when a batted ball strikes an umpire before the ball passes a fielder (other than F1).

As a veteran clinician once told me when I first started umpiring, "That's not umpire interfernce, it's umpire incompetence."

Unfortunately, there is no call to be made because there is no rule on it. Umpires become part of the field in every instance except when they violate the umpire interference definition as mentioned above (in OBR, it's under rules 2.00 INTERFERENCE, 5.09(b), 5.09(f) and 6.08(d)), they pick up a live ball (no specific rule, but I believe there's an authoritative interpretation out there somewhere), or a pitched or thrown ball gets lodged in an umpire's uniform (5.09(g)).

When an umpire hinders a runner, there is no recourse. The umpire cannot decide to keep a runner on base or advance him further because he got in the runner's way. It's just one of those things that an umpire should try his best not to do.

I has , however, been called in an NCAA game and been sold.

My second year of umpiring I was doing a one man system summer game. (We were always told to work from behind the plate). With a runner at third for some reason I tripped the runner coming from 3rd to home while observing the play at 1B.

Why, I have no idea, maybe my one man mechanics were still not perfected???.

Needless to say my vast experience :confused: never kicked in and my sympathy for tripping little Johnny, resulting in him being put out at the plate took over. So as any fair minded umpire would do, I awarded little Johnny home plate and felt good about myself......... Until the other coach came out and tried to ruin my great call. (Well at least I thought it was spectacular.)

At the next association meeting I was so proud of myself that I asked about my umpire interference because I could not find any reference to back up my great call.:rolleyes: It was then, that my bubble was busted and I learned that in those situations the must important thing you can do, is keep your butt out of the way.

I have never been "Incompetent" since. (Just my opinion, of course)

Seriously? When? Where? By whom? Is something you can document, or that you just "heard"? I've umped D1 for 30 years and have never heard of it happening.

JJ

Jj
 

Hold your water.

Jim Paronto has stated several times that this wives tale never occurred.

T

It's possible that the quote That was attributed to Paronto in the discussion in the below link is a wives tale. But tell me what happened in this game:

http://umphub.com/blog/2012/03/what-...re-obstruction

I don't know if they called UMP Obstruction or used the NCAA equivalent of 9.01(c) but it might be a sit where the NCAA wouldn't have to let everyone know the rule was kicked. They might think that the call was an outlier and no need to let the rank and file know. But, have you heard of any rules being kicked in D1 in 30 years?

I think there are circumstances when it it is not incompetence. But, just to put the fear of God in newbies, we will tell them not to get in the way or get hit by the ball. Of course, we then tell them one of those things will happen to them if they umpire long enough. Know the rule.

Of course I have.

I'm confused about your answer including the "of course". I thought I was asking JJ that question.

I could see this possibly happening in a 4 man system. Bases loaded. Batted ball to left field. R2 attempts to score. R1 rounds second to go to 3rd, changes his mind and heads back to 2nd. U2 tries to move behind 2nd for a play on BR advancing to 2nd and a potential throw from F2. As he moves behind 2nd for play of BR advancing to 2nd and throw from F2, he collides with R1.

Sorry, I thought this was a forum. Send JJ an email if you don't want answers from others.