The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-02-11
70 change BASEBALL RULES
COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL
LEAGUE RECOMMEND A
NUMBER OF ALTERATIONS.
ADDITIONAL POWER GIVEN UMPIRE.
Instructed to Enforce the Rules and
Maintain His Dignity at All Hazards.
Arguing With the Umpire Not
:. ,.. to Be Tolerated.

chairman; Edward Hanlon and A. j.
Beach the committee of the National
Baseball League, appointed to recommend
changes in the code of rules, have sub
mitted their report to President Nick
Young. The report is as follows:
1--WE recommend no change in rules 1
to IL inclusive, which are those govern
ing the laying off of ball ground, but
suggest the incorporation in the rules of
foot note calling attention to an amend
ment to the playing rules in which will
be found direction for a simple way
of laying off bali field which is as
follows:
Lay a tape line from center of back
stop out into the field. PIT feet IL
inches to second base. At ninety feet
from backstop place the home plate
with the tapeline dividing 1t diagonally
Between $50 feet inches and $50 feet
10 inches from the backstop place the
pitchers plate. with the tapeline dividing
it at the center At 1873 feet 81 inches
from backstop drive a stake. At right
angles to the tapelne and is feet 3-4
inches from the stake and 80 feet from
both home plate and second base lace
first base on one side and third base on
the other. This done, remove the stake
Lay lines connecting the bases thus
formed, forming the diamond extending
the lines from home base and first base
and from home base and third base in
each. direction to the fence. thus forming
the foul lines and the catcher's position
Parallel with these lines and 80 feet away
lay the players position, extending from
intersecting lines already made. At this
point lay lines at right angles with lines
just described, extending to the base ines.
At right angles 70 these and parallel to
the base lines, Is feet distant lay the
coachers' lines, extending, say, 30 feet
towards the outfeld. Parallel with and
80 feet distant from the line from home
base to first base lay line beginning Al
feet from home plate and extending just
past first base. On each side of home
plate, parallel with line from center of
backstop to second base, lay line six
inches distant from home plate and run
ming 6 feet long, three feet each way,
from a line through the center of home
plate; also lines PARALLEL from the lines
just described, feet by & feet in dimen-
sion, thus forming the batsman's posi-
tion. Observe rules II, II and 10.
1--WE consider this necessary. The rules
az printed are positively correct, but be-
ing drawn from a surveyors standpoint,
are so burdened with technicalities as to
render them almost indefinable by a
junior player and the average ground
. keeper.
I'm section 1 IF rule IA, regarding the
ball, we suggest The addition of the words:
In the event of ball being Intentionally
dscolored or otherwise injured by a
player, the umpire shall, upon appeal from
the captain of the opposite side, forth
with demand the return of that ball and
shall substitute new ball and impose
fine of IS upon The offending player.
This addition is made SO that the UNI
pire may enforce the rule.
in rule II. following the word pitcher,
is added: While in the act of delivering
the ball to the bat This is to make the
rule more explicit.
1--WE recommend the addition to rule
20, which regulates players benches,
new section, which is as follows:
ITO enforce this rule, the captain of
the opposite side may call the attention
of the umpire to violation, whereupon
the umpire shall Immediately order such
player to be seated. If the order is not
Gbeyed within one minute, the offending
PLAYER or players shall be debarred from
further participation in the game and
shall bt Obliged to leave the field forth
with =
made whereby that rule requires I'M tne
umpire to notify the president OF a for
feited game, and the following is added:
"'However, a failure in the umpire to
so notify the president of forfeited
game, shall not affect his decision declar-
ing the game forfeited.
HThis is done TO avoid technicalities.
"Section 1, rule n, relating to substl-
tutes, is made rs follows:
"In every championship game each
side shall be required to have present on
the field, in unfrom, sutfic,ent numoer
of substitutes to carry out the provision
which requires that not less than nine
players shall occupy the field IN any IN
ming of a game. ,...,,.
.osition. is added: If the pitcher fails to
comply with the requirements o, OF this RUE
the umpire must call "a pan. :. ,
"Rule SO, regarding baking, Is amend
al NV inserting in section 4, Immediately
AFTER the word long as in the opinion
af the umpire and in addition to sec
t;on q. without standing i'll position WIN
smt the ball in his hand, except in the
case of a block nall, as provided IN RUE
'' I'm section of rule 81, which requires
slaye4.s to be seated on the players oencn'
ia radically CnduReu IL ShSNs, Ao' -.
ing: when their side goes to the nat
the players must Immediately return 70
the players' bench, as defined in rule ~,
and there remain until the side is put
ant. except when called to the bat or
they become base runners; provided, that
The captain or one player only, except
that if base runners are occupying each
and all-frst, second and third-bases,
then the captain and one player or
two players may occupy the space De
tween the players lines and the captain
lines to coach base runners This per-
rits but one coacher when less than
three base runners are on the bases, IN
the uniform of the club, who may stand
in either box known as the coachers box.
This change is recommended because 1t
has been proven in the past that the
presence Of two coachers allows cross
ire of talk between them foreign to the
.ame and frequently of a character OBJ
iectionable to the spectators.
"The batting rules have been changed
in diction materially, but not in Their, re-
suirements. We recommend that they
stand as follows:.
"sRule 49, A fair hit is a ball batted
hv the batsman while he is standing
in the lines of his position that first
tnuches "fair" ground or the person OF
nlayer or the umpire while standing. OF
~ ground and then settles in fan