Batted Ball Initially Going Foul and then rolling fair before ball gets to first base.

[Guest Howard]

If the batter hits a ball that initially goes foul but then veers into fair territory before being touched or reaching first base, is the ball fair or foul?

Thank you!!!!

[agdz59]

32 minutes ago, Guest Howard said:

If the batter hits a ball that initially goes foul but then veers into fair territory before being touched or reaching first base, is the ball fair or foul?

Thank you!!!!

if it stops moving or is touched for the first time while fair and before it reaches a base, it is a fair ball.  Doesn't matter how it got there.

[BobUmp]

May I add that this definition is consistent through LL, MLB, HS and College Rules

Fair in all, as long as it stops or is touched while in fair territory (it could, theoretically, start foul, roll fair, then roll back foul and be touched or stopped all before first or third base, then it is foul)

[beerguy55]

Also consistent in all softball rules.

[The Man in Blue]

On 3/14/2023 at 8:34 PM, agdz59 said:

if it stops moving or is touched for the first time while fair and before it reaches a base, it is a fair ball.  Doesn't matter how it got there.

 

Doesn't it?

 

More than once I have had a foul ball hit the grass on the "cutout" base path and go fair.  

[aaluck]

On 3/15/2023 at 9:06 PM, The Man in Blue said:

Doesn't it?

That is a great question.  Is there an actual rule that would prevent what happened above?

[maven]

9 minutes ago, aaluck said:

That is a great question.  Is there an actual rule that would prevent what happened above?

Not a rule, just an interpretation.

[aaluck]

2 minutes ago, maven said:

Not a rule, just an interpretation.

All levels?

[Jimurray]

21 minutes ago, aaluck said:

All levels?

FED has an interp that blowing is touching. OBR has a JR interp that blowing or moving dirt on a moving fair ball will make it fair. I don't know of any NCAA interp in the book but it's hard to search past interps on their website that don't make it into the book. NCAA default is rule as OBR does.

There is, of course, the rule about the batter-runner in all codes.

[The Man in Blue]

1 hour ago, maven said:

Not a rule, just an interpretation.

 

I'll take common sense over an interpretation.  😉