Fair or Foul?

[coachfanmom]

Easy question here.....

Ball drops about 20 feet behind first base directly on the chalk line....chalk flys and ball rolls into foul territory.....Is the line fair or foul??

[SRW]

Fair Ball. Rule 1 - "Fair Territory".

[Skahtboi]

Originally posted by coachfanmom
Easy question here.....

Ball drops about 20 feet behind first base directly on the chalk line....chalk flys and ball rolls into foul territory.....Is the line fair or foul??

But don't get into the habit of judging fair or fould by seeing "chalk fly." You would be surprised at the number of fields I have been on where there is chalk as much as a foot and half from the actual foul line in foul territory, usually where someone has left the machine that does the marking with the hamper still open. An experienced umpire will line the ball up with the misnamed foul pole to judge whether or not the ball is fair or foul.

[dsimp8]

Originally posted by Skahtboi

But don't get into the habit of judging fair or fould by seeing "chalk fly." You would be surprised at the number of fields I have been on where there is chalk as much as a foot and half from the actual foul line in foul territory, usually where someone has left the machine that does the marking with the hamper still open. An experienced umpire will line the ball up with the misnamed foul pole to judge whether or not the ball is fair or foul.

I was calling a substate about 5 years ago and I had the first game of the day so all the lines were fresh. I noticed a white "puddle" of chalk in foul territory about 200 feet from HP and about 6 ft foul. I immeadiately knew this might become a problem. During the plate conference,I let both coaches know about the chalk and to TELL THERE PLAYERS also.

This one lady gets up in the bottom of the 4th(I'll NEVER forget this)with runners at 2nd and 3rd and 2 outs and the score is tied. She hits it down the left field line right to ...you guessed it...the puddle of chalk. POOF! Chalk flies everywhere. Their team is going crazy as I yell "FOUL BALL". This woman who hit it is halfway between 1st and 2nd and she makes a beeline right for me shouting "What the f$%k was that. That was a f&)&^ing fair ball-did you not see the chalk fly up."
Of course,right then ,I threw her out. Now...she's throwing her hat and acting like a big baby basically crying on the field. The coach runs out to dispute it and I tell her where it hit and then I said,"If it will make you feel better we'll walk out there and I'll show you" Sure enough,the ball outline with laces also outlined is in that chalk and the ball is about 30 feet away with a whiteline leading right to it. The play still refused to believe me."

Unrelated note....this woman was an umpire. I was playing in a state tournament two weeks later and she was there. In the semis of the winner's bracket,she had my game. She saw me coming on the field and she said ,"I remember you azz.You cost me that game a few weeks ago. Your walking a fine line today."

I immeadiatly turned and went to the pressbox and got the UIC and director and told them of the situation a few weeks ago and her comment she had made.They had heard of some rumblings at that tournament so they knew that this is what it was about. It was down to just 3 umps and the one that was "off" that game had done 5 straight in 105 degree heat so he needed abreak. The UIC said he would watch her.

In the 3rd inning we were in the field (I played 2b).Runner on 3rd,two outs,ball hit to me in the gap between 1B-2B. I catch it and throw it to 1b beating the BR by 2 steps easily. She calls him safe..then turns directly at me waiting. I stare at her and shake my head. BOOM!!!She throws me out. I am now going nuts and the other team is saying "That's wrong lady.Guys,get your gloves -we want to win this one legitematly. The UIC COMES ONTO THE FIELD and tells me that I am not thrown out and he kicks HER off the field to a standing ovation. The UIC finished up the game to let the other guy have a break. Needless to say,the State UIC was in attendance(watching his son play) and from what I understand he suspended her for the rest of the year.

[SRW]

Originally posted by Skahtboi

But don't get into the habit of judging fair or fould by seeing "chalk fly." You would be surprised at the number of fields I have been on where there is chalk as much as a foot and half from the actual foul line in foul territory, usually where someone has left the machine that does the marking with the hamper still open. An experienced umpire will line the ball up with the misnamed foul pole to judge whether or not the ball is fair or foul.

True, but if I notice that the lines are wrong, I'll point it out to the coaches at the pre-game, and tell them that I will judge where it lands based on the field as marked... and that it's a judgement call by me or my partner.

[coachfanmom]

OMG!!! That is just too funny!! (dsimp8)I have to say this past weekends tournament was one of the best tournaments that I have been too as far as calls being made. I only disagreed with this one play and being that I couldn't see directly down the line like PU could that called it foul, I accepted the call and moved on. Next hit was fair and we got 2 RBI's instead of just one that we would have gotten on the play before.