Quirky fields

[tibear]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

I remember playing on this one field that had a fence around it. This one game a kid ran into it and got hurt pretty bad. After that I wouldn't let my kid play on any fields with a fence.

You mean to tell me you would umpire a game when you know there is a dangerous situation just waiting to happen. Gopher holes, tree stumps, etc?

I think we all realize (including the players) that fences are around baseball fields so the players should know about the fence. However, in the field that I was talking about, who would think to watch out for a park bench when chasing down a fly ball???

[Don Mueller]

Originally Posted by tibear

You mean to tell me you would umpire a game when you know there is a dangerous situation just waiting to happen. Gopher holes, tree stumps, etc?

First off, gopher holes and tree stumps were not part of your first post.

Second, If I deem a situation dangerous, I would not umpire the game. However, what is considered dangerous is a judgement call and requires discernment.
I was perhaps a bit too sarcastic with my first response but your OP struck me as being overprotective.

Here's my thinking:
1. Rather than refusing to play, suggest a ground rule that if the ball goes near the bench it's a GR double.

Originally Posted by tibear

I think we all realize (including the players) that fences are around baseball fields so the players should know about the fence. However, in the field that I was talking about, who would think to watch out for a park bench when chasing down a fly ball

I think pointing to it and saying stay away from the bench should suffice.

[DG]

I did a summer tournament game in the summer of '05 on a field that had no outfield fence. There was a small hill in RF that led up to a street (about 50 feet from the bottom of the hill to the street). CF and LF were wide open with a significant level dropoff once you got beyond where a fence should have been.

The ground rule was that if a fly ball landed on that hill in RF it was a HR because they did not want players running up that hill after a ball and into the street, so if F9 feels himself running uphill after a ball he can stop because it's a HR. In LF and CF the ground rule was "get all you can". Due to the dropoff a fielder could disappear from view chasing a ball and come back into view throwing.

Another field I get a game on about every other year there is a brick fence but it is far away no King Kong could ever hit one over it, but in LF there is a small hill (again) with a bunch of bushes on it and CF and RF are wide open. Similar ground rules, if the ball lands in the bushes on hill in LF it is a HR. I forget what kind of bushes, but some kind of poisonous bush they don't want the players going into to get a ball. In RF and CF it is "get all you can" except unlike the 1st field mentioned it is fairly level. If you get a hard hit line drive into right center field on this field it will roll down to the girls softball field for an easy HR (on fence on the softball field either to stop it).

[IceGator8]

There was a high school field in Salt Lake City that up until a few years ago had part of the running track going right through center and right field at about 300ftin center and less in right with no fence beyond. The track was considered in play. They finally got the goverment to fix the situation.

When I played football there was a high school in our region who tried to cram the running track around the football field in space that could really only accomodate a football field. A sizable portion of each end zones corner was track. I remember them having painted the end zone lines into the track and setting up the corner pylon on it. I creamed a guy in one of those corners defending a pass and remember it not feeling good.

I sometimes wonder what goes through peoples heads when it comes to designing these fields.

[Toadman15241]

There is a city league school in Pittsburgh where there is a hill with about a 30 degree incline and a fence at the top of the hill, which is in play. The one (and only) game I ever did on that field produced the best catch I have ever seen. A kid ran half way up the hill, dove, and caught the ball. Even the other team's players clapped.