"ground" rule double

[Rich]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

Thanks to all for the answers.

Yes, Bob the ball hitting the foul pole or the screen is universally understood as a home run. But the question of the ball bouncing into the screen was a question posed to me and I was not able to convince the questioner about the logic of the screen and foul pole having the same effect on a fair ball that bounded into either.

Thanks to this forum the answer is simple. The pole and the screen are in the stands and serve as visual aides for the umpire to determine whether the ball entering the stands was fair or foul. If fair on a fly=HR. On a bounce from fair ground=Double.

Thanks

It doesn't matter if the ball bounces from fair ground into FOUL stands, it's still a double. I don't understand why anyone would find this difficult to understand.

[jimpiano]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

It doesn't matter if the ball bounces from fair ground into FOUL stands, it's still a double. I don't understand why anyone would find this difficult to understand.

The difficulty was grasping that the foul pole and screen are part of the stands.
He understands the ball landing fair and bouncing into the stands in foul ground is a fair ball. He thought the pole and screen were part of the playing field and, therefore, a ball bouncing into either and then back on to the field was ion play.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

The difficulty was grasping that the foul pole and screen are part of the stands.
He understands the ball landing fair and bouncing into the stands in foul ground is a fair ball. He thought the pole and screen were part of the playing field and, therefore, a ball bouncing into either and then back on to the field was ion play.

Some HS fields (though none around here) have foul poles that are inside the fence. Those are in play. All MLB parks have their poles outside the fence and thus out of play.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Some HS fields (though none around here) have foul poles that are inside the fence. Those are in play. All MLB parks have their poles outside the fence and thus out of play.

They don't groundrule them "outside"? Wow!

Besides, unless its far from the fence it's a pretty easy "fix" to put a short piece of fence in front of it.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

They don't groundrule them "outside"? Wow!

Besides, unless its far from the fence it's a pretty easy "fix" to put a short piece of fence in front of it.

Around here if that happens, there's usually a line on the pole -- above the line, it's out. In this situation, a double.

[Sven K]

How about the line toward the centerfield side of the Green Monster in Fenway? If it hits the line is it in play? My guess would be that it would need to be clear of the line on the centerfield side to be a homer but I'm not that familiar with Fenway. Been there just once.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Around here if that happens, there's usually a line on the pole -- above the line, it's out. In this situation, a double.

Yep, same here.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Around here if that happens, there's usually a line on the pole -- above the line, it's out. In this situation, a double.

Agreed. But, it's in direct conflict with some FED interp (for those who are sticklers about such things).

[Sven K]

I believe the old Tiger Stadium in Detroit had a flagpole in fair territory about 440 feet from home plate which had a line on it. I'm not exactly sure if there was a ground rule for a ball on a bounce, but it would be a shame to hit one 440 feet, have it bounce up, hit the pole above the line, and not have a chance to leg out a triple!

[TxUmp]

Originally Posted by Sven K

I believe the old Tiger Stadium in Detroit had a flagpole in fair territory about 440 feet from home plate which had a line on it. I'm not exactly sure if there was a ground rule for a ball on a bounce, but it would be a shame to hit one 440 feet, have it bounce up, hit the pole above the line, and not have a chance to leg out a triple!

Minute Maid Park in Houston has a flag pole inside the fence in deep center field, which is also on a steeply sloping "terrace". I don't have the details, but a few years ago, a fly ball hit the pole 30-40 feet above the ground and the ball remained in play. I believe the BR got a double on what clearly would have neen a HR absent the pole.

[nopachunts]

Originally Posted by TxUmp

Minute Maid Park in Houston has a flag pole inside the fence in deep center field, which is also on a steeply sloping "terrace". I don't have the details, but a few years ago, a fly ball hit the pole 30-40 feet above the ground and the ball remained in play. I believe the BR got a double on what clearly would have neen a HR absent the pole.

Ball hits flagpole and leaves field - HOME RUN.
Ball remains on field - IN PLAY. Ball hits flag pole, bounces on ground and then over fence - TWO BASES.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by nopachunts

Ball hits flagpole and leaves field - HOME RUN.
Ball remains on field - IN PLAY. Ball hits flag pole, bounces on ground and then over fence - TWO BASES.

And Ball bounces, hits pole, then over fence - also 2 bases.