Watch out for that tree!!!!

Ok, I have a question about a ground local for our local league.
USA softball rules.

One field has a tree that is about 75% in dead ball area, the rest hangs a bit over foul ball area, none of this tree (at the moment anyway) is in any part hanging over fair territory.

The ground rules says that, if a ball goes into, or touches, the tree, it is playable and, if caught, is to be called an out.

I know a few umpires that call at this field that do not agree with this rule (very hard to see if it actually hits any of the dead ball part of the tree as it is still covered with leaves - not close to fall here in SoCal).

I am at work searching for rules to send to the local UIC to see if this rule can be changed.

I have this, so far:

Catch B-2 page: 18,
It is not a catch if a ball strikes anything other than a defensive player while it is in flight it is the same as if it struck the ground.

In Flight, page: 22,
The term used for any batted, thrown or pitched ball which has not yet touched the ground or some object or person other than a fielder.

Does anyone have another rule reference, for or against (willing to listen to both sides), that I haven't found yet?


Thank you.

We have a few fields that have some branches in foul territory, our ground rules are dead ball foul. But they are called ground rules for a reason.

If I'm not mistake at Tropicana Field in Tampa balls that fit the speakers are in play but balls t hat hit the cat walk are home runs or something like that. And that's just some of the reasons its the worst stadium in major league baseaball.

By rule, a catch of a batted ball for an out is not possible once it touches anything other than another defensive player (as noted above).

In many areas where this is common, the standard statement is when the ball hits any part of a tree or other obstruction intruding or over playable territory is, "play it like a wall". That means the ball is in play. If it clears the outfield fence in fair territory, it is a home run. If it makes contact with the tree over fair territory, the ball is live and in play. If it contacts any part of the tree over foul territory, it is a foul ball. No matter what the condition, such a batted ball cannot be caught for an out, without exception.

It should also be noted that this is not something of which the umpire should guess. One of the umpires must see or hear the contact with the tree, leaf, bird's nest, whatever, to make such a ruling. For the benefit of everyone, the umpire on the ball should immediately all "no catch" the moment s/he determines contact has occurred.

Thank you for the replies.
I totally agree that a ball hitting any part of a tree in foul/dead ball area should be not be called a catch.
I was just wondering if there was another rule reference that covers this when I make my case to get this rule changed.
Catch/in flight should be enough, but I figured it didn't hurt to ask.

We have the same situation at our home field and it has always been a dead ball/foul ball if it touches the tree.

Sounds like a chainsaw would solve this problem.

Middle School game last year my DD was catching and a foul ball went up into the leaves of tree over home plate, my DD played it and caught the ball. Plate umpire gave her the out. Field Ump called time and corrected the call to a dead-ball foul ball.

Dabears17 said:

Middle School game last year my DD was catching and a foul ball went up into the leaves of tree over home plate, my DD played it and caught the ball. Plate umpire gave her the out. Field Ump called time and corrected the call to a dead-ball foul ball.

Click to expand...

Well, barring a ground rule saying otherwise, if the ball was over fair territory at the time of contact, it cannot be a foul ball

The back field by the YMCA at the East Mapleton fields in Boulder has a tree that extends in fair territory down the left field line. Batter hits a ball into the tree and everyone but the ump thought it was a foul ball. Ump gave her a HR. Batter was confused. The funny part. No one clapped or cheered! It was like okay, whatever.