Home run?

The outfielder raising his hands is nothing more than an indication to the umpire that he can not retrieve the ball. It is not a ground rule double / two base award until the umpire says it is. The umpire will either see it bound into dead ball territory or he may go out into the field to determine if the ball is actually in DBT or is not retrievable. In your case as described the umpire did not rule properly.

The High School Rule

8-3-3

ART. 3 . . . Each runner is awarded:

c. two bases if a fair batted or thrown ball becomes dead because of bouncing over or passing through a fence, or lodges in a defensive player's or umpire's equipment or uniform; or if a live thrown ball:

The official Baseball rule is

7.05 (f)

Two bases, if a fair ball bounces or is deflected into the stands outside the first or

third base foul lines; or if it goes through or under a field fence, or through or under

a scoreboard, or through or under shrubbery or vines on the fence; or if it sticks in

such fence, scoreboard, shrubbery or vines;

Agreed, There is no rule that states a player must put up his hands.......that is is just a common players practice....that really doesn't make any difference in this ruling.....

Regardless of where in RF the ball went over the fence, there should have been a pair of umpire eyes on the ball to make sure it passed over in flight........exactly where would tell us whose call it was.....

In your case, If BU has no idea, we assume it was the HPU's call to make......and if the HPU calls HR...........then its a HR.....

But its only a HR because the HPU did not see the ball bounce over the fence.....

Thanks very much to you both!

Umpires can be 'helped' by fielders raising their arms, but it isn't required. They are supposed to see the ball hop the fence and make the appropriate call.

The arms going up are more important if the ball rolls past a temporary fence or under a fence or gets stuck in something in the fence. Not so much on the simple hop over the fence.