Fair or Foul
 

:confused: Need to get this clear. Ball is hit and strikes helmet or bat in fair territory, and then settles foul. Fair or foul? Hit ball strikes helmet or bat in foul territory, and then settles fair. Fair or foul?

If it struck in fair territory then it is what it is based on where it settled unless the "owner" of the bat/helmet deliberately tried to deflect the ball with the object.

If it struck in foul territory it's foul.

GerryBlue,

When a batted ball hits a "foreign object", such as a helmet or a (stationary) bat over fair territory, that collision does NOT determine the ball's fair/foul status.

When a batted ball hits a foreign object over foul territory, it is immediately foul.

So, the answer to your questions id "foul".

JM

Above answers answer the question. My question ... which rule set, and how did the helmet get on the field?

That's what I was wondering.

OK, I was also wondering if it had a head in it.

Does it matter?

Be really strange to not notice it there before the play started.

Doesn't it matter in certain rule codes if this helmet came from the batter, or a runner?

I'm thinking the only issue would be that the helmet "owner" deliberately tossed the helmet at the ball.

Just to make a scenario:

R2 stealing on the pitch. As he's running, helmet falls off and rolls between mound and F6. B3 hits ball, which hits helmet, deflecting into foul territory between 3B and home. F2 touches the ball in foul territory.