The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-27
A FIGHT OVER RULES
TIRE ME- LEAGUE WILL GET TWO
REPORTS.
Full Text of the SIajority's Revision
of Baseball Playing Code
Is Issued.

The revised baseball rules, which have been
published in fragments and which have al
ready aroused extensive comment and contro-
| voisy were given out in full by the majority
| oil the rules committee conlisting OF Rcach
OF Philadelphia ana Hart of Chicago. They
| are likely TO be the principal matter fought
| over at the st. Louis National league meet
| ing, especially in that part relating to the
enlarged duties and authority of umpres. On
| this subject lianlon has drawn the line sharp
| ~ by his minority report.
f, Most of the alterations in the rules are i'm
| provcments In the wording. The first i'm
| portaut alterations come in the section gov
! eruing forfeitures of games. Two sections are
| ADDED, permitting forfeitures IN case oil the
| removal of players from the game so that
| there are less than nine players left and IN
| case Of two games in one afternoon when the
| second is not commenced within ten minutes
| OF the time of completion Of the first.
| Slightly stricter definitions OF baking are
| laid down. an additional section including:
The making of any motion the pitcher hab-
| itually makes without his Immediately de-
| liVoring the ball to bat. An Illegal delivery
| also Is described as made IF the pitcher
| pivot foot he not IN contact with the rubber
| plato AT the time Of the delivery OF the ball,
| or II he takes more than one step in delivery,
on If after leigning TO throw to base he
| fails to pause momentarily before delivering
| the bail to the bat"
| The sections in regard to umpiros are en-
tirely altered and made to read as Follows.
| "itule 81. When two umpires are assigned
! 10 duty each shall serve In his regularly ap-
| pointed position and discharge the duties of
the same US provided for by these code OF
rules
Rule 80. No umpire shall be changed dur
| Ing the progress of a championship game, eN-
| cept by reason of personal illness or injury
ncapacitatins him for the discharge OF his
duties.
Rure IS. When two ump,res are assigned
one shan he known as the referee umpire
and the other MS assistant umpire. Tho
| formers reeulai position In the game shat
| be behind that OF the batsman and the lat
| terS position shall BE- In the field near either
nrst, second or third base and the umpires
shall not exchange duties during the progress
| the opposing teams
| Rule q. The especial duties of the retere.
| umpire shall be to call balls and strikes una
to decide foul balls Those of the assistaur
umpire shall be to decide an nonts of MAY
| in running the boscs, except the home bnse.
which the referee alone shall decloc
| 'Rrre rs, The referee umpire shall act MS
| ne government representative OF the league
and as such shall have the power 20 entorcr
| every section 81 the code OF playing rules of
| the game ara he shall have the power 10
| ctder any plutor, or captain, or club manager
| TO do or 10 omit 10 do, any action that he may
| 1eem necessary 10 give force effect TO tho
/ laws OF the game
| "Ruro 80. There shall he No amman, t.,,,
any legal decision OF either the referee un,nirc
| or the assistant umpire
| ''Rnle so. Under no circumstances shall any
| lla@'i w HiltWVu To dispute uCpiEnn nv
| either umpire IN which only nm error Of h,j,,
mont is involved and no decision rendered h,
| eithor umpiro shall be reversed, except n ns
| plainly shown by the code of rulns 10 hoya
| heen Illegal; and In such case the can,,;n
| reversal f's"' t"'
,trie g. IN NIL cases of violation of those
| rules, either BY player or a mansger ihe
| pehalty shnll be PROMPT removal of thc ~
! Tender from the grounds, followed by sum
| Ieliou OF suspension from actual service ln
| mr. tHn r,t-p
| league may elect ~
Rule eS. II but ono umpire is assigned MS
| uuties nna powers shall he that OF both the
| referee umpire and the assistant umpire. ANA
| ne siall be permitted 10 occupy such posi-.
tions on the field us will beat enable him To
| discharge his duties"
Changes In the scoring rules ia witch ,i,o
iianlon takes exception, are made re-
| arrhnEement OF the summary Is made the In
soyorten. omission IN tho earlier draft of tho
| basc on balls among the exceptions 10 n tin,o
at tat Is corrected. and other material changes
maze us follows:
| No time al bat shall he scored n the hats
man he hit by pitched ball while standing
| IN his position, and after trying 10 avoid helm.
50 hit, or IN case of pitchers illegal dhIiy.
sss q the ball to the bat, which gives thu
hntspan his base on hak, or when he in
| tohuonMly hits tho hall 10 the field purposely
to be put out. or when he Is given first base
on called balls
| IN no case shall n base hit he scored when
base runner has been forced out by the
| ~ ctIuT suhit not De scored against tn,
catcher for Wild throw To prevent a stolen
base, unless tho base runner ADVANCES an
| extra base because OF the error
NO error shall be scored against nm in
holcer who attempts to complete n doubts
play, unless the throw is so wild that an nd
dttionai bnse is gained"
Section is stricken out and new section
suhstituted: 'S'
"a stolen base shall be credited to the hasa
runner whencyr he reaches the base no at
iempts To steal unaided by fielding or by A
thtiery error or hit by the hatsmAn -
section under the caption learned runs"
| Is stricken out.
Manager ilanlon OF The Baltimore tenn.
VINO II az present Ia New York m business
ms peen TOO busy tho last few weeks TO for
nlulate the minority report OF the rules conn
mittea OF the National league witch ha has
decided TO submit nj the meeting IN 81 Louis
next week. but he win 20 "a work on n m
meiiatcly upon his return 10 Baltimore ana
hnish II IN day or so Avs
The report VIII be short one and will
recommend that tho rules be not hammered
Is ihe earned run rllc, lie viii propose 10
make earned runs ail those for when N,
pfchvf IS responsible. II IS the ola rpln ~
cept that pitchers wiidness aud fleldin,
srltrs are counted against him In addition Ia
hits. &C. Mr.. ilanon viii also prnnose 4
sn'e iibetalisipy the stolen base rule. He win
give The base runner the benefit az tho dotb, !
AMI cftfit him With stolen base when No.
MNtc q me attempt successfully no matter
WHITTIER battery error Is node or 4 yild !
threw, or The hail Is hi by the haisman.
~ 70 the uInpires. Mr.. lipnlon ssvs he "a !
crrostn 10 rowSyisn, and ohsceaity mt a. |
neAts nuiiins. power into the hands OF an mi, /
IT, p,..,s y. Nill eussest tha, this be .eft 10