fair/foul - then catch/no-catch

[Rich]

Originally Posted by kylejt

On a caught ball, near the line, fair/foul is the least important of the two mechanics. It serves only to inform the scorekeeper on what to put in the book. It's only a courtesy call, only for them.

Signal the catch, and if you have the time, then fair/foul.

I'm fully aware of what's taught, and it makes zero sense, if you think about it for more than three seconds.

Really?

PLAY: Ball hit down the line. F9 touches it in fair ground (let's say right over the foul line), takes four or five more steps clearly into foul ground in an attempt to stop, loses his footing and falls (or crashes into the wall/fence), and the ball comes out.

NOW try selling that this was a fair ball.

The reason we signal fair/foul first is because that's what's ALWAYS decided first. It's not caught until all the elements of a catch are present, but it's fair/foul immediately.