Did coach interefere?

[NorthAlaUmp]

Originally posted by debeau

ISF Rule 8(9)q 1 and 2
Interference occurs when
A coach intentionally interferes with a thrown ball while in the coaches box or
Interferes with the defensive teams opportunity to make a play on a runner or batter runner .
As we know interference does not have to be intentional .

The way I read this, debeau, is that Part 1 would apply to thrown balls, and part 2 would apply to other acts that a coach might perform that interfered. Since this was a thrown ball, I would say that the interference would have to be intentional before I would call it.

Reading it the way you seem to makes the word "intentional" irrelevant. Applying a rule from law (statutory construction), you do not put in words that have no purpose. If you call anything done by a coach that interferes with the play, whether intentional or not, as interference, then you have made part 1 meaningless.

I'd like to believe that the authors of the rules would not put in wording that has no meaning. JMHO