Punch Ball

[Gimlet25id]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

I'd say it has to do with defining "punch". It's not hard to see how in the OP the fist didn't really punch the ball, just sort of stopped it. You might think of it as the fist is legal, but the punch isn't. Punching is illegal because it's dangerous, and also, I've been told, so that a player can't punch toward someone and then try to pretend he/she was aiming for the ball.

Editted: rule says it's illegal to "strike" the ball with the fist. I think the principles of interpretation still apply.

Good Point! I can see the interpretation as long as he/she didn't "punch" the ball. If the player stops the ball with a closed fist then I would agree its nothing. If the player "strikes" the ball with a fist then IMO its a violation.