Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-27
NEW BASE BALL rules
Adopted by the National Base Ball
League for This Season.
SCHEDULE TO BE MADE TODAY.
The Diamond Will be Laid Out So
Accurately That a Civil Engin-
eer Will be Required Hereafter
to Do the Work-Some OF the
More Importent Changes in
the Rules.

New YORK, February 26-The an
nual spring meeting Of the National
Base Ball League began this afternoon
at the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
About noon the committee on rules,
which consisted Of A. J. Roach, Phlla-
delphia; Chris. Won Der Abe, ST. Louis,
and John II. Brush, Cincinnati, got TO-
gether in a quiet room in the Hoffman
House, across the street, and discussed
the proposed changes.
The meeting Of the magnates was
called to order by President aud Secre-
tary NJ. e. Young, OF Washington. The
delegates present were: Messrs Soudon,
Conant, Voh Der Abe. Talcott, Van
Cott, Kerr, Auten, Hanlon, Robinson,
Ruckstuhl, Reach. Rogers, Hart, Brush,
&. w. and j. +. Wagner, Elliott, Abel
and Byrne.
1t was decided that the championship
game should not be changed more than
thirty minutes.
The playing rules were next taken up
and adopted as far as the committee on
rules suggested.
Old rules and IL were stricken out
and a new series adopted. The new
rules made the formation Of the dia-
mond almost accurate 20 the one thou
sandth Of an inch with the result, that
In the future civil engineer will be re-
quired TO lay out the diamond.
Section OF rule IL was amended 10
read as follows;R For each champion
ship,game two balls shall be furnished by
the home club TO the umpire for uss.
ground out OF sight Of the umpire, tho
other ball shall be Immediately brought
into play. As often as one OF the two In
use shall be lost a new one must be
substituted; that the umpire shall at
all times, after the game begins, have
two balls for use. The moment the um-
pire delivers an alternate ball 20 the
pitcher IL comes into play and shall NOT
be exchanged until IL passes out OF
sight TO foul ground. Az no time shall
| the ball be Intentionally dscolored by
rubbing IL with soil or otherwise.
Rule 36 was amended as follows: A
fair hit is'a ball batted by the batsman
standing In his position, that nfrst
touches any part OF the person. =
player, umpire, or falls within 10,
lines that whether II touches foul aud
fair lines) bounds or rolls within foul
lines between home and first base or
home and first base without Interference
by player
Rule 3S was changed as follows: A
sacrifice bunt hit is q ball batted by the
batsman standing in his position that
falls within fair ground before reach
ing the lines between first aud
second bases and second and third bases
as defined In rule 30, that Is made for
the obvious purpose OF advancing a run
ner occupying q base, which results In
putting out the batsman, or would so re-
suit IL handled without error.
Two new sections, Nos. 4 aud 8, were
added to Rule Al. as follows: Section
"A strike is foul hit other than q
foul tip made by the batsman while at
tempting bunt sacrifice hit, as defined
10 Rule -, that falls or rolls upon foul
ground between home base and 6rst
base, or home base aud third base.
Second "A strikeJs a ball struck ~
II the ball touches any part o. the
batsmsn's person.
A new section, No. 5. was added 10
rule 49, IL reads as follows The bats
man is out, II, while attempting a third
strike, the ball touches any part Of the
batsman's person, In which any runners
occupying bases shall return as pro-
ylded IN section ., rule a..
A new section. No. . was added TO
rule 43. IL reads as follows: II be hits
a fly ball that can be handled by an In
fielder while first base is occupied with
only one out.
Section 3 OF rule a. Is changed 70 read;
"If while he be batsmAn, without
making an attempt TO strike, his person,
excepting hands or forearm, which
makes IL a dead ball, or clothing be hit
by ball from the pitcher. unless-in
the opinion OF the umpire-he inten-
tionally permits himself 20 be 80 hiI."
The last change adopted was the ad-
dItion OF new section, No. >, TO rule
AZ. which reads: "If while attempting
70 strike, the ball touches any part OF
tho batsman's person"
It will be seen that the new section,
No. . 70 Rule a.. does away with the
trapped" bail play, which McPhee ana
Pfeffer can use 70 great Advantage.
The session tomorrow will be dev0t-
ed 20 the arrangement Of the schedule.