Definition of a fair ball

[SAump]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I think (but it's hard to tell with your writing style), that you are mis-interpreting "play on" when the ball contacts an object in fair territory. It does not mean "the ball is fair"; it means "the ball is not yet fair or foul and what happens later will determine whether it becomes fair or foul."

IOW, if the ball touches a foreign object in foul territory, we recognize the though and declare the ball foul. If the ball touches a foreign object in fair territory, we ignore the touch and treat it just as if the ball took a funny hop.

I must explain that while discussing the issue w/ whiteshadow; I did my very best to explain myself as clearly as possible. Now the thread remained very civil, moving along down a path for two pages. Then it took a turn. I do apologize to my readers, who communicate more clearly than I, but I have tried to set the story UP as linearly as possible. The first page sets up the scene very well, the second page continues. Others, as well as myself, have put into motion a series of small climactic episodes (checks in a chessmatch) whether the situation should be ruled FAIR or FOUL. It all goes back to Tim C's original post on the first page. Some people understand that and others may not.

I am not interested in the FAIR or FOUL part of the ruling as I already undertstand that part of the picture. I am interested in how a helmet, a glove or a cap become foreign objects on a baseball diamond. That JUMP/STRETCH is particular helpful on a SB when a base hit contacts a runner's helmet over fair terrritory near 3b and veers FOUL. "Now we may have, better go get it. Or do we may have, "Time." If MLBUM dictates play on had the the helmet not been there, then how can it be FOUL?