Definition

1. Noun:
   • In the sport of baseball, a batted ball that lands and remains within the defined boundaries of fair territory. These boundaries are marked by two straight lines (the foul lines) extending from home plate through first and third bases to the outfield fence. A fair ball is a live ball, and runners may advance at their own risk.

Usage

• A is the desired and most common result of a batter's swing. It puts the ball in play, allowing the batter to become a runner and forcing the defensive team to field the ball and make a play.
• The call of "fair ball" is made by an umpire to indicate the ball is in play. The opposite is a "foul ball."

Examples

• Noun:
  • The batter hit a sharp fair ball down the third-base line.
  • The umpire immediately pointed and yelled, "Fair ball!" as it bounced in front of the left fielder.
  • A ground ball that touches first or third base is always ruled a fair ball.

Advanced Usage

• "To hit a fair ball": The basic action of putting the ball in play within the boundaries.
  • The team's strategy was simple: make contact and hit a fair ball.
• The determination of whether a batted ball is fair or foul is governed by specific rules based on where the ball first touches the ground or is touched by a fielder relative to the foul lines and bases.

Variants and Related Words

• Fair territory (n): The area of the playing field within the foul lines and including the lines themselves.
  • The runner was safe because the ball landed in fair territory.
• Foul ball (n): The direct antonym; a batted ball that lands or settles outside the foul lines.
  • The count went to 0-2 after he hit a foul ball into the stands.

Synonyms

• Ball in play: A more general term for any batted ball that is not a foul ball or a home run, resulting in live action. (Note: A is the specific type of hit that creates a .)

Related Phrases

• "To leg out a fair ball": To run very fast after hitting a in an attempt to reach base safely.
  • He has the speed to leg out even a weakly hit fair ball for an infield single.

Noun

1. (baseball) a ball struck with the bat so that it stays between the lines (the foul lines) that define the width of the playing field