If a ball hits the yellow borders on the top of the outfield wall is it a home run?

Posted by admin on March 11th, 2010 and filed under wall borders | 9 Comments »

I’m new to the game of baseball so bare with me. There are so many terms and rules used.

Each ballpark sets its ground rules. In some places, yes. In other places, no. This may be more complicated than you hoped, but in truth, the answer is: SOMETIMES.

For example, the ground rule at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park:

"Glass areas of fence have openings at top. If ball sticks in opening it’s a ground rule double. Ball off the yellow line at the top of fence is in play."

That clearly states that it’s not an automatic home run if it HITS the line. Same rule in Seattle’s Safeco Field:

"A ball must clear the scoreboard (defined by yellow horizontal line) to be a home run."

The line must be CLEARED, not hit. What about St. Louis’ Busch Stadium?

-Fair ball hitting above yellow line in left and right fields – HOME RUN.
-Ball hitting on or below yellow line is IN PLAY.

Again, has to clear the line. NOT a homer if it hits the line.

But in San Francisco’s AT&T Park:
"Hits yellow line – HOME RUN"

One place where hitting the yellow line is enough.

In all cases, if it hits the yellow line and proceeds to bounce over the fence without touching the ground, it is a home run. But if it doesn’t bounce over the fence, refer to the ground rules.

9 Responses

  1. m d Says:

    Yes, the yellow line is considered a home run, not all parks have one on all there walls though, Fenway park’s right field wall doesn’t have one,(the wall’s only 4 feet high there) but there’s a line in center field that goes strait up to the top of the green monsters in left center field.
    References :

  2. nuggets fan Says:

    It is a homerun, but it’s a umpire’s judgement most of the time, but in the rules it says it’s a homerun
    References :

  3. gbaker1226 Says:

    Yes ,it is supposed to be a home run but since the umpires don’t have instant replay the may call it just a hit off the wall
    References :

  4. rviano11 Says:

    Yes. It’s a home run… IF the umpire calls it.

    If a ball hits a base, it’s fair. Any part of the base, even if it grazes it.

    If any part of the ball hits the foul line it’s fair.

    If any part of the ball hits the yellow on the wall or foul pole, it’s fair.

    You can see the pattern here.
    References :
    20 years experience umpiring

  5. swingman258 Says:

    yea its a homerun

    that yellow boarder is the divider between homerun and still in the park. imagine a line going vertically from that border. if a ball hits it is has to cross that imaginary line, so yea its a homerun
    References :

  6. SportsFanatic Says:

    ASOLUTELY
    References :

  7. NYC fan Says:

    Each ballpark sets its ground rules. In some places, yes. In other places, no. This may be more complicated than you hoped, but in truth, the answer is: SOMETIMES.

    For example, the ground rule at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park:

    "Glass areas of fence have openings at top. If ball sticks in opening it’s a ground rule double. Ball off the yellow line at the top of fence is in play."

    That clearly states that it’s not an automatic home run if it HITS the line. Same rule in Seattle’s Safeco Field:

    "A ball must clear the scoreboard (defined by yellow horizontal line) to be a home run."

    The line must be CLEARED, not hit. What about St. Louis’ Busch Stadium?

    -Fair ball hitting above yellow line in left and right fields – HOME RUN.
    -Ball hitting on or below yellow line is IN PLAY.

    Again, has to clear the line. NOT a homer if it hits the line.

    But in San Francisco’s AT&T Park:
    "Hits yellow line – HOME RUN"

    One place where hitting the yellow line is enough.

    In all cases, if it hits the yellow line and proceeds to bounce over the fence without touching the ground, it is a home run. But if it doesn’t bounce over the fence, refer to the ground rules.
    References :
    Major League Baseball, "Ballpark Ground Rules":
    http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/umpires/ground_rules.jsp

  8. matthew q Says:

    No.It is a foul ball
    References :

  9. Prashant J (holla at cha boi) Says:

    yes its a homerun…anything beyond that yellow line or on it is a homerun
    References :

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