The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-08
BlSF-B4LL MfGNATES NE hf'
The Spring Meeting OF the Sstonai IeHsa'
of Club. In Session.

rneetinr NJ the National League OF base
Pail Cnbs one that has been long iooSed
forward u by players in all parts oi '"o
country. Is In progress at the tltth-asenuc .
Hotel II is by Gll means the inos. i",
portant gathering or Leasue 10, ,ha
si,ca the memorable occasion "heh .ne
ar,or,car Association terminated its
existence. H.. ,,.os noon
b,+ q vas we'll into the afternoon oeioFo
the delegates got down 10 business
Eorlv in the day many men lnteres'eu
l., ~ s,ccess OF baseball were In anu
,bout the corridors of the hotter disSus-
sing the possible outcome or the meesihs'
wh ,ther the pitcher should De SET oaSn
FIVE or eight feet. how many piuns III III, t"e s',
schedule could Chicago get "oulu l,t,''T
LeIlv" find the bait held out temptihe
'l,,h for him 10 leave the variety stage
and how many more dollars would lhuuce
Connor 70 engage with the Giants were
all questions that provoked interesting
talk. o-o. w A
conant A. III. Soden, J. A. Hart Jonh
r brush. c. II. Byrne, Pat Powers Ms MiNs
Herman. Joe Hornung, Arlie La'hdh ""N
J. G. Morse. /. .a,,led
The most important thing TO be set1.eu n
nv the magnates is the scheaule'
thankless task OF preparing TINS docu-
'a,,. uas some time ago thrust upon
President "Nick" Young. who makes the
surnrising announcement that he Suesses
res got IL fixed so as 20 satisfy every
one" ,,. r.,-
considering Chicagos Worlds Far
claims Mr.. Young is TO be consratuia'eu'
II the schedule goes through the chdm-
nionsbip season begins April l'th. with
the Eastern clubs playing In washington
Baltimore and Philadelphia ana the est
ern clubs in Louisville. Cincihhsu ",,a @
Cleveland. Each club will play apoul l'-
games. which will bring the season 70
close on September 18TH, or nioh'n
earlier than last year.
In the change OF playing rules the only
point that will probably create oiS.ussioi'
10 thar dealing with the pitchers. Messrs'
p,,rna Rrush and Venderhorst, who com
nose the playing rules committee. nave
agreed to report I'm favor OF placing the
e3 feet from the home plate The opposl-
lion to this change will be made by the
nit,her I'm the centre OF the diamond or
n,tchers because such state OF AFFAIRS
would give new men chance 10 tWlst
tho snhere and would weaken some OF the
old pitchers who are so used 70 throwing
y bau AT short range. The difficulty may
no overcome by a compromise, and the
pitcher be placed back only five feet.
The clubs represented We're: Boston
pittsburg. Cincinnati. Chicago, Washing
ton. philadelphia, Baltimore, LoulsVlhe
Cleveland and Brooklyn. a new nauohal
hoard OF arbitration was appointed con-
sisting Of Young. Soden and Nohderho-st
The evening meeting. at which the pay
ing rules were TO be revised, was an open
one John T. Brush read the findings OF
| the committee on playing rules, winch
we're as follows:
Rule 5-The pitchers boundary shal
be marked by a white rubber pla'e !.
| inches long by inches wide, so fixed II
! the ground as TO be even with the sur
face. at the distance OF 30 feet incne'
| from the southern corner or the nome
nlate so that fine drawn from th'
| centre Of the home-base 70 the centre o
the second-base will give six inches upor
either side.
Mr.. Brush said this would remove the
very Objectionable feature OF wranSlini
| between cOntesting teams and umpire
about a pitcher being out OF his Dox
| The box is removed entirely and th'
| Ditchar placed back 5 feet from his present
position and he is confined TO single
Mace from which to pitch the ball Mr.
|
looking into the matter, could see nt
reason why the pitcher should have
feet i'm which 10 walk around In and th'
privilege OF delivering from either corner
| Of the box In addition 10 the last rule
was No. 27. defining the pitchers position
as follows.
| The pitcher shall take his position
facing the batsman, with both feet square
on the ground. one foot In front or anC
! in contact with the pitchers plate de
! fined in rule 3. lie shall not raise eithe
! foot. except in the act OF delivering th'
ball, nor make more than one step II
! such delivery lie shall hold the bal
/ before the delivery fairly in front OF hi
body and In sight OF the umpire. NheT
| the pitcher fegns to throw The ball 10 z
base he must resume the above position
and pause mOmentarily before delivering
| th. ball at the bat.
| PLAYERS must be furnished by the hom'
club. and placed outside Of and not nearel
| than twenty-five feet from the players
| lines. one such bench for the exclusive
use OF visiting clubs, and the other fol
| the home club. and the players OF th'
| competing teams shall occupy their re
| spectiye benches during the progress o.
| the game.
Rule 10 abolishes the fiat bat. as fol
| lows:
| The bat must be wholly Of hard wood
except that the handle may be wount
| with tWine, etc, 10 not over eighteei
inches from the end. II must be round
| not over two and ne-half inches In di
| ameter in the thick part and not owe
| forty-two inches In length.
| Rule thirty, defining the baik. is a mode
| OF conciseness, but It leaves rather
wide field open for Interpretation by ths
umpire II says: "A balk shall be any
| motion made by the pitcher 10 deliver th'
| hail TO the bat without delivering IL"
Rule sixty-fye-"A time at hat is th'
term "at bat" Of the batsman. IL begins
when he. takes his position and continues
until he is put out or becomes base
| runner. except when because Of being hi
/ with a pitched ball or In any case OF al
| illegal delivery By the pitcher, or II
| case of a sacrifice hit purposely made q
advance a base-runner which does no
| result In a base-hit."
| Mr.. Brush said the above were the prin
cipal changes In the rules.
| Ge--------------