The times., 1899-10-22

Ieys of the Golden Eagle BowIers.
Since the announcement was made in
this column last week that the Y NJ C.
A. athletic department will introduce in
door baseball here, number of enquiries
have been received as to how the game is
played
In answer to these enquiries and for the
general information of those interested in
amateur sports. a brief outline of the
method of playing and excerpts from the
rules of the game are herewith given.
The game was invented in Chicago in
1857 by George W. Hancock, and since its
introduction as a winter sport has rapidly
grown in popularity, especially in its b rth-
place, where there are some half dozen
leagues. st. Louis, Milwaukee, Denver,
and some of the Eastern and Southern
cities, each have leagues.
The game can be played in any ha
which has sufficient light and room for the
diamond and fielding, about the smallest
playing field permissible being t5 By so eet
OF course. the larger the field the greater
the possibilities of fielding and running.
The regulations and rules are made 70
eqUalize the difference OF fielding and gen
eTal conditions from outdoor baseball
The space allotted for play being COM
pSratively small. the spectators and players
are brought close together and the rapid
action of such exciting nature, that there
is little wonder that it is so popular and
eXhilsrating. 1t is game which calls for
more agility than strength.
The Diamond.
The diamond, says the American Sports
Publishing Co.'S rules book, is laid at
one end OF the hall, leaving room for the
catcher, who always plays close behind the
batsman The bases, except the home plate,
ara / IL feet square and are made of car
vass, half filled with sand or a similar
substance The home plate is of rubber
and is one foot square. Each side of the
6.amOnd is twenty-seven feet long and a
base is placed in each corner and need
not be fastened to the floor The distance
from first to third is So II feet. The
pitchers box is 7x3 feet with the line drawn
across the box IS inches from the rear end.
the nearest line Of said box to be twenty
two feet from the centre of home base. Foul
lines must be drawn from the outer corner
Of the home base along the outer edge of
the first and third bases to the boundaries
Of the field SO that the bases shall come
within the diamond
Eight players may, but generally nine
constitute a side or team They are:
pitcher, catcher. first second and third
base, left short and right short lin this
game the centTefelder, comes into the dia-
mond and plays right short right and left
ielders. The short steps usually play close
side of the pitcher.
The Ball and Rat.
The ball must be seventeen inches in
circumference, made Of yielding substance
generally curled horse hair and rubber
covered with white skin. 1t is a lively
ball and weighs about eight ounces.
The bat must be at least two and three
quarter feet long. not larger than one and
one half inches in diameter in its largest
part. made Of q strong wood which will
not be liable to break, and to give it weight
d metal rod. not larger than one-eighth of
an inch, is passed through its entire length.
The handle may be wound with string or
tape, but 10 prevent its accidental flying
out Of the players hands into the audience
a hollow rubber ball is affixed to the handle
end. The bases are placed loosely on
marked spaces. and when displaced by
runneIs sliding into them they must be
returned to the spaces.
The uniforms are the ordinary base
ball padded suits, except that the knees
and hips are more heavily padded to pre-
vent injury while sliding TO bases. Rubber
a3led shoes are worn. The corrugated kind
are the best to prevent sliding.
Nine innings for each side constitute a
game, and a run is scored each time a
base runner. after having legally touched
the first three bases. shall touch the home
base before three men are put out. If the
third man is forced out or IS put out be-
fore reaching first base a run shall not
be scored
Runner and Batsmun.
In this game the experJness OF the pitch
or has considerable to do with the result
Of the game. though not as much as that
Of the twirler Of the outdoor game. In
most Of the leagues the pitcher is restrict
ed TO only straig ght-arm pitching, in which
the arm and hand swing parallel with the
body and the ball is not to be curved.
The pitcher faces the batter, beth feet on
the ground, wholly within the box, and he
must heel, either with one or both feet. a
line drawn across the box eighteen inches
from rear end Of said box, and he shall
delivering the ball.
OF course, by agreement betwe Oppos-
ing captains, rules as 10 delivery, and even
the curved or straight ball may be chang
ed. go.
Then there are the usual rules about
good and bad balls, baIks, and Illegally de-
livered balls. where. for instance the ball
is delivered when the pitcher is not in his
box. as prescribed. Then for the batsmen
there are the usual rules for strikes, fouls
and tips.
The runner is somewhat handicapped
/ He must not leave his base when tins
( pitcher holds the ball standing in his box
/ ne must not leave his base on a pitched
/ bah not struck, until after it has reached
/ or passed the catcher, on penalty Of being
called back ard he must be on his base
/ when the pitcher is ready to deliver thu
/ ball 10 the batsman-
! Then there are certain rules which pro-
/ tect the runner II he slides with the bag
/ and cIings to it, or if any part of his per
son is touching the spot where the bag
should be he is safe, and he IS also safe
I II he has touched the home plate or the
spot where it should be.
May Turn Either Way.
In returning 10 first base, after over,
running. the baserunnner may turn either
way. If in sliding with the bag at ans
base. he should stop, he must then return
with the bag TO the proper spot before
starting for another base. the same as il
oy5rruuuing first base When a base-Tuu-
uer is legally entitled 10 return TO a base
the pitcher must wait a reasonable time foi
him 10 reach the base. on penalty of giving
The base runner another base for violation