Foul ball bounces back to fair

[sketch]

At my son's little league game yesterday, we were on the field with the other team batting. The batter hit the ball which rolled down the first base line clearly in foul grounds the whole way. Then something strange happened. The ball hit the edge of the grass and bounced back onto the field before it got to first base. Our team saw it as field interferrence and the other team's coaches insisted that it was fair ball.

My question is simple: Is if fair? The teenage ump was not sure, but ultimately called it fair.

[bob jenkins]

It's a Fair ball.

I do give you credit, though, for coming up with the imaginative "Field interference". I had never heard that one before.

[mbyron]

Damn, that's a good one! "Field interference!" What a hoot! Brightens my rainy Sunday morning...

[C'monBlue]

He should have ejected the field for malicious contact.

[kylejt]

Originally Posted by sketch

The teenage ump was not sure, but ultimately called it fair.

He wasn't confused, he was laughing at whoever was yelling "FIELD INTERFERENCE!" at him. I'm sure glad the ball didn't hit the bag, I can't imagine what the D manager might have thought up for that one.

[GarthB]

Does this field interference rule appy to those nasty bumps in the field that causes fielders to mishandle ground balls, or just fair/foul situations?

Seriously, no offense intended, where did you first hear about "field inteference?"

[SanDiegoSteve]

"But Blue, that's gotta be FIELD INTERFERENCE!!!"



ROTFLMAO!!!

[TwoBits]

On a side note, it amazes me that these kids that umpire games who presumably have played baseball before don't know the simplest of rules.

[mbyron]

"Nobody ever went broke..."

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

It's a Fair ball.

I do give you credit, though, for coming up with the imaginative "Field interference". I had never heard that one before.

Just wait, Bob. It'll probably happen in a game you and I are working.

[tibear]

Only thing left is "bat interference" on the batter for hitting a third strike pitch.

[celebur]

Way to go, people! Class act all the way.

Originally Posted by sketch

At my son's little league game yesterday, we were on the field with the other team batting. The batter hit the ball which rolled down the first base line clearly in foul grounds the whole way. Then something strange happened. The ball hit the edge of the grass and bounced back onto the field before it got to first base. Our team saw it as field interferrence and the other team's coaches insisted that it was fair ball.

My question is simple: Is if fair? The teenage ump was not sure, but ultimately called it fair.

Sketch, the important thing here is that a grounder rolling on the foul side of the line is not yet a foul ball. There is no such thing as 'field interference', and the ball may very well yet become fair if it is redirected by the grass (or a pebble, or a lump of shale) into fair territory before it passes 1B. The youthful ump, though unsure of himself, got it right.

As mentioned by other posters, you would do well to read the definition of a fair ball and foul ball. This is a very basic concept that all ball players and coaches should understand, which explains certain comments made above.

[RPatrino]

"A ball ain't nuttin till its somethin, and it ain't somethin till i call it"

A ball is not fair or foul until its called such. Good advice to younger players is to assume every ball on the line is fair until the umpire calls it FOUL!!

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by TwoBits

On a side note, it amazes me that these kids that umpire games who presumably have played baseball before don't know the simplest of rules.

When I was a UIC for Little League, there were many times I was just thankful I could find a teenager that showed up.

Knowing the rules was a plus.

Having adult coaches NOT trying to take advantage of the young kids, that was a whole different ballgame.

[TussAgee11]

Is it field interference when F8 throws home and the ball hits the side or back of the mound? Also, can I call a runner out in this sitch on my own judgement to negate any field interference that may have occured.

I'm probably going to have a dream tonight with field interference in it. Who was it that in another thread, when responding to the funniest thing coaches have ever said, said "Whenever they discuss rules". Seems correct to me!