Foul or Fair Help!!

[dhutton]

I've been umpiring youth baseball for many years. I had a play happen last night that I've never seen. No one on base. BR hit a line drive that sunk and hit the front edge of 3rd base. Never touched the ground mind you. The ball bounced back and rolled foul. the third baseman touched the ball in foul territory. I called the ball foul. The coach called time and asked me why it was foul? He argued that the ball was fair because it hit the bag. I've asked some of my colleauges and they are split 50/50 - foul/fair. I know that the ball has to cross the bag in fair teriitory in order for it to be fair. It never crossed the bag. Help me out here....foul or fair.

 

[blue23ll]

A ball that hits 1st or 3rd base is fair.

[baseballfan]

OBR 2.00 Definition of a Fair Ball: "A fair ball is a ball that...touches first, second, or third base, or that first fall on fair territory on or beyond first base or third base..."

Sorry, but I have fair ball based upon this description.

[semper_fi_72]

Fair 110%

Don't know why those your asking are 50/50 on it.

[grayhawk]

This play did you a great service.  Write down the names of your colleagues that thought it was foul and NEVER listen to them on anything rules related ever again.

[Jocko]

This play did you a great service.  Write down the names of your colleagues that thought it was foul and NEVER listen to them on anything rules related ever again.

^^^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^^^

[noumpere]

This play did you a great service.  Write down the names of your colleagues that thought it was foul and NEVER listen to them on anything rules related ever again.

Including yourself (meaning the OP not greyhawk). lol.

 

Maybe the OP just got this confused with a ball hitting the rubber.

[blue23ll]

This is probably one of the most cut and dried rules, simply fundamental. By rule, a ball hitting a base is fair. There should be no indecision or debate on this one.

[JaxRolo]

50/50 WOW! You need to send them all to www.umpire-empire.com so they can learn!

[dhutton]

Thanks for the assist on this. My reasoning (in light of OBR 2.0) is that the ball never passed the base and did not settle in fair territory. I guess when you read further into 2.0 “Fair†it does indicate that the ball is fair if it touches the base. I think we’ve all had occasions when the ball hits the bag or rolls over top of the bag…no brainer….it’s fair. This is the first (and last) time the ball never went past the bag. By the way, I sold it to the coach and he walked off the field accepting my call.