fair ball
noun
: a batted baseball that lands within the foul lines or that is within the foul lines when bounding to the outfield past first or third base or when going beyond the outfield for a home run
Examples of fair ball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Through four scoreless innings, more foul balls (eight) bounced off cars in the parking than fair balls (four) bounded on the field for base hits.
—
Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2024
Jeremy Riggs called it a fair ball.
—BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2021
An instant replay confirmed it: fair ball.
—Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 8 Aug. 2020
Third-base umpire D.J. Reyburn, in a crouched position along the foul line just past the infield dirt, immediately ruled it a fair ball and twirled his right index finger to indicate a home run.
—Meghan Montemurro, chicagotribune.com, 27 June 2021
The next pitch was singled to right field where the fowl watched the fair ball fly by.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2022
Willie Stargell of the Pirates becomes the first player to hit a fair ball out of Dodger Stadium.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2022
Walker turned to argue the correct call of fair ball as the ball rolled toward the Pirates dugout, and no Mets reacted to retrieve it.
—BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2021
The next inning, Sean Murphy hit a ball down the left-field line that appeared on at least one replay angle to be a fair ball, and a homer.
—Susan Slusser, SFChronicle.com, 30 Sep. 2020
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Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2024
Jeremy Riggs called it a fair ball.
—BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2021
An instant replay confirmed it: fair ball.
—Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 8 Aug. 2020
Third-base umpire D.J. Reyburn, in a crouched position along the foul line just past the infield dirt, immediately ruled it a fair ball and twirled his right index finger to indicate a home run.
—Meghan Montemurro, chicagotribune.com, 27 June 2021
The next pitch was singled to right field where the fowl watched the fair ball fly by.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2022
Willie Stargell of the Pirates becomes the first player to hit a fair ball out of Dodger Stadium.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2022
Walker turned to argue the correct call of fair ball as the ball rolled toward the Pirates dugout, and no Mets reacted to retrieve it.
—BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2021
The next inning, Sean Murphy hit a ball down the left-field line that appeared on at least one replay angle to be a fair ball, and a homer.
—Susan Slusser, SFChronicle.com, 30 Sep. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Fair ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fair%20ball. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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