Bigdaddys umpiring seminars Youth baseball rules FAQ

Go REAL Big - Fathead.com


Sections

Appeals
Awarding bases
Balks
Batter switching sides
Check swings
Fair or foul ball
Force plays
Foul tips
Infield fly
Interference
Obstruction
Overrunning first
Protests
Runner hit by ball
Umpire interference
Umpiring seminars
Little League specific
News & Notes
Home
Umpiring Links
Umpiring blogs
bargainstuff.com


Fair or Foul ball calls



Home plate is in fair territory and is treated like the ground. There is nothing special about it.

There is nothing special about the pitcher's rubber. It is part of the ground. If a ball hits it and bounces foul before passing first or third it is a foul ball.

Home plate and all the bases are in fair territory. Any batted ball that touches first, second or third is a fair ball. A ball that settles on home plate is a fair ball. A ball that hits home plate first is NOT A FOUL BALL.

Two different criteria apply to judging fair or foul balls:
bulletBalls that FIRST touch the ground or a player in the OUTFIELD and
bulletBalls that FIRST touch the ground or a player in the INFIELD

A ball that first touches the ground, or a player or an umpire in the outfield, is judged to be fair or foul based upon the relationship between the ball and the line at the instant the ball touches the ground, player or umpire. The location of the player or umpire's body or feet have nothing to do with the judgment. It's where the ball is in relation to the ground. The outfield is fair and foul territory beyond first or third base.

A ball that first touches the ground in the infield (in fair or foul territory) before first or third base, is not judged to be fair or foul until it stops or is touched by a player or an umpire or bounds beyond first or third base, or touches first or third base, or passes over first or third base. If it hits the ground on the home plate side of first or third and passes over the base on its way to the outfield; it is a fair ball. It may first touch the ground in foul territory and it is still not judged fair or foul until it stops or is touched or goes beyond first or third base. Example: ball touches the ground behind home plate, does not touch the catcher and spins into fair ground and stops. This is a FAIR ball.

A fair or foul ball shall be judged according to the relative position of the ball and the foul line, and not as to whether the fielder is on fair or foul territory at the time he touches the ball. The instant the ball is touched you draw an imaginary vertical line from the ball to the ground. If the imaginary line touches foul territory, it is a foul ball, if fair territory, it is a fair ball. The position of the fielder's feet or body is of no consequence.

The ball may roll back and forth (within the infield) between fair and foul territory an unlimited number of times, and it is not declared fair or foul until it stops or is touched. Where the ball is when it is touched determines the judgment, not where the fielder is. The infield is both fair and foul territory within first and third base.

A pitch that hits the batter's bat is a batted ball. It doesn't matter whether he was swinging at the pitch or ducking away from it. The ball is judged fair or foul based on what happens to it after it hits the bat, based on the above criteria.











Bargainstuff.com
PO BOX 759
Milford, MA 01757


Questions? drop us a line!


LEGAL NOTICE - Bargainstuff.com's participation in any advertising is solely that of providing advertising space and linking. Although Bargainstuff.com carefully chooses who advertises on these pages, we cannot and do not investigate the legitimacy, validity, legality of any ad, and expressly disclaim any responsibility or liability arising out of or relating to any advertising including the legality of the ad, the performance or conduct of the advertiser and any damages or injury that may result from the ad.

bargainstuff.com is a registered trademark, Registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
bargainstuff.com, Inc. copyrighted 1998-2008 USA