Fair or Foul

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by UmpireErnie

Similar situation..

[snip]

My feeling was if I had doubt that a batted ball went over the line on the fly or if it bounced just in front I was going to call a double.

Ernie, I agree with you there. This spring I worked a 14U/16U friendly that just had cones set out out at about 190 feet to mark dead ball territory, instead of fences. We agreed at the pre-game meeting to play "cricket rules": over the line in flight is a HR, past the cones on the ground is a ground-rule double.

Runner on first, ball hit to dead center. I went out on the hit from B position (which I almost NEVER do in 2-man system) and saw the ball land just past the imaginary line between cones. I kept my eye on the spot in the grass that it hit and ran out to confirm. Yup: home run.

Long story short: Opposing coach went to the parking lot early after informing me that I was "200 feet away from that call" and informing my partner we were "the worst umpires he'd ever seen". Never mind the fact he was winning by a dozen at this point...

If I had it to do over again, I might call it a double.