Connecticut western news., 1888-04-11
UMPIRE's ORDERS.
The Instructions Given Out by Asso
 citation President Wikoff.

The American Association umpires-Fergu- son, Doescher, McQuade, and Gaffney-have been instructed to strictly observe this season the appended interpretation of the playing rules:
 The Pitchers Position.-The pitcher must take his position in the box with his near foot on the rear line of the box, and his other foot to the left of the centre line of his position. He must stand erect with his face to the latter and with the ball held in front of his body.
 Putting in a Ball.-When 8 ball becomes lost to the sight of the umpire-and hit into the stands IS regarded as out of sight-a new bau must be put in play at once.
 The Official Score-The score card agreed upon by the two captains and handed to the umpire before the game begins, is to be re- garded as the ''score' referred to in the rule giving the order of batting, and this cannot be changed unless player becomes disabled by illness or injury to cause him to retire from the contest.
 Defining Balk.-Any motion to deliver the ball to the bat must be promptly followed by delivery, or a balk must be declared. The pitcher after making feint to throw to base must pause and take his position to deliver to the bat before he can legally pitch to the bats man. He can only make one step in deliv- cry.
 Bunted Balls-All balls bunted to foul ground are to be called strikes.
 Substitutes in Uniform. All substitute play CTS must be on the field in uniform ready to take the place of injured players. None others are eligible.
 Batting Out of Order-If player should fail to take his turn at the bat at the proper time, and the man at the bat makes fair hit before the error is discovered all the men who should have gone to the bat before him shall be declared out.
 Out on Third Strike.-If there is a base run ner on first base with but one man out, the batsman is out on the third called strike, whether the catcher catches the ball from the third called strike not. In all other called outs on strikes the catcher must catch the ball or throw the runner out at first base in order to put him out on strikes.
 Ball Hitting Eastman on Strikes.-In the case of a third called strike the ball hits the batsman's person. or touches his clothes, the batsman is out independent of his being caught or thrown out. Moreover, no bases can be run or run scored in case of a ball hitting the bats man under such circumstances. The Two Kinds of Balks.-Not only does the
 base runner on a base take base on an illegal delivery of the ball to the bat, but the batsman also; and in case all the bases are occupied, or only third base, run is scored by such balk. But when an ordinary balk not involving the delivery of the ball, is made, in such case only base runners take bases, and not the batsman. Favorins the Ball in Base Running umpire must call the man running to first base safe, if he gets to the base the same time the ball is held on the base The ball must be held by the base player before the runner reaches it to declare him out. Running Out of Line of Base. The base runner is not to be decided out fer running out the line of the bases only when an in. field hit is made, and not when long high I Ball is hit to the outfield.
 Overrunning the Base.-In overrunning first
 base the runner is rot to be declared out if touched before reaching the base for turning
 to the left instead of the right, unless he turns 1 to the left while on fair ground. | Coaching.-The coaching rule must be strict, ! ly enforced according to the letter of the law. 1 Captain Disputing Decision.-The captain
 has no right to dispute the umpires decision i i'll any case in which mere error of judgment | is involved, but only when an illegal interpre 1 tation of the rules has been made. To dispute l decision as to whether a base runner was
 touched or not is to incur the penalty of g ! fine.
 1 Rule 60 must be strictly enforced.