# Law 12: Interference, Obstruction and Collisions (Official Baseball Rules)

Baseball · Law 12: Interference, Obstruction and Collisions · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/baseball/laws/law-12-interference-obstruction-and-collisions/)

Interference by batters, runners, team-mates, coaches, spectators and umpires, the fielder's right of way, squeeze-play interference, obstruction and the WBSC collision rule.

## 12.121 Interference by the Batting Team

The batter and runners, team-mates round a base, coaches, double plays and the fielder's right of way.

### Test 1: Interference by the batter and runners

- The batter-runner is out, the ball is dead, and other runners return to their bases at the time of the pitch. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.1)
- Intentionally deflecting the course of a foul ball in any manner is interference. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.2)
- Before two are out, with a runner on third, batter interference with a play at home puts the runner out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.3)
- Members of the team at bat who gather round a base to hinder the play cause the runner to be out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.4)
- A runner's deliberate interference to break up a double play makes the ball dead; he and the batter-runner are out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.6)
- The batter-runner is out, and so is the runner who had advanced closest to home, whatever the double play might have been. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.7)
- A base coach who touches or holds a runner to physically help him leave or return to a base causes interference. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.8)
- Interference on an uncaught third strike: batter-runner out, dead ball, runners back where they were at the pitch. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.1)
- The batting team must give fielders room; hindering a catch makes the ball dead, the batter out and the runners return. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.2)
- Blocking the catcher from his own dropped third strike costs the batter his chance to run: he is out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.1)

### Test 2: Fielders' right of way

- Players, coaches and any member of the team at bat must vacate any space a fielder needs, dugouts and bullpens included. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.2)
- With two fielders going for a ball, the umpire decides which is protected; contact with the other one is not interference. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.10)
- A ball that goes through or by an infielder and touches a runner immediately behind him does not make that runner out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.11)
- Any runner who has just scored and hinders a following play on a runner causes that runner to be out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.5)
- A runner who intentionally interferes with a thrown ball is out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.10)
- Everything goes back to how it stood at the pitch: dead ball, batter out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.2)
- The team at bat must vacate any space a fielder needs to field the ball, and that includes its own dugout. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.2)
- The umpire picks the fielder entitled to the protection; only contact with him can be interference. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.10)
- An uncaught pitch that stays near the plate and is inadvertently deflected by the batter or umpire is dead; runners return to their bases. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.1.1)
- A member of the batting team, other than a runner, who hinders a fielder's catch makes the ball dead and the batter out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.2)

## 12.122 Other Interference

Unintentional interference, spectators, umpires and the catcher on a squeeze play.

### Test 1: Unintentional, spectator, umpire and squeeze-play interference

- Unintentional interference by a person authorised to be on the field leaves the ball alive and in play. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.3)
- Spectator interference makes the ball dead at once, and the umpire imposes penalties to nullify the act. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.4)
- Umpire interference with the catcher's throw makes the ball dead and runners may not advance. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.5)
- The ball is dead; the batter-runner is awarded first and other runners advance only if forced. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.5)
- Catcher interference on a squeeze or steal of home: the pitcher is charged with a balk, the batter gets first and the ball is dead. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.6)
- Deliberate acts kill the ball on the spot, so nothing that follows counts. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.3)
- Reaching out of the stands and over the playing field to touch a ball in play is spectator interference. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.4)
- Three things happen together: a balk is charged, the play stops, and the batter goes to first. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.6)
- If spectator interference clearly prevents a catch, the umpire declares the batter out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.4)
- The catch would have been made, so the umpire gives the defence its out. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.4)

## 12.123 Obstruction and Collisions

What obstruction is, its two kinds and the awards, and collisions at the plate and the bases.

### Test 1: Obstruction

- Obstruction is the act of a fielder who, not holding the ball and not fielding it, impedes the progress of a runner. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.7)
- If the ball is in flight directly towards him and close enough that he must hold his position, he may be in the act of fielding. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.7)
- When a play is being made on the obstructed runner, the ball is dead and runners go to the bases they would have reached. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.7.2)
- For this type of obstruction the umpire points and calls it, lets the play continue, then awards bases if needed. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.7)
- Under the WBSC rules a runner cannot be visually obstructed by a fielder. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.7.8)
- The obstructed runner is awarded at least one base beyond the base he last touched legally. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.2)
- Holding or pushing a runner after a missed or wild throw gets past the fielder is obstruction. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.7.5)
- Obstruction of the batter-runner before first, or of a runner being played on, kills the ball, and bases are awarded. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.7.1)
- The rule sets a floor of one base, and the umpire may give more. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.2)
- A batter-runner obstructed after rounding first on a hit to the outfield is a classic case of obstruction. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.7.4)

### Test 2: Collisions at home plate and the bases

- The rule targets unnecessary and violent collisions, mainly with the catcher at home and with infielders at the bases. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8)
- Contact above the waist is judged as an attempt to dislodge the ball from the fielder. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.1.2)
- If the runner attempted to dislodge the ball, he is out even if the fielder loses it; the ball is dead and runners return. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.1.3)
- If the fielder blocks the path, the runner may make contact as long as he is making a legitimate attempt to reach the plate. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.1.3)
- If the runner is safe and the collision is malicious, he is ruled safe and ejected from the game. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.1.5)
- Obstruction is called, but a flagrant collision gets the runner ejected; he is declared safe and the ball is dead. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.2.1)
- A preceding runner who touched the plate before the contact is safe; the ball is dead and other runners return. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.1.4)
- An attempt to dislodge the ball is out even if the ball comes loose; the ball is dead and others return. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.1.3)
- The umpire judges avoidability, then the runner's aim (contact above the waist counts as going for the ball), then malice. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.1)
- Contact above the waist is taken as an attempt to dislodge the ball, and that runner is out even if the ball comes loose. (Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 12.8.1.2)

Sources: WBSC Official Rules of Baseball 2025-2026, Rule 12 (paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored from the Rules, not reproduced)

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