The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-02-27
IMPORTANT BASEBALL CHANGES.
New League Rules on the Bunt and
Foul Hits Adopted.

NEW YORK, Feb. 26-The annual meet
ing of the National Baseball league OPEN
ed at the Fifth Avenue hotel today. There
was no need for piacards announcing the
fact, for the rotundas aud corridors OF this
old battlefield Of tue league were filled
with magnates of greater and lesser de-
gree, rs Well as players and others inter
ested in the game. The principal business
of the meeting is to arrange the season
schedule, and also to consider the 'cnanges
in the rules which will be submitted by
the subcommittee. Rush of Cincinnati,
Reach of Fhiadelphia and Won der Abe of
ST.. Louis as a result of the recent meeting
In Cincinnati. The latter expresses his
views on the subject as follows:
Il am i'll favor of penallZlng the bunt
by declaring Il strike on all bunt balls
batted into foul ground. l am also in
favor OF calling strike on all fair bunts
hit when a base runner Is on first TO
advance him to second. l favor "A rule
compelling the pitcher to remain i'll his
position and suggest that the secDud
baseman, right fielder, or any other
convenient for the occasion be assigned 10
the duty of backing up the first b,seman.
/ am also going to make II strong play tor
the reformation of coaching. The black
guard method of coaching employed Dy
certain league players last season dis
graced the game aud disgusted all the
reputable patrons OF it,"
The regular order of business was sus
pended and tue consideration of amend
menrs TO the rules WAS begun at once Ia
the evening session.
The first matter taken up was the pre-
ventlon OF the Changing OF time for the
calling OF regular championship games.
1t was decided that the time of cham
ponship game should not be changed
Nl.s
brought about by the action of the New
York club, which last summer made
Washington play at half past / o'clock,
so as to give the grounds to the Yale
Harvard clubs at O'Clock p. IN.
The playing rules were next taken up,
and adopted as far AS the committee on
rules suggested.
a new series adopted. The new rules make
the formation of the Diamond almost ac-
curate To the one-thousAndth part OF AN
inch, with the result that d civil engineer
will be secured to lay out the diamond.
Section , of rule II was amended TO read
as follows:
For each championship game two balls
shall be furnished by the home club To the
umpire for Use. When the bali il play is
batted out Of the grounds out OF sight of
the umpire the other ball shall be used.
As often as one of the two in use shall be
lost, new one must be submitted; SO THAI
the umpire shall at all times after the
game begins have too balls for use.
Rule 80 was amended as follows:
"A foul hit is u ball batted by the bats
man standing in his position, that first
touches any part of the person OF player
or the umpire. or falls within the foul
lines; that (whether 1t touches foul or fair /
lines) boulds or rolls within the foul lines /
between home or first base or home aud |
third base, without interferencs by !
PLAYER"
Rule 3S was changed follows:
"A sacrifice bunt hit Is a ball Datted by /
the baIsmau, standing Ia his position, that 1
falls within fair ground before reaching 1
the lines between first and second bases, /
and second and third bases, as defined IN /
rule "a. that is made for the obvious pur- /
pose OF advancing a runner occupying /
uase. which results in putting out the bats
man, or would so result Il handled without /
error.
Two sections. numbers and were
added 20 rule Al. AS follows:
Section 4. Il strike is foul bit other
than foul tip made by the hatsnan while
attempting Dunt sacritice hat, az defined
in rule $, that falls upon foui ground be-
tween home base and Irst base, or home
base and third base 5"
Section ) 4 strike is ball struck ~
If the bail touches auy part OF oas-nlah's
\ new section. number s, was added to
rule ~ IL reads follow:
The batsmau Is out. II while attem pting
a third strike, the ball touches aay psrs OF
the Datsmau's person. ia which event base
runners ob bases shah return, s. provided
IN section ), rule -