Need Umpire Ruling ASAP

[Coach Joe]

Situation

Runner at 3rd Base and the next batter hits medium fly ball down the right field line. The opposing teams fan jump and lunged for the ball as our player was going for the ball. Our player caught the ball and trying to avoid the fan and also she could gain no momentum to stop to avoid fan and went out of bounds.

What is the ruling ? The umpire ruled that their was no fan interference and since she went out of bounds - he awarded the runner home.

[bluezebra]

Since the catch was made, the out stands, no interference. However, if the fan came into live ball territory, I might not award home on the fielder carrying the ball into DBT. It's a HTBT situation.

[Coach Joe]

What is an HTBT situation ?

Need help !!! clock is ticking

HTBT - Had To Be There

[chuck chopper]

I cant really picture the play, however I wonder if ? even though the catch was made the fan "might" had caused the fielder to go OB. In which case I might had tried to get away with an out followed by _Time, and holding the runner at 3rd.

[mcrowder]

Whether we were there or not, I don't believe this is protestable. It's a judgement call as to whether it was fan interference after the catch or not.

[ChampaignBlue]

Once it's HTBT it is by definition a judgement call and not protestable.

Was this game being played in Wrigley field or just no fence? Assuming that you're in a tourney or playoff, hence the urgency, I would insist that the fans be moved further away and give the umps a ground rule to deal with fans that cross the line. That particular fan would be done on my fields though.

[SC Ump]

Originally posted by Coach Joe
Need help !!! clock is ticking

If the "clock is ticking" because you want to protest, HTBT basically means save your money. It is a judgement call and protest only apply to misapplication of the rules, not judgement calls. You might put up your $50 ($100? $200?) and have the protest denied.

By the way, before I read other's opinion, I had to laugh at your thread title. You "Need Umpire Ruling ASAP". You didn't say you wanted a correct one. You didn't say you wanted a well researched one. You didn't say you wanted one from a good umpire. Well, heck, they ump on the field gave you a ruling ASAP.

(Fortunately you came to a place were the folks are usually good, quick, correct and well research.)

[IRISHMAFIA]

1. Unless this message was posted from the dugout and the umpire was willing to hold the game until an acceptable answer was received, this couldn't be protested no matter the cause.

2. A fan's allegance is not a point of rule.

3. I find it hard to believe that a fan falling INTO the field of play would cause a fielder to leave that same field.

[azbigdawg]

Dang, there I go again, agreeing with Mike...... not protestable..and fans are part fo the game

[Coach Joe]

Oh !!!

Let me add a better picture. We have no fences for fans on either side of 1st and 3rd - The fan in question was on the right field line. I even made a point to the umpire before the game started that you need to move the fans back away from the line. The fan leaped and lunged into play on the foul side of the right field line.

Would love to see more comments !!!

[CecilOne]

If the field has a dead ball line, the spectators must be outside it. If not, define one before the game or as soon as its absence is noticed. This must be controlled during play, so that at the time of each pitch, no spectators are over the line.

If a spectator is inside the line or reaching inside the line and the umpire judges the interference caused the fielder to go into DBT; the umpire can award the offended team what is appropriate. If the fielder could have put out another runner after the catch without the interference; the out can be awarded. If not, spectator interference is an immediate dead ball and no runners can advance. Again, that is if the umpire judges the intereference caused the fielder to go into DBT.

In this case, the umpire ruled no INT, so no effect other than for the ball becoming dead.