Was watching this one in disbelief. ASA rec league. No one on, outs don't matter. Batter hits a high popup down the third base line. This ball had more backspin than I could ever hit on the course with my pitching wedge. Ball lands about 10 feet beyond the bag in foul territory, hits the dirt, and spins all the way back and actually hits the bag. If that wasn't bad enough, the PU signals a fair ball. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the ball lands BEYOND the bag, isn't it a foul ball? (Rule 1- Definitions) I've never seen this before and will probably never see this again.

Foul ball

Yep, Foul Ball.

Situation from mon night, I was BU in slot had R1, PU is new this season, (doing a good job, but still new). Pitch high, and inside, batter bails, ball hits bat and rolls 4' in front of plate. PU comes up with an immediate "FOUL BALL" and I see a very distressed look on his face. I begin also to call "dead ball, foul" my aim was to take some of the heat off the new guy. Defensive coach was livid, didn't matter that a wild pitch became a strike, and runner did not advance, he felt wronged. Could have been an easy out, but R1 was at 2B before ball was retrived, don't know if throw would have been good, F1 finally got to ball, batter did not run, and no throw was attempted.

How would you have played this one? (PU did tell coach he made wrong call, but had to live with it)

OOOOOHAAAAA!!!!

<font color=blue>Rule 1 - FAIR BALL - E. Touches first, second or third base.

Rule 1 - FOUL BALL - E. First hits the ground or is first touched over foul territory beyond first or third base.</font>

Cool! :cool:

He was correct that he had to live with it, and I like your echoing of his call - good partering.

He needs to learn that there is no hurry required in making any kind of dead ball call - if the ball is dead, whatever happens is moot - so holding off to be sure is a good thing when the situation is just a bit funky.

Had one the other night at a Varsity game. Right handed batter, hits the ball that goes straight off the bat to hit about 2 feet in foul territory about 8 feet toward first, with the same amazing backspin you gave in this example. Smart F3 saw the spin and kept about 2 foot behind the ball letting it head fair (Batter is still in box, actually taking a slow practice swing), which it does, she picks it up about 3 inches inside the foul line about 20 feet in front of 1st base (as PU I point fair) and throws to F4 covering 1st for the out, batter is still in the box!! Boy am I glad I finally got it through my think head to slow down on calls like that, otherwise batter wouldn't have been the only one looking stupid when it was touched fair!

........... <font color=red>"FIRST"</font color=red>

another foul/fair situation:
pop up near first base--- first base player
tries to catch it-- ball rolls across the foul line--
From my plate umpire spot, I could not tell if
1st base player touched the ball--- my base umpire
partner (must have seen my deer in the headlights look)
gives me a signal ponting foul-- I call "dead ball/foul"--
I thanked him for that heads-up signal !!

Ahhh, but the fair ball rule says nothing about WHEN, only that it DOES!

If one rule specifies something and another does not, the one with specifics takes precedence (CO 2-2-3). Otherwise a batted ball that bounces off a fielder or fence in foul territory and happens to hit a base becomes a fair ball. An agile F3 could make that happen, then grab it for an out.