baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

, a fair ball is a batted ball that entitles the batter to attempt to reach

first base A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

. By contrast, a

foul ball In baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of ...

is a batted ball that does not entitle the batter to attempt to reach first base. Whether a batted ball is fair or foul is determined by the location of the ball at the appropriate reference point, as follows: * if the ball leaves the playing field without touching anything, the point where the ball leaves the field; * otherwise, if the ball first lands past first or

third base A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...

without touching anything, the point where the ball lands; * otherwise, if the ball rolls or bounces past first or third base without touching anything other than the ground, the point where the ball passes the base; * otherwise, if the ball touches anything other than the ground (such as an umpire, a player, or any equipment left on the field) before any of the above happens, the point of such touching; * otherwise, (the ball comes to a rest before reaching first or third base), the point where the ball comes to a rest. If any part of the ball is on or above fair territory at the appropriate reference point, it is fair; otherwise, it is foul. Fair territory or fair ground is defined as the area of the

playing field Play is a range of Motivation#Intrinsic and extrinsic, intrinsically motivated activities done for recreation. Play is commonly associated with children and juvenile-level activities, but may be engaged in at any life stage, and among other high ...

between the two foul lines, and includes the foul lines themselves and the

foul pole Foul may refer to: __NOTOC__ In sports * Foul (sports), an unfair or illegal act during a sports competition, including: ** Foul (association football), in football (soccer) ** Professional foul, in football (soccer) or rugby ** Foul (basketba ...

s. However, certain exceptions exist: * A ball that touches first, second, or third base is always fair. * Under Rule 5.09(a)(7)-(8), if a batted ball touches the batter or his bat while the batter is in the batter's box and not intentionally interfering with the course of the ball, the ball is foul. * A ball that hits the foul pole without first having touched anything else off the bat is fair. *

Ground rules Ground rules are rules applying to the baseball field, field, objects on and near it, and special situations relating to them, in the game of baseball. Major League Baseball has defined a set of "universal ground rules" that apply to all MLB ball ...

may provide whether a ball hitting specific objects (e.g. roof, overhead speaker) is fair or foul. On a fair ball, the batter attempts to reach first base or any subsequent base, runners attempt to advance and fielders try to record outs. A fair ball is considered a live ball until the ball becomes

dead Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sho ...

by leaving the field or any other method.

References

Baseball rules {{baseball-stub