Banana Ball Rule 10
How Does the Banana Ball Challenge Rule Work?
Each Banana Ball team gets one challenge per game. A coach must throw or shoot the team’s challenge prop onto the field before the next pitch. If the review overturns the call, the team retains its challenge; if the ruling is upheld or the review is inconclusive, the team loses its challenge opportunity for the rest of the game. Fans have one separate challenge opportunity per game through a fan representative chosen before the game. The representative shoots confetti and raises the official Fan Challenge sign to make the challenge official.
Team review process
How a team challenge works
A team must challenge an eligible ruling before the next pitch, and the review outcome determines whether the team retains its challenge opportunity.
An eligible ruling is disputed
The team disputes a fair or foul call, force or tag play, catch play, or missed-base call.
The coach signals before the next pitch
The coach throws or shoots the team’s challenge prop onto the field before the next pitch.
The play is reviewed
The umpiring crew reviews the disputed ruling and either overturns, upholds, or finds the review inconclusive.
The outcome controls the challenge
An overturned call lets the team retain its challenge. An upheld or inconclusive review uses the team’s challenge opportunity for the rest of the game.
Review result
Team challenge outcomes
Only an overturned call lets a team retain its challenge for another eligible ruling.
Overturned
The reviewed call changes, and the team retains its challenge for a later eligible ruling.
Upheld
The original call remains, and the team loses its challenge opportunity for the rest of the game.
Inconclusive
The review does not overturn the call, and the team loses its challenge opportunity for the rest of the game.
Fan review process
How the Fan Challenge works
The Fan Challenge is a separate shared opportunity used through a fan representative chosen before the game.
Fans have one challenge opportunity
Fans have one shared challenge opportunity per game through a fan representative chosen before the game.
The representative signals
The selected representative shoots confetti and raises the official Fan Challenge sign.
The Fan Challenge becomes official
The representative’s signal makes the Fan Challenge official for the on-field ruling being challenged.
Eligible team rulings
Which calls can a team challenge?
Team challenges apply to four defined types of on-field rulings.
| Team-challenge category | Review question |
|---|---|
| Fair or foul ball calls | Was the batted ball fair or foul? |
| Force or tag plays | Was the runner safe or out on the force play or tag? |
| Catch plays | Was the ball legally caught in the infield or outfield? |
| Missed-base calls | Did the runner touch the required base? |
Participants and signals
Team Challenge vs. Fan Challenge
Team and fan challenges both request review, but different participants initiate and signal them.
| Attribute | Team Challenge | Fan Challenge |
|---|---|---|
| Who receives it | Each team | Fans through a selected representative |
| Who initiates it | The team’s coach | The selected fan representative |
| Opportunity | One challenge per game; retained after an overturned call | One fan challenge opportunity per game |
| Signal | The challenge prop is thrown or shot onto the field before the next pitch | Confetti and the official Fan Challenge sign |
| What the rule specifies | The umpiring crew reviews the challenged call. An overturned ruling lets the team retain its challenge; an upheld or inconclusive review uses the team’s challenge opportunity. | A selected fan representative may make one Fan Challenge official by shooting confetti and raising the Fan Challenge sign. |
Review situations
Banana Ball challenge examples
These four situations show the ruling that each team challenge asks the umpiring crew to review.
Fair or foul call
A batted ball near the line is called foul. A team that believes the ball was fair can challenge that fair-or-foul ruling before the next pitch.
Force or tag play
A runner is called out on a force play or tag. A team can challenge whether the runner reached the base before the out was completed.
Catch play
An outfielder is credited with a catch. A team can challenge whether the ball touched the ground before the catch was completed.
Missed-base call
A ruling says that a runner missed a base. A team can challenge whether the runner touched the required base.
Quick answers
Banana Ball Challenge Rule questions
- How many challenges does each Banana Ball team get?
- Each team gets one challenge per game. An overturned call lets the team retain its challenge; an upheld or inconclusive review uses the team’s challenge opportunity for the rest of the game.
- When must a Banana Ball team challenge a call?
- The coach must throw or shoot the team’s challenge prop onto the field before the next pitch.
- Which calls can a Banana Ball team challenge?
- A team can challenge fair or foul ball calls, force or tag plays, catch plays in the infield or outfield, and missed-base calls.
- What happens when a team challenge is inconclusive?
- An inconclusive review does not overturn the call, and the team loses its challenge opportunity for the rest of the game.
- How does the Fan Challenge work?
- Fans have one separate challenge opportunity per game through a fan representative chosen before the game. The representative shoots confetti and raises the official Fan Challenge sign to make the challenge official.
- Is a Fan Challenge the same as a fan foul catch?
- No. A Fan Challenge requests review of an on-field ruling. A fan foul catch is a separate rule under which a clean catch of a foul ball records an out.
Banana Ball rules
Challenge Rule within the 11 Banana Ball rules
The Challenge Rule is Rule 10 in Banana Ball. The complete 11 Banana Ball rules also cover inning scoring, the two-hour time limit, batting-box and bunting rules, fan foul-ball catches, Showdown, and the Golden Batter.