Is it fan interference?
 

Adult Men's Slow Pitch Game -ASA Rules

Bottom of the seventh, runners on second and third, team at bat trails by a run.
Batter fouls the first pitch into the woods behind the grandstand down the third baseline. Umpire hands new ball to catcher who throws to the pitcher. Pitcher steps on the rubber and pitches. Batter swings and just after the crack of the bat, a fan tosses the ball over the fence (the playing is entirely enclosed by chain link fence) that was previously fouled off in the direction of F5. F5 turns his head to look at the ball coming toward the field just as the lazer shot coming from the batter's bat zooms by F5's turned head into left field. Would you have let the play stand or would you have ruled fan interference?

My understanding of fan interfernce is that you would have to rule what you thought would have happened if the fan had not interferred. Are you saying the fan stop F5 from catching the laser shot?

Even if so, I think I would have let the play stand... but that depends on the level, league, whose fan it was, did any one on the field improperly yell "TIME", was the ball just tossed onto the field like normal or was it thrown at F5 and he was defending himself from being hit upside the head. I've got more faith in the decission of the umpire on the field at the time than I would have in me trying to second guess the decision not having a understanding of all that night's situations.

The play stands.

There is no interference here.

I look at this as being no different than if a fan had yelled "MISS!" as the ball was coming towards the fielder. However, there is the concern for safety. I'm also a volleyball player, and I've seen just how nasty stepping on a ball can be on an ankle, knee, hip... I'm getting nauseated just thinking about it.

It's different than a fan yelling something. It is the same as a fan throwing some object onto the field. And I can see where you're going to have a talk with the defensive coach.

I would have ruled stupidity on the left fielder. Lets see- bottom of 7th, tying and winning runs on, and after the hitter makes contact-the leftfielder turns and looks away?....Easy no call.

Would you rule any differently if the pitch had just left the pitchers hand?

Of course one would have to be there to really make a definitive decision on this play but let me make an educated guess here, that the fan tossed the ball over the fence in an effort to return the ball, and nothing more (I am willing to bet dollars to donuts that this was the case and that the fan did not check to see if play had resumed before tossing the ball over the fence); it is not fan interference. That being said and the fan was merely returning the ball as I have assumed, then I am going to utter a word that has not been uttered yet in this thread: SAFETY!!

The returning ball caused F5 to turn his head and created an unsafe situation on the field. Stop play immediately. 1) Award bases accordingly; or 2) Have a do over. Safety should trump all else in this play.

MTD, Sr.

Mark,
While that is a kind & caring ruling, would you cite the rule which allows for this ruling? Certainly, kill the play if the ball has not been batted - but that's not the case here. F5 may or may not have had a play on the batted ball - and you may get away with something like your ruling in league play. I don't think you can justify that ruling for championship play.

Agreed

The OP defies common sense but, nevertheless, it states that the "Crack of the bat" was FOLLOWED by the fan throwing a ball onto the field. It is hard to fathom how F5 could have been distracted by the lob of a ball to his left when a "laser" was coming practically straight at him.

There is, however, no good reason, nor a provision, in the rules to stop the play after the ball was struck by the batter.