“Then what’s the use of having a batter?” asked Parker, bringing his logic into play. “Why don’t the batters stand up in line behind the umpire and let him tell each one in his turn if it’s a ball or a strike?”
Before he could answer, however, Ross had hit the next ball. The umpire called “foul ball” and the Chadwick shortstop, third baseman, and catcher were all running to make the catch as it was a high foul over toward the third base stands.
“What are they all running for?” asked Parker.
“To catch the ball,” answered Hal.
“I thought you said it only took one man to catch a ball.”
Again Hal tried to explain.
“You see, when a batter hits the ball the fielders try to stop it and throw it to the base ahead of the runner. If the ball gets there before the batter, he’s out. If he gets there first he is still in the game. The player who throws to the base is credited with an assist, or a put out if he catches the ball before it hits the ground.”
“But why doesn’t the batter run if he hit the ball?”
“Foul ball,” said Hal. “A foul ball, that is a ball which strikes the ground outside of those white lines” (pointing to the foul lines left and right) “doesn’t count as a hit. For a hit, a ball must be fair, which means striking inside those lines. A foul ball counts as a strike, but if it is caught it’s an out.”
“I see,” said Parker.