Home Run or Double?

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Feb 13, 2021
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MI
The thoughts that the top of the wall are live-ball area are wrong. Think of it this way, the dimensions to the wall (the face of the wall) are what is measured and marked on the signs. The boundary is the FACE of the wall and extends upwards. If the ball hits the TOP of the wall it has left live-ball area, contacted something and then, even if it returns to the field of play is a dead ball. Since it left the field of play between the foul poles and before it hit the ground, it is a HR. Whether it hits a pole, or a railing or anything else doesn't matter once it hits the top of the wall/fence. It is already dead.
 
Feb 13, 2021
880
93
MI
If the ball had hit the FACE of the wall it would have continued on a downward trajectory. The fact that it bounces UP means it hit the top of the wall. Again, the top of the wall is in dead ball territory. NEVER EVER take rules knowledge from announcers.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
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Chicago
The thoughts that the top of the wall are live-ball area are wrong. Think of it this way, the dimensions to the wall (the face of the wall) are what is measured and marked on the signs. The boundary is the FACE of the wall and extends upwards. If the ball hits the TOP of the wall it has left live-ball area, contacted something and then, even if it returns to the field of play is a dead ball. Since it left the field of play between the foul poles and before it hit the ground, it is a HR. Whether it hits a pole, or a railing or anything else doesn't matter once it hits the top of the wall/fence. It is already dead.

I'm not sure where you're getting your interpretation, but everything I can find says it's not a home run (unless there are specific ground rules saying it is). In fact, the OBR (I know, baseball, but why would the fence-clearing part in softball be different?) says "A fair ball passes over a fence or into the stands at a distance from home base of 250 feet or more" is a home run. Hitting the top of the wall is not passing over the fence.

Literally nobody in the entirety of baseball thought the hit in this World Series game should've been ruled a home run:
 
Jun 22, 2008
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I have never seen any interpretation that the top edge of the outfield fence is dead ball territory and if the ball hits the top it is an automatic home run. In fact, virtually every citation I can find regarding home run talks about the ball clearing the fence and landing beyond the fence. Since this discussion is in regard to a play that happened in an NCAA game, Their rule book has many many references to a home run clearing the fence or hitting a foul pole above the fence line. There is also a citation that a ball hitting the top of the fence and continuing on over the fence is a home run. That would indicate a ball hitting the top and coming back into the field of play is not a home run. here is the citation.

11.4.6 While in flight, hits the foul pole or while over fair territory, passes out
of the playing field beyond the home-run fence.
Note: When a batted ball hits the top of the home-run fence while in fair territory
and then deflects over the fence, it is a home run.
 
May 29, 2019
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The ump blew the call, plain and simple. After he signal's the round trip, it can't be undone. The ball hit the face of the wall, the replay clearly shows that. But bad calls happen from time to time. It's part of the game. Yet somehow now we're blaming this on "bad field designs" and "stupid features" such as light poles and score boards?????? o_O
 
May 16, 2016
946
93
The ump blew the call, plain and simple. After he signal's the round trip, it can't be undone. The ball hit the face of the wall, the replay clearly shows that. But bad calls happen from time to time. It's part of the game. Yet somehow now we're blaming this on "bad field designs" and "stupid features" such as light poles and score boards?????? o_O

The replay shows the ball clearly hit the top of the wall. If the impact created a dimple, then that could have caused the ball to rebound, instead of continuing over the fence.

If the top of the fence is "in the field of play" then even if it continues over the fence after hitting top of wall, it should be a ground rule double. So, the rule that states a ball hitting top of fence and continues over the fence is a HR, would tend to indicate the top of the wall is NOT in the field of play.

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Jun 22, 2008
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113
If it wasn't in play it would simply say a ball hitting the top of the fence is a home run, it wouldn't caveat it with and continues over.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk
 
Nov 4, 2015
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43
The replay shows the ball clearly hit the top of the wall. If the impact created a dimple, then that could have caused the ball to rebound, instead of continuing over the fence.

If the top of the fence is "in the field of play" then even if it continues over the fence after hitting top of wall, it should be a ground rule double. So, the rule that states a ball hitting top of fence and continues over the fence is a HR, would tend to indicate the top of the wall is NOT in the field of play.

View attachment 21732
I understand your thought process, but dont think that's the way it should be interpreted. Are players part of the field of play? If a ball hits a player and goes over the fence, isn't it a homerun? Ball bounced off of Canseco's head (part of the field of play) and went over the fence. Home run. This ball did not leave the field of play. No homerun. I'd equate the top of the fence to being like a fielder. If it hits them and goes over...Home run. Umpires cannot be asked to dissect where on the top of a fence a ball hits.
 

CoreSoftball20

Wilson = Evil Empire
DFP Vendor
Dec 27, 2012
6,215
113
Kunkletown, PA
Thats why u put up a yellow line or whatever at the top of the fence if you consider it a home run top of the fence. The fence is in play
unless stated otherwise. If the ball goes over the fence, its a homer...even if it hits the fence. A homer is a ball that goes over the fence,
so it could clip the top and go over and be a homer.
Now, if there is some metal fencing behind it or added structure to help stabilize...then hitting that may be a homer and not in play.
Like the Phillies field...there is metal grating above the fence that is not in play, and thats a homer if it touches that...but if the ball
hits the fence and stays in, thats in play.
But this should have been in play and live in my opinion...no homer
 

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