What if an OF snags a HR ball, but ends up over the fence?

[Cooner]

So what if a ball is popped up, caught in the air by a large bird (a gull or hawk or whatever) and the bird flies away over the RF fence. HR or not?

I say give him the HR!

Hmmm... Was the Randy Johnson bird obliterator pitch called a ball?

I think it was called a FOWL ball.

you're on a roll today... not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing... i'm spitting my coffee everywhere reading your posts

[AtlDynasty25]

So what if a ball is popped up, caught in the air by a large bird (a gull or hawk or whatever) and the bird flies away over the RF fence. HR or not?

I say give him the HR!

Hmmm... Was the Randy Johnson bird obliterator pitch called a ball?

LOL seriously though, does anyone know the answer to this?

[Rirruto]

I assume it would be a dead ball; much like if the ball hit the ump, or touched by a fan, or gets stuck in the ivy, or rolls into an empty beer cup...

[Pochucker]

One thing you cannot do is go into stands then catch ball! You must "launch" from playing field and catch in air.

[emb0lus]

" A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball.

i never thought about it before but i have seen runners go back to the bag because of a 'circus' catch where the ball ricocheted (sp?) off of one guy then caught by another. if the pitcher is smacked by a line drive and the ball pops up in the air, the runners can take off as long as they tag after it hits the pitcher.

[blankman]

So what if a ball is popped up, caught in the air by a large bird (a gull or hawk or whatever) and the bird flies away over the RF fence. HR or not?

Depends whether it's an African or European swallow

[nuggets]

For example, Gary Sheffield jumps up against the fence for a high fly ball in right field at Fenway Park. He makes the catch, but instead of landing on his feet on the field of play, he ends up on a couple of beers in the stands.

Is this a homerun or not?

I believe happened at the O's new park right around the time it opened(or was it the old one before it closed, damn memory). It may have been a Red Sox game(or at fenway???). The fielder jumped and appeared to catch the ball as he fell over the short fence. The umps called it out and the reply showed them to be correct.

[acsguitar]

I think if his feet are off the ground and he goes over the fence then its a home run..if feet are on the ground and he flips its a dead ball..

i robbed a homerun in highschool and flipped over the fence but since I had a foot on the ground when I caught the ball he was out.

[nuggets]

So what if a ball is popped up, caught in the air by a large bird (a gull or hawk or whatever) and the bird flies away over the RF fence. HR or not?

I'm sure they'd call ground rule double if it was in fair territory

[nuggets]

I think if his feet are off the ground and he goes over the fence then its a home run

I disagree. In the game I refereced, the OFs feet were definatly not on the ground.