A Balloon?

[SnareDrum]

So it's the middle of the 3rd inning and you happen to look up and see a huge hot air balloon slowly approaching your field. It's moving slow and low... probably between 100-150 ft off the ground. It drifts directly over the infield on a line between 3B and 1B, and while the players and umpires do a great job of not being distracted by it, you can't help but think, "what if"...

If a pop fly were to hit the balloon's gondola (or a player loses sight of the ball and it drops,) what do you rule? Over fair territory live ball play on, or GRD? (similar to indoor stadium ground rules). Large slow-moving objects over the field is not exactly something we cover in the pre-game. As a player, I would've just wished it was BP time!

[semper_fi_72]

So it's the middle of the 3rd inning and you happen to look up and see a huge hot air balloon slowly approaching your field. It's moving slow and low... probably between 100-150 ft off the ground. It drifts directly over the infield on a line between 3B and 1B, and while the players and umpires do a great job of not being distracted by it, you can't help but think, "what if"...

If a pop fly were to hit the balloon's gondola (or a player loses sight of the ball and it drops,) what do you rule? Over fair territory live ball play on, or GRD? (similar to indoor stadium ground rules). Large slow-moving objects over the field is not exactly something we cover in the pre-game. As a player, I would've just wished it was BP time!

You call "Time" as soon as you see it is coming over the field.

Then stand there and watch and wait until the hot air balloon is no longer over the field.

Then you resume play.

There is no need to play "what if".

What if it was BP and you hit the balloon and caused damage and brought it down which in turn caused injuries to those in it?

[Mr Umpire]

But, if play is going on and no "Time" is called, play on if it hits the balloon and comes back. If it doesn't come back, treat it as a GRD. Basically, it is no different than if it hit a fast moving bird. Play the bounce if possible.

[mtnump]

I am with Semper Fi, call time and get the kids out of the way. There is absolutely no reason to take that risk.

[SnareDrum]

I am with Semper Fi, call time and get the kids out of the way. There is absolutely no reason to take that risk.

Agreed. Like I said, it was the middle of the inning, but we did resume play just as it got between roughly the pitchers mound and 1B. I should've held everything up right there. The field on the one side of us had a D2 college game going on and it went right over them as well, but they kept going too. Then as it moved over an adjacent field, it actually got lower.

I saw the facility administrator after the game, and he said that it ( the balloon) floats over every few days or so. They give rides for birthdays, etc. But he said it's never been anywhere close to being that low. If a ball had hit it over fair territory, I believe I would have gone with a "play on".

Just a strange thing I wanted to bounce off of you guys.

[Stretch]

If someone in the gondola handles a batted ball... spectator's interference?

Or how about one of the popular fed answers "secretly vow to never work these teams again."

I don't remember this situation being discussed at Jimmy's or Harry's.

I would say halt the game when you can. I would be concerned of something falling from the

balloon or the balloon falling itself. Ending up on "1000 Ways to Die" is not high on my priority

list.

[mstaylor]

Doesn't sound terribly responsible by the hot air guys.

[SnareDrum]

Doesn't sound terribly responsible by the hot air guys.

My thinking as well. This is one of the largest complexes in the area with 7 fields surrounded by packed parking lots. Games ranging from 10U to women's college softball to D2 baseball all going at the same time. Also, they weren't hitting their "hot air jets" very much either...

[dumbdumb]

I thought if it was a bird, it is 2 bases if it's male, and all you can get if it's female.

[Guest]

I thought if it was a bird, it is 2 bases if it's male, and all you can get if it's female.

Ron Luciano apparently came out of the grave to write this post.

[yawetag]

I thought if it was a bird, it is 2 bases if it's male, and all you can get if it's female.

This is by far the shortest post I've ever seen you write. And the funniest.

[Umpire in Chief]

Strangely enough there is an an airship company out of Elizabeth City and on several occasions I have seen blimps around my fields, but never terribly low.

[jjb]

We have a Balloonfest every September, which brings about 30-40 balloons from all over the Southwest to our city. They have a "liftoff" at 7:00 AM, which brings most of them in the vicinity of our fields (2-3 miles away) to our 8:00 AM Saturday games. We get a kick out of our Plate Meetings, where we give the "2 bases off the balloon,all you can get in the basket" Ground Rules. Never came close to actually using them.

[yawetag]

We have a Balloonfest every September, which brings about 30-40 balloons from all over the Southwest to our city. They have a "liftoff" at 7:00 AM, which brings most of them in the vicinity of our fields (2-3 miles away) to our 8:00 AM Saturday games. We get a kick out of our Plate Meetings, where we give the "2 bases off the balloon,all you can get in the basket" Ground Rules. Never came close to actually using them.

30-40? Lightweight.

In all actuality, I love hot air balloons.