Contact for Interference

[whiskers_ump]

Just came in from working an ASA tournament where the TD sent printed rules
changes to all teams. There were two. Must have contact to make an
interference call and On-deck batters must be behind the batter,
and not necessarily in their on-deck circle. i.e. Team batting from the
1st base dugout would have their on-deck batters in the circle located by
3rd for right handed batters, and in the circle nearest their dugout out
when left-handed batter was up.

These two changes were exceptions to utilizing ASA Rules. Naturally the "contact
for interference, in MHO, was dumb, and hardest to rule on. We had runners
dashing in front, waving arms in front of and just about everything possible
to hinder, impede, and confuse the defensive players. I called one where the
runner ran in front of SS stopped and then just before ball could hit her,
continued on her way. This fit all categories of interference. Offensive
coach appealled to TD & UIC, call was changed. {rule misinterpretation}. At
this point I informed both coaches, the next act of this nature would result in
a USC under Rule 10 Sec 9 A. and that I would eject both player and coach. I had
no more problems.

I was told the reason that the rule was put in effect, was because that all umpires
interpret interference differently, so they added the "must be contact"
phrase to insure it was called the same by all umpires. One coach even wanted
to argue that when I called interference on his runner for running inside the
line and interferred with F3's catch of the ball {ball hit her} that there was
no contact. "Coach, ball hit runner, C O N T A C T"

Anyone else every call a tournament where this type of rule was installed.
In my opinion, this type of rule changes the whole game. How would some of you
feel having to call in a tournament with this change.

glen