A fielder may not jump over any fence, railing, or rope defining the playing field's boundaries in order to catch the ball. The catch would be legal in all four instances, according to the umpire's best judgment. The same rules apply to a foul ball that falls into a stand. However, if a ball is hit toward a stand and there are people in the stand when it is reached, it is possible for them to catch the ball before they are touched by another player. In this case, whether or not the ball was hit over the fence depends on how far it traveled when it was caught. If it stopped entirely within the stand, then it did not go over the fence. Otherwise, it went over even if just barely. In addition, if a ball is hit into the stands and someone catches it with intent to return it to the field, it is not an out. Whether or not it is returned to the field is up to the manager's discretion. It is important to note that unless it is deemed to be an error, if a ball is put into play at any time during a game, it has to be caught by a member of the team who puts it in play. If it isn't, the batter gets a free pass to second base. Even if no one is covering that base, he is still out.