HR or not?

This should have been covered at the plate conference. Ground rules should be covered by the home team head coach.

From what I've seen at some of my local fields with trees hanging over the fence, it sounds like they got the call right.

Chris-
I am confused.
First, I don't know what was covered during the coaches conference. But I will find out. What I can tell you our coach was yelling to the umps that the ball hit the tree and should be a HR. I am making an assumption (a big one) that this issue was covered.

The reason I bring up point number 2, is that the umpires appeared very hesitant in their call. Our coach talked to the field ump. Then the field ump conferred for several minutes with the Plate ump. Then the plate ump talked to the home team coach (we were the visitors). Then they said/announced "ball hit the top of the fence".

I personally could not see where the ball hit.

Chris, are you saying that in your area if a ball hits the trees that extend into the playing field, the ball is in play?

I think what Chris is trying to say is that this is something that should be covered under the ground rules for the particular park....the rule book does not cover this type of thing...

I have a park where I call that has a telephone wire that hangs over fair territory...in the pregame the fact that it is in fair territory is discussed and what the outcome would be...in this case any ball that strikes the wire is a dead ball and a double is credited.....

Thanks. Got some more info. Not sure whose responsibility it is, but I found out this situation was NOT discussed in the pre-game conference. I don't know if the home team is required to bring it up or if the umps are supposed to ask the specific question.
Apparently what happended is our coach asked for a ruling, umps then conferred with the home coach in the middle of the game and they made their ruling.
Wonder what the comment would have been by the home coach hit the ball.........hmm........

More info from fans: Ball struck the tree beyond the fence, rolled on a branch, landed ON TOP of the fence, rolled momentarily and then dropped into the field of play.

In any case, thanks for the clarification. BTW, we did win the game 3-2 in 9 innings!

What you are describing sounds like a home run to me.

Again, with trees known to be hanging over the fence, this should have been covered at the plate conference. The visiting coach should have noticed this during the pre-game conference and asked for a clarification if the home coach did not address it.

It's the home team that's responsible for the ground rules.

We have a field where one of the light poles sits INSIDE the fence. Guess what? If a ball hits the pole and comes back into the playing field, it's a live ball and no HR. Even though it would have cleared the fence.

I also have a field with the wires hanging over live ball territory as mentioned above. Again, the home team MUST spell out the ground rules prior to the game to avoid this type of confusion.

This is why it is so critical to make sure everyone understands the unique ground rules.

Piaa gave the example of wire in fair territory and if the ball hits the wire is a ground rule double.

In our area the universal ruling is if the ball hits the wire in foul territory its dead, and if it hits the wire in fair territory its live.

Coaches at visiting fields have the responsibility to make sure they are aware of any unique ground rules to that specific field. If not it will always come back to bite them in the end as in the example given.

As many above have stated, the home team (coach) proposes the special ground rules. But the visiting coach must agree to them. If he doesn't then the umpire determines what they will be relative to the special circumstances.

I've only had this happen once in 14 years. (a disagreement) At this particular field (no fence) there was a stand of thick brush in right-center field. Way, way, way out in right-center field. Home coach said if ball goes in the brush in flight it's a home run. If it rolls in it's a triple.
Considering the distance the brush was from the plate (at least 450 feet) I didn't think the proposal was unreasonable. However, the visiting coach did and said: "OK on the homer but no way on the triple."
I said: "OK, if the ball rolls in then it's book rule; two bases at time of pitch."

I found out later in the game why the home coach proposed the triple. He had three lefties in his line up who could crush the ball. In fact one of them rolled one into the brush and would have easily made three bases (probably four) had the brush not been there.

I also found out that the visiting coach was perfectly aware of the three lefties in his opponents line up.

nfhs referee baseball guide 2006 page 3pre game conference."discuss the ground rules. take note of any unusual facets of the field, such as a tarp or designated media area,that may come into play. remember that ground rules cannot supercede book rules." i would not have consulted with the home team coach about ground rules not covered in the pre-game once the game has started. it's the umps call now.

I'm not an umpire, nor am I a rule expert, but its like the Cubs stadium where they have ivy on their wall. If the ball bounces of the wall and hits ivy and whatnot, its still playable, but if it gets stuck, its a ground rule double. The umpire is supposed to go check and if he can find the ball and it is easily reachable, the runner can keep going, but in your case, I guess since it didn't go over, and didn't get stuck in the tree, it's not a HR, but I am just speculating.

Adam-
I hear what you're saying. I am a HUGE Cubs fan, originally from Chicago. I know about the ivy. But picture this how would you rule if there was a TREE growing in the CF hitting eye at Wrigley. And that tree had branches gowing in towards home plate extending into the field of play.....quite different than the ivy situation you described ( I have been at and seen games at Wrigley where the ball gets stuck in the ivy,,,,you are right ....it is a ground rule 2B).
Bottom line, situation SHOULD have been covered by the HOME team coach in pre-game. OUR coach did not bring issue up. Once game started, umps should NOT have conferred with HOME coach. Should have made decision on their own.

One poster said it perfect (and I have learned). There is no "rule book" answer for the situation I described. It should have been covered during pre-game conference on ground rules for this field

What is interesting....is this field will be hosting our district semi-finals on 5/19!!! I guarantee you our coach will have this covered at that point!!!!!