Here's another summary of baseball rules for your education or enjoyment. It summarizes when umpires should call an immediate or delayed dead ball. A delayed dead ball is a live ball until all action has ended, then "Time" is called.
Remains a Live Ball
- Batted ball strikes a runner or umpire after passing infielders (nullifies "in flight")
- Runner passes previous runner
- Runner out of base path to avoid tag
- Ball strikes a coach in foul territory or a pitch strikes a plate umpire
- Fielder, after a catch, completely enters dugout or dead ball territory but does not fall
(except NFHS = immediate dead ball)
Immediate Dead Ball
- Batter hit by pitch [including ball or strike call]
- Pitch lodges in catcher's or umpire's equipment
- Pitch hits a runner trying to score
- Foul ball
- Illegally batted ball [with illegal bat, or with batter's foot on plate or outside box]
- Batter's backswing hits catcher
- Ball enters dead ball territory
- Catch and carry [fielder falls into dead ball territory after a catch]
- Type 1 Obstruction [play being made on runner] (except NFHS = delayed dead ball)
(includes obstruction of BR before reaching 1B on infield grounder) - Interference by runner or umpire with batted ball before passing infielders
- Interference by runner with fielder making a play
- Spectator interference
- Coach interferes with live ball [either intentionally or in fair territory]
- Coach interferes with fielder making a play
Delayed Dead Ball
- Balk (except NFHS = immediate dead ball)
- Runner leaves base early [Little League 60' divisions only]
- Type 2 Obstruction [no play being made on runner]
- Fielder intentionally touches batted or thrown ball with detached or illegal equipment
- Catcher's Interference/Obstruction
- Batter's Interference with catcher's throw or play
- Umpire's Interference with catcher's throw
- Coach physically assists a runner
