Interference

The interference is primarily the illegal actions aimed to disturb the opponent. It may be offensive when the runners prevent the fielders from catching the ball. Sometimes the umpires stop the clear episode, distracting the teams. The spectator can press on the players too. Let’s see it in detail.

The offensive interference happens when the offense physically or verbally hinder their opponents. These actions aim to avoid the potential out. If the umpire sees it, the game stops with a dead ball. A batter or baserunner who committed that interference gets out of the game. Its teammates advancing to the bases return to their positions. The runner and batter who interfered during the double play come out together.

According to school and college rules, the players need to avoid collisions. Any interference is a potential collision, that’s why the initiator is guilty of malicious contact. That penalty ejects the player from the game. There may be cases of offensive interference without direct contact between players. That happens when the batter or runner deflects the trajectory of the batted ball. The coach’s assistance in the batter’s or runner’s return to the first or third bases is the interference too.

The exemption from that rule is when the batter attempts to tag at the home plate with less than two outs and further runner’s out while the batter isn’t out. It leads to the normal interference penalty in this case.

The umpires affect the catcher’s throw attempt. It has two development kinds: the retirement of the runner by a throw continues the play, a failure calls the ball dead. Another interference is when the ball strikes the umpire before touching the fielders including pitcher.

The catcher squats to close the home plate. It hinders the batter from seeing the ball, leading to the out. This interference continues the play. After its end, the umpire calls the time. The batter and runners who advance the next bases get their safe awards. A home run from the third is possible only on force basis. There is an error for the catcher. High schools consider it as the catcher’s obstruction.

The spectators in the ballpark interfere players too. These examples include occasions when the fan runs onto the field and tackles the baserunner or batter. This rule takes into account the arena staff who doesn’t connect with the teams. It occurs when the fans on the first row hunt for fair or flyball for their collection. The further batter’s fate depends on the ball crossed the wall or not. If the ball hadn’t crossed the wall and the fielder could catch the ball, the runner or batter is out and the lucky ball owner leaves the stadium.

That option causes sporadic scandals. Bartman’s is the most famous one. The Chicago Cubs fans accused him in catching the decisive ball in the 2006 World Series game. Umpires didn’t consider it the spectator’s interference, but the stewards removed him from the stadium due to danger for him. They rehabilitated him ten years later.