The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-12-07
sooRT8 AND PASTIMES.
,,,.+ Seasons Amended Base
No. Ball Rules.
.,- PITCHER CIRCUMSCRIBED.
.r- the Batsmen-lhe National
Heif--7 srcher's Reception Here
Lee Sports ali the World over

wear VIII undoubtedly witness a
# base ball on a large scale in
.s, Re and throughout the Territory.
5l-sof The game VII be interested to
- zone Of the changes which are to
~. .-4-,5g Ell into next soasoa's rules
D I'm 49, the National League; the con
u. - Of this League, composed Of
'-a.srtqtiyes from the Providence,
- Buffalo, New York, Chicago,
DDlr-5sr.hia. Cleveland and Detroit
- has Just held is session and ad-
auI after making q number OF
l3--r.s from which the following are
c -I.ose3 rs tie most important:
NJ came next in Importance the
ion of amending the pitching
u On this there was very lively
I,.:--oo,ssioD. the question involved being
is n-5bibition of overland throwing.
1--0 ,5yorscv of this it was argued that
~ rreat speed which the overland
E ~ were granted by the then ex-
10 rule was IN opposition to fine
-EsI3y1r mes and to lively hitting, and
l Ias c90silv in the wear-and-tear of
"t,l-srs not to mention the injury to
~ 1;tcber's arms involved. Another
lI l;oi ton was that the merely swift
O;3:nbing which the overland throw
pG i,IJ' created the class of games
InoTn as pitchers battles" in which
.ba competing BATTERIES" had the
hole brunt of the fight thrown upon
,bem On the other side, 1t was argued
hat experience had very plainly shown
that it was next to impossible for
ITmDires to enforce a strict observance
of any rule prohibiting either under
hand or overland throwing; and,
moreover, that a perfect freedom OF
choice in the method of delivering the
bal afforded more play for skillful
strategy in the pitching than any other
nile possibly could do. After d full dis
cussion pro and con, the convention
determined to sleep on 1t, and further
action on the rule was deferred until
the second days session. In the IN
terip p "happy thought" had occurred
to one of the delegates, and he booked
IT. II was that of limiting the power
70 deliver the ball at pitchers utmost
speed by Obliging him to keep both feet
on the ground while IN the act OF
making any one of the preliminary
EnOHOUS
accustomed to make. This solved the
knotty problem, and the amendment
was promptly adopted. This is virtually
the rule of 1854, excepting the clause
prohibiting Jerking or throwing. The
rule of twenty years ago read as fellows:
1.-THE ball must be pitched, not "jerked"
or thrown TO the bat; and whenever
the pitcher moves with the apparent
purpose or pretenSion to deliver the ball !
10 the bat, he shall SO deliver it, and he !
must have neither foot in advance OF |
the front line or of the ground at the !
time of delivering the ball, and if he
fails in either of these particulars then
it shall be declared balk."
The new rule is wOrded as follows:
4 fair ball is a ball delivered by the
pitcher while standing wholly within
the slines fof his position, and facing
the batsman, lgith both feet touching the
ground while making any one of the /
series of motions he is accustomed to .
make in delivering the ball to the bat, |
the ball, so delivered, to pass over the
home-base, and at the height called for
by the batsman. This new rule is q of
Class I, under the head of 'Defni-
tons"
The effect of this rule will undoubt-
edly be detrimental to the class of pitch
ers who rely entirely for success on the
great speed of their delivery; but it will
not affect the class of strategic pitchers
in the least. In fact. if anything, it will
be an advantage in giving them greater
accuracy Of aim in their delivery, and
in teaching them the value of a thorough
command of the ball in delivery.
Next IN Importance came q change in
the wording Of the rule governing the
batsman's position. 1t was deemed ad-
Wis sble to give the batsman greater free
dom OF movement while standing ready
to strike at the ball, by extending the
lines Of his position, snd this was done
by widening the position, formerly
three feet, 10 four feet six inches, his
position being Widened one foot on the
outside line and six inches on the in
SIDE, leaving the line nearest the home
Dase only six inches distant from !.
me corner of the base. This
gives Inn room to step back when fac
eng Tor a hit to right field, and must
Improve ughtaeld hitting.