Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-26
BASEBALL MATTERS.
MANY CHANGES PROPOSED IN THE
RULES OF THE GAME.
News from Portsmoath--s'"ss'p
About President sommers's Con-
n.c,to, with the CIubs-The New
Works VIII Not Play Here.

base ball arena.
This viii be great year in base-bah
circles The tocsin OF war viii be sounneu
In Virginia early In April. and the o'"Oe
composing the Virginia League VIII S""s'
gle ncrceiy from then until the leaves vi
the trees have become scared ana S'''o"
and fallen to the ground Tor sup
in the race for the pcnnant
Tho indications now are tha' inc
Will l.. composed Of SIX clubs anu ''''',
the contest will be more evenly
than was the case last year .,
The Dispatch some days afo "'''''".''
40. q Vas rroiahle that the New YORK
Giants would play here next i'o"'"'
-, ,yo,,,,ll stated yesterday that ne
..,1 49,, arrange Il date with them, as
-. D,..,,4 NOT como after the 18th. and
richmond cub will not assemble I'M
IL trc eoih.
f., fl. ,robahlc hat the rules governing
a.. national game viii be somewhat
changed for this season. The following
.,,.,I from Baltimore 10 this weeks
storung Life outlines them:
Ia uanlon. chairman Of the Baseball
V.r.a Committee. has gone over the rules
carefully himself besides considering the
sarc .uons sent by Harry Wright and
others 90 him. and he thinks that the
pitching rules should not be tempered
with 90 nll. except TO make the rubber
Pate. against which a pitcher places his
foot. - inches long, instead OF r.
SOINNG THE BALL.
owing 90 the ccasclcss and tiresome
"hor.c play" INDUCED In last year when
urw balls were put IN play, Manager Han
Dom suggests that no player but the pitcher
D.. A low q to handle "a new hall that IL
nat 10 play. ana that he should be allowed
Fl, discoi0r 90 with earth. hut not by rub
bling IL on tho ground. This is rule II.
section .. and the addition 20 the rule
reads aH follows
"Thc alternate ball so delivered TO the
pitcher may be- discolored by him and 10y
up other player. but In 50 doing he shall
resort 60 NO other means than rubbing il
with bis hands or gloves, and shall use
no foreign substance, other than earth,
ana said bail shall not be rolled nor
passed from player 10 player
Another suggestion Of Manager Hanlon.
AMI one that viii meet the universal ap-
prevail Of the baseball public relates
~ disputes over decisions 10 rule IS. sec
ton ]. hc suggcsts the following addition:
Amy player. other than the captain.
leaving his position Ia the field or leaving
Oh. bench to question decision Of the
umpire shall hc hn.1 by the umpire not
more than SO for the first offence, and for
thc second offence shall be fined s25 and
removed from the game"
u should also be- compulsory upon the
umpir's. the Baltimore manager thinks.
o. enforce the power already given them
los the rules. and he believes that II they
do not exert their authority they should
N, mseiycs D. subject 20 a fine by the
League
THE TRAPPED BALL" RULE
Rule g.. section O. relating to trapped
balls" and which fails 20 cover the point.
has been amended so as 10 make the
batter ont. N he hits a fly ball that can
bee handled by an inhcldcr while first and
second bases are occupied" Before the
rule stipulated that only FIRST base be
occupied when It IS almost impossible
% work a double play by trapping" the
bail
Ia defining the hunt. Nh. IIanlon offers
the following.
a hunt hit f. deliberate attempt on
the part Of Tho hatsman 10 hit a ball
slowly within the innei so that it cannot
be- hcldcd 100 time To retire the batsman."
BATTING ORDER.
Another sensible change Manager Han
Jon has made is in rule q. section /. which
relates Go 20 batsman batting out Of
Nidrr lndcr the present reading II Is
impossible % tell whether one or more
hands can Zee declared out ana whether
the hit OF out. which ever IL may be, of
the hatsman batting out of turn shall
count or not. Under any circumstances
only one hand can bee declared out, and
Lee shall be- the batsman who failed to
take his turn at bat
The batting order is then followed In
the regular order. II the hatsman who
latt"d out OF turn should make base
hit or in any way get his base IL shall
not be counted. n the error In the bat
ting order IS discovered before a time
athlt' has been made ana all base
runners advanced hy the improper bats
man snail return To- the bases they oc-
,uplcl before he went to the bat 1t
should Doe remembered that "A batsman
who bats ont Of his turn does not lose
his proper turn al bat. but. If the error
Is dis, oVcr.i before a time -at-bat has
been made ho again bats. II II IL his
turn next ana the hdtsman who failed
60 hat in his proper turn Is declared out
This rule was VariOusly interpreted last
season ana gave a great deal OF trouble
\ number of minor changes have been
suggested, which deal with the wording
of the various rules. ana others which
become necessary from the more decided
changes proposed.
ABOUT MIR. SOMMERs.
The following extract from the Norfolk
letter to the sporting Life Will no doubt
he read with interest. as II defines the
position occupied by the new presi-
dent Of the league:
1t makes mo laugh e. read some things
said about our manager | think II rs
about time 10 set a new subject as this
ODD chestnut Was worked To death last
season. Sommcrs Is too slick Tor them.
and they know IT, He did more To hold
ihe league together last year than any
other man in It. ana this fact cannot BE-
disputed | do not know any OF the facts
contained In his letter To Sanford. Fla
about engaging the team that city got
together this winter L. represent Dan
Vile. hut any one can gamble that every
thing ne did was strictly legitimate. All
Kinds of reports were put out last season
ebout Sommers owning about three teams
81 the league. but nothing was ever
proved. Then, II he did. what Of it? How
SPOUT the New Yorks? "a great COM
raris0n" know. but Just for the sake
Of hlustra,ion) That team was. owned
iy about eight people connected With the
he league clubs last year, and no Kick
was heard although pretty generally
known"
THE PORTSMOUTH CLUB.
IN reference to the Portsmouth team.
H. correspondent OF the Sporting Life
has the following, which has not Before
boon published:
"rac lease Of our grounds has been
perfected. and as foreshadowed In my
lst weeks letter. will be situated on
Saath street. extended. The grounds en-
tr.. 20 level tract 5o0Xitp feet. and are
easily accessible from all points Of the
lff ty ears and conVeyances. Your cor
itnt, In response To a request from |
hr..rf Brady. has executed working |
fa. .r the diamond and enclosures. !
Nt nll be adopted. The enclosure will /
-,ro feet. leaving 50 feet outside 7
g. o. foot fence. These 80 feet viii be [
I-'.- an around. 80 that trespassers may /
g. i.ai with by law.
ih, uniform Of our boys will; Pants /
al shirts. gray stockings and belts.
emerald green, caps gray, with emerald
r'.n trimmings, and the word Ports
month across the shrt-front In emerald
groom
Nl HarEroyes. a clever young cen-
trrDo ley who played with suffolk last
y,af. has been signed. and vii be given
tlai In centre-neid. Hargroves is a
good hitter aud. judging from his Work
lasi year be viii be a md