how would you fix this?

[LittleLeagueBob]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

If the ball was clearly fair you have to stay with the call. All players have a responsibility to know what the situation is. Screaming foul (since this was close) would be expected. He may have signalled but he didn't verbally call it which would have been expected by both teams. Poor mechanics no question. If the ball was indeed fair the out is the correct call. BR may or may not have seen the foul signal. You don't know that for certain. No matter what you do you're in trouble. Declaring the ball "foul" almost amounts to a "do over". Eat the crow and make the correct call.

Gordon -

Altho the OP states OBR, I'm posting the FED case play here to give some guidance on what they want us to do in essentially the same situation. I think the Major League Umpire Manual has something silimar in it, but I don't have a copy - prehaps someone else can post that so you can see what OBR has to say...

2.16.1 SITUATION B: On a count of 1-ball, 2-strikes, B1 hits a ground ball down the third-base line and the umpire inadvertently declares “foul ball.” F6 fields the ball in fair territory and throws to F3. RULING: The ball is dead immediately once it hits the ground; B1 returns to bat with a count of 1-2.

[Paul L]

The proper foul mechanic is raising both arms in the air and verbalizing "foul". Right? BU did not use either mechanic, just pointed with his left arm, presumedly toward foul territory. If memory serves, the foul mechanic was changed many years ago precisely to avoid accidental foul calls.
The proper fair mechanic is pointing towards fair territory and verbalizing nothing. This is what BU did, except for the accidental point in the wrong direction. So why is BR entitled to think foul was called?
Well, I guess I know the answer to that question. If the commonly understood foul signal caused BR to stop running, then BU has to eat the foul call.
But I was surprised no one mentioned the wrong foul signal. Is pointing foul, rather than raising both arms, the proper signal anywhere?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Paul L

The proper foul mechanic is raising both arms in the air and verbalizing "foul". Right? BU did not use either mechanic, just pointed with his left arm, presumedly toward foul territory. If memory serves, the foul mechanic was changed many years ago precisely to avoid accidental foul calls.
The proper fair mechanic is pointing towards fair territory and verbalizing nothing. This is what BU did, except for the accidental point in the wrong direction. So why is BR entitled to think foul was called?
Well, I guess I know the answer to that question. If the commonly understood foul signal caused BR to stop running, then BU has to eat the foul call.
But I was surprised no one mentioned the wrong foul signal. Is pointing foul, rather than raising both arms, the proper signal anywhere?

Both hands in the air is "time". Pointing is the indicator.