I had just joined a new umpiring organization and had a "close" play at third with a the runner sliding and the ball coming in. The ball however went through the 3B's legs and to the fence. The coach turned and avoided the ball and the fielder. The runner popped to his feet, pushed the coach in the back to get him out of his way and ran home to score. I did not make a call.

(The defense coach went ballistic and I eventually had to eject. I later learned that this coach was also a member of this new umpire organization that I joined, obviously not calling in this league where he coached.)

This year, I had a coach that would stand approximately 3 feet past the base giving the "hands-up" stop sign. He was very close and right in the base path. From the way he stands and his motionless posture, I'm imagining that he thinks he is not physically assisting. Even though the coach is doing nothing, if a player touches him in this situation, I've got an out for physical assistance.

I also had a deaf girl in Little League that was on first and did not know to run after a fly ball was missed. (It's LL; that stuff happens.) Her first base coach, another child, was trying to get her attention to tell her to run. She started to tap the runner's shoulder but did not. When I relayed this story to my brother, a non-umpire, I explained the predicament I was in of having to call the ("deaf") runner out should the coach have tapped her shoulder to get her attention. My brother asked if I would have called her out and I said yes. After calling me heartless, he asked if I would have called her out if the coach had thrown a pebble or dirt at her to get her attention. I avoided the question.

The rule says nothing about a runner assisting a coach! ;) I guess, by logical extension, you should call the coach OUT - which in a manner of speaking, you did! :D (yeah, I know, the other coach...)

A bit of preventative umpiring would put this guy back in the coach's box. Otherwise, I would agree with the call. Would anyone make the call <u>without</u> contact? Is getting in the way of a runner (in the runner's basepath) "physically assisting?" Hmmm... seems like it would be a supportable call.

And, I'm avoiding a response! http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/mica/ostr.gif

Not in the manner described above, but I have seen it. It took a while to set in and I warned the coach that if it happened again, I would rule the runner out.

Co-rec game. As a female was rounding third, the coach intentionally stepped into the basepath with his back to the runner. She stopped on a dime and I didn't pick-up on it until a few moments after the play was over. In effect, he used his body to block a runner who was bent on proceeding.

However, to call this, I would really have to be convinced the coach was intentional in his/her action and it is going to be a helluva "sell" call.