Verbalize a fair ball?

[Tru_in_Blu]

The reason for my OP is as follows.

A couple of weekends ago, our area hosted a NUS. Many of our district UICs and several of our local umpires attended.

The following weekend, our local chapters held a mechanics clinic for our guys and gals. We had a district UIC giving us mechanics protocols. He said that if a batted fly ball was close to the line and was touched fair, but not caught, that we were to give a point and then to verbalize "FAIR BALL!"

Several umpires who attended the NUS were flabbergasted at this mechanic and questioned his comments. Many others stood shaking their heads "no". The other instructors who had attended the NUS did not overturn their partner's call on this matter.

Even after a couple minutes of lively debate on the matter from the "students" the UIC stood firm that that's what they taught at the NUS.

I got into my Umpire's Manual and found clear evidence that a fair ball is NEVER verbalized. I'm hoping that a clarification message eventually finds its way to the attendees of the local mechanics clinic so we don't do something that is incorrect in live games.

Thanx for the replies. Many of us were wondering if some new mechanic (that hadn't made it into the book) was being introduced.