Baseball Q

[Magnus, Robot Fighter]

I wonder if the photographers well is in the field of play. Meaning
can a photographer or fan reaching into the well be called for
spectator interference.

[Erick T. Barkhuis]

Magnus:

>
> I wonder if the photographers well is in the field of play. Meaning
> can a photographer or fan reaching into the well be called for
> spectator interference.

Not quite sure what you mean by "photographer reaching into the well".
Isn't the well the place where the photographers find themselves
already? If so, how can they reach in?

In case there are no special ground rules set up for that particular
stadium, the photographers well is not considered 'playing field', but
rather 'stands'. Fielders may reach over the well in order to catch a
ball, but interference can't be called there (as if a fielder had
reached into the stands). However, if a fielder tries to catch a ball
on the edge and a photographer or fan reaches out over the fence, and
hinders that fielder over playing territory, interference can be called
and the batter will be out.
Runners return, unless the umpires believe that a runner would have
tagged up and moved to the next base...in that unlikely case, they may
award that runner his next base.

In the Ole Days, photographers were allowed onto the playing field on
several fields. I believe, this was even the case in the early eighties
in Boston or Chicago (but I'm not quite sure about that).
OBR dictates, that these photographers are treated like security
personel and batboys: interference is only called if they deliberately
pick up a ball in play, or hinder a fielder. Merely the fact that such
person isn't moving away from a fielder is not enough to call
interference. Players have to play around such persons.

--
Erick