Appeal: the act of a fielder in claiming

violation of the rules by the offensive team.

Balk: an illegal act by the pitcher with a

runner or runners on base, entitling all

runners to advance one base.

Dead Ball: a ball out of play because of a

legally created temporary suspension of play.

Forfeited Game: a game declared ended by the

umpire in chief in favor of the offended team

by the score of 9 to 0, for violation of the

rules.

Illegal Pitch:

(1) a pitch delivered to the

batter when the pitcher does not have his pivot

foot in contact with the pitcher's plate;

(2) a quick return pitch. An illegal pitch when

runners are on base is a balk.

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.

Obstruction: the act of a fielder who, while not in

possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the

ball, impedes the progress of any runner. If a fielder is

about to receive a thrown ball and if the ball is in

flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so

he must occupy his position to receive the ball he may be

considered "in the act of fielding a ball." It is

entirely up to the judgment of the umpire as to whether a

fielder is in the act of fielding a ball. After a fielder

has made an attempt to field a ball and missed, he can no

longer be in the "act of fielding" the ball. For example:

an infielder dives at a ground ball and the ball passes

him and he continues to lie on the ground and delays the

progress of the runner, he very likely has obstructed the

runner.

Squeeze Play: term to designate a play when a team, with

a runner on third base, attempts to score that runner by

means of a bunt.

Strike Zone: that area over home plate the upper limit of

which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the

top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants,

and the lower level is a line at the hallow beneath the

knee cap. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the

batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a

pitched ball.

Triple Play: a play by the defense in which three

offensive players are put out as a result of continuous

action, providing there is no error between putouts.