What makes a catch, a catch?

From a coaches viewpoint this is a catch--it never hit the ground, or fence etc

Heh.

From an umpire's viewpoint, this is a lodged ball. Immediate dead ball, and in NFHS its a two base award. You cannot get an out on this play (outs that may have occurred had the ball stayed live).

A catch means the ball is controlled by the bare hand or gloved hand only.

Your umpire ruled correctly.

A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing he does not use his cap, protector, pocket or any other part of his uniform in getting possession. It is not a catch, however, if simultaneously or immediately following his contact with the ball, he collides with a player, or with a wall, or if he falls down, and as a result of such collision or falling, drops the ball. It is not a catch if a fielder touches a fly ball which then hits a member of the offensive team or an umpire and then is caught by another defensive player. If the fielder has made the catch and drops the ball while in the act of making a throw following the catch, the ball shall be adjudged to have been caught. In establishing the validity of the catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball and that his release of the ball is voluntary and intentional

quote:

Originally posted by LonBlue67:
Heh.

From an umpire's viewpoint, this is a lodged ball. Immediate dead ball, and in NFHS its a two base award. You cannot get an out on this play (outs that may have occurred had the ball stayed live).

A catch means the ball is controlled by the bare hand or gloved hand only.

Your umpire ruled correctly.

This would also apply to having a catcher block a pitch and it gets behind his chest protector or somehow the ball bounces, hits the ump in the arm and falls into his ball bag - farfetced I know but I have seen that somewhere. Is this correct?

That's a one base award in NFHS.