Two Fair or Foul Questions

Question
Question 1) The batter hits the ball which bounces in front of the plate and travels high into the air in foul territory. The catcher moves into foul territory on first base side, grabs the ball while it is still in the air, plants, and throws it to first base.  The umpire calls the ball foul. Since the ball touched ground in fair territory but has not yet touched ground in foul territory, isn't the ball fair?

Question 2)  Similar to the first question but involves third base.  The batter hits a chopper toward third base that bounces once in fair territory and then travels in the air into foul territory.  The third baseman playing in front of the base, snares the ball before it touches the ground in foul territory and throws to first.  The ball was called foul.  Again, wasn't this fair since the ball made its only contact with the ground in fair territory?


Answer
Hi Ann,

On any batted ball that has either not passed 1st or 3rd or is a fly ball... it is where THE BALL is when it is 1st touched by a defensive player.

If the ball is over fair territory, it is a fair ball, if it is over foul territory, it is a foul ball.

"Since the ball touched ground in fair territory but has not yet touched ground in foul territory, isn't the ball fair?"

No, if the ball is over foul ground when 1st touched, it is a foul ball

"Again, wasn't this fair since the ball made its only contact with the ground in fair territory?"

No same answer.

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