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Sigh...I knew I was going to regret this.
What does "fair territory" have to do with "dead ball territory?"
Well - let's see. We have fair territory. We have a fence. To assert that anything beyond the part of the fence that defines fair territory is not DBT is just being obstinate.
And just where does it state that the inward face of the fence establishes the perpendicular plain?
The definition listed earlier says it. "Bottom of the fence - perpendicularly upwards" Unless Scott was incorrect.
So, if a player standing on or a ball resting upon a DBT line is considered in play, or a player climbing or standing or sitting on a fallen or erect fence, or a player in flight beyond any fence or DBT can make a legal catch prior to touching the ground beyond it, why would you think that a ball which hits the top of the fence is immediately dead?
Picture yourself in a ballpark with the following setup: Just beyond the outfield fence (not a snow fence, not any kind of temporary that will fall over when a bird lands on it or a player bumps it - maybe it's a concrete wall), there are elevated bleachers. A ball is hit past the fence - it bounces off the front of the bleachers and the fielder reaches over the fence and catches it before it hits the ground. Is this a catch??? I don't think so. It's not even a playable ball.
The top of the fence is the same as the front of the bleachers. It is an object beyond the fair territory.
I have seen this discussed in several forums (baseball & softball) by people with far more expertise than you and I. Each time, the conclusion has been the same - 4 bases.
-Kono
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