Illegal batting is indeed a specific and formally recognized foul governed by the official rulebooks of both American gridiron football and Canadian football. This penalty occurs when a player intentionally slaps, bats, or redirects a loose ball—such as a fumbled football, a blocked punt, or an intercepted pass in flight—using their hand or arm in a direction not permitted by the rules. For example, batting a loose ball forward toward the opponent's goal line or intentionally batting a backward pass forward draws a strict whistle from officials. Depending on the specific code and whether the foul is committed by the offensive or defensive team, illegal batting typically results in a significant yardage penalty and, in certain goal-line scenarios, can even lead to the award of a safety or a touchdown to the opposing squad.