The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-11-28
NEW BASEBALL RULES.
AS ADOPTED BY THE MAGNATEs IN
ANNUAL CONVENTION.

A Graded System OF Salaries = No more
Put : Outs on Foul Tips - Cleveland
Takes the Place Of Dotroit I'm the
League.
The annual convention of baseball
magnates was held in New York last
week, and many changes in the playing
rules were effected. The first matter that
engaged their attention was the problem
of devising a change in the rules that
would increase the batting. Many sug-
gestions were made. One was to put back
the pitchers box five feet; another TO give
the batsman six strikes; another to widen
the fair grounds; another the restoration
of the high and low ball. The committee
discussed the suggestions exhaustiveiy,
and finally decided to let the matters
stand Just as they were last season, ex-
cept to hold the pitcher down to four
balls. Three strikes and four balls VIII,
then, be the rule for next season.
The "foul-tip" out was abolished.
Hereafter batsman will not be put out
on any foul caught within radius of ten
feet of the home plate. So, IN order to
prevent any disputes on that point next
season, il will be necessaryto have semi
circular chalk line from the foul lines
marked ten feet distant from the center OF
was that when the umpire stands behind
the pitcher, if he is struck by batted
ball, the batsman takes first and is cred
tied with q hit, and any runner on n base
is entitled to take the next base. 1t was
also decided that the name of the tenth
player who is required by the rules to be-
on the ground in uniform to take the
place of any player who may be injured
shall be printed on the score cards.
The sacrifice hit was defined as hit OF
any kind that was not a fair hit that
moved a man up q base. The other
changes are: Substltutes-One player,
whose name shall be printed on the score
card as an extra player, may be subst-
tuted at the end of any completed inning
by either club, but the player retired shall
not thereafter participate In the game.
The only change in the definition of a
dead ball is that the umpire must be
standing on foul ground if the ball strikes
any part of his person or clothing.
A new rule ertitling batter to his base
is as follows: IF upon fair hit the ball
strikes the person or clothing of the um-
pire on fair ground" Pertaining TO bases,
an amendment to rule 81 permits runner
TO return to his base after an umpire has
declared a foul without any regard TO
touching the bases. A runner shall return.
TO his base if the person or clothing of the
umpire is struck by ball thrown by the
catcher TO intercept the base runner. In
defining the powers of an umpire to i'm
pose fine of not less than IS nor more
than S25 for abusive, threatening, or'im-
proper language to the umpire an amend
ment was made as follows: "A repetition
of the offense shall subject such player to
a removal from the game and the immedi-
ate substitution Of another player then In
uniform" An additional basel hit is pro-
vided when batted ball hits the person
or clothing of the umpire standing on fair
ground 1t is provided that in the fourth
column of the tabulated score shall be
placed each sacrifice hit, which shall be
credited to the player who shall advance q
runner base on hit other than a base
hit. F."
The League adopted plan of graded
salaries for its players. to be made up, IL
five classes. The rule concerning this
point is as follows: The compensation
for all League players for services as
! players shall be limited regulated and de-
termined by the classification and grade
to which such players may be assigned by
the Secretary of the League, after the
termination of the championship season,
as follows: Class A, compensation 81, 500;
class Il, compensation 81, 250; class c,
compensation -, 900; class ID, compensa-
blOu I'll. tOV, ClhsS OLuptuod-
ton 81, 500. This section will not pro-
hibit the payment of extra compensation
for the services of one person to each
club as field captain or team manager. In
determining the assignment to the differ
ent grades, batting fielding base running,
battery work, earnest team work, and ex-
emplary conduct, both on ard off the field
at all times will be considered as a basis
for class ffcation.
n. f. Young was reelected President
and Secretary of the League. He has
been five years President of the League
and nineteen years Secretary of the
League ana its predecessor, tie National
| Association.
Mr.. Young submitted report showing
that New York had won the greatest per-
centage of games during the season, and
"A resolution was adopted awarding New
York the championship pennant.
Cleveland was admitted 10 membership
in the League, taking the place of Detroit.