Real-Life Communication
It's up to a sports official to interpret the rules and regulations
of a sport and apply them to a real live game. Rules set out the allowable
conduct and plays for a game. They also explain what should be done when the
rules are broken.
You're a baseball umpire officiating a league championship
game. It's the top of the seventh inning with the bases loaded. The score
is very close -- either team could win this game. The batter steps up to the
plate, preparing to bunt. Bunting will put the ball in a location where he
is likely to get an "out," but it will allow the other players to move up
a base. The pitcher winds up and sends the ball low and outside. The batter
swings and misses.
Immediately after swinging, he jumps in front of
the base to get out of the way of his teammate, who is stealing home from
third. All of the runners on base began to steal as soon as the ball left
the pitcher's hand, so they're all in between bases.
At the same time,
the catcher moves ahead to receive the pitch. He catches it, and turns around
to face the runner from third base. But that's where the batter is standing!
The two collide, and it slows the catcher down -- he barely manages to tag
the runner stealing home.
It's all happened in a split second. This
is why you need to be a good observer! Now you've got to be a good communicator
in order to apply the rules to this situation.
You think of the rule
that applies to this situation. It's called "interference." Yet there are
many different types of interference. You must decide what type of interference
it was. Plus, you also have to decide what you should do to remedy the situation.
Major
League Baseball Rule Book
Interference
(a)
Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with,
obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play.
If the umpire declares the batter, batter runner, or a runner out for interference,
all other runners shall return to the last base that was, in the judgment
of the umpire, legally touched at the time of the interference, unless otherwise
provided by these rules. In the event the batter runner has not reached first
base, all runners shall return to the base last occupied at the time of the
pitch.
(b) Defensive interference is an act by a fielder which
hinders or prevents a batter from hitting a pitch.
(c) Umpire's
interference occurs (1) When an umpire hinders, impedes or prevents a
catcher's throw attempting to prevent a stolen base, or (2) When a fair ball
touches an umpire on fair territory before passing a fielder.
(d)
Spectator interference occurs when a spectator reaches out of the stands,
or goes on the playing field, and touches a live ball. On any interference
the ball is dead.
What kind of interference was it? What
should you tell the players to do now?