catchers mitt interferes with the batters swing

Question
QUESTION: I need an unbiased answer and it sounds like you are the one that I need to talk to.
In a recent High Sshool game, one of our batters swung at the ball and his bat hit the catchers mitt. i was keeping score and ruled it "Catchers Interference".
Well the father of the boy told me that it was catchers obstruction and i was supposed to give the batter a hit.
What is the proper call?
Thanks,
Jim Willis

ANSWER: You cannot give a batter a hit when he didn't deserve it. It is the same as giving a runner credit for a steal when there was a wild pitch.

The only time you give him a hit is if he hit the catcher's glove, put the ball in play, and the result of the play was a hit. This father probably knew the rule and just wanted his son's average to go up.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The father was an umpire for many years. his comment was that it was not interference but was Catchers Obstruction. In this case, once again, I haave never heard of Catchers Obstruction. Could this be a possibility?  

Answer
Catchers obstruction and catchers interference are the same thing. Catchers interference is the common phrase even though the technical term is catchers obstruction.

The defensive team can only obstruct the offensive team.

The offensive team can only interfere with the defensive team.

Obstruction and interference are pretty much the same thing. The term to describe it just depends on which team hinders the other.