The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-06
RULES THAT UMPIRE ERRED.
PRESIDENT PILLIAM SOLVES A
BASEBALL PROBLEM.
OhiciaI at InIc-PrincetOn Game Declared
Wrong Man Out for Mistake In Batting
Order--Hls Interpretation OF Poorly
WOrdrti Measure and Reasons Therefor.

"Oiu''' NiVesuiV uuu NV1s"'is
There will be no formal protest by Prince
ton arising out of the decision by Umpire
Holiday in the matter Of Princeton player
batting out of turn in the game with Yale
last saturday. The point in question fur
nished knotty problem for President Pull
liam OF the National League to decide. There
was no precedent for ruling and the rule
governing the point Is anything but clear.
Mr.. Puam wanted to establish a precedent
and he gave the matter great deal OF Thought
before arriving at conclusion. The decision
of President Puiam is fully explained Ia
the presidents statement, below. In all
probability this will be the end OF the
matter so far as Yale and Princeton are con-
ccrned, an extra game between the two
could not be played. owing to the schedules
being filled and possible faculty Intervention.
Both sides were willing to have Pulliam rule
on the point. and the dispute-if such 1t may
be called-was entirely friendly. Mr.. Pul.
liams statement follows:
an this game Capt. Winslow raised the point
of the proper batsnlan having failed to take
his position at the bat ard called for ruling
by the umpire, under Rule 40, Section OF
the Playing Rules Of the National League
which rule reads as follows:
hc batsman Is out II he falls to take bis position
at the bat In his order OF batting unless the eror
be discovered and the proper batsmsn Akes ME
position before time at bat Is recorded and In
such case. the balls and strikes called must
be counted In the time at bat OF the proper
bat sman. and only the proper batslnan shall DO
declared out and no run shall be scored or oases
run because of any act OF the improper batsmsn:
provided this rule shall not take effect unless the
out is declared before the bal Is delivered 70 ths
succeeding batSman. should batSmsn declAIed
the proper batsman the next innings is the player
who would have come to bat had the player oeeh
out By ordinary play
AS the result Of a decision of Umpire
Halliday on Cant Window appeal, Z friendly
, protest was lodged with this office by Capt.
Of the said 4ss ssns 0n
Princeton Club did not desire e benefit By
said said game CHANGED by any ruling that might
! be made by this office.
The umpire 8 report OF the play ana ruIlhe
! in question is as follows:
| .Mr. HARRY C.PuItam, President Notvnai League:
nzsn Sr The p up as :. Pie S.
say on an Ordinary play; hp, the mistake wa, not
inning at the bat. When my attention wa. called
n n nn hi having e n In. Su ou y
very respectfully j. W. HoA1pAf'
MY construction Of this rule. after careful
my construction and decision In the future,
III case this play comes UP in the National
When Umpire Holidays attention wa.
, called to the fact that Davis had improperly
oa1tsdp Wsl e the ' prnpnr s batsman out FOR
/ not taking his turn at the bat, and he should
and had the Wells out" recorded as the third
| Davis's action in the fifth inning. was null
( and void LII the sixth inning the proper
, butsmen in order should have been Davis,
! Ameli, Stevens. ,.
/ The umpire erred in calling Davis ont In
! the sixth inning for batting out Of turn III
! the NTH According to Rule 20, the proper
! batsman only suffers the penalty of being
! called out for failure to take his position
! at the bat in his order of batting. and in this
| case Wells was the proper batsnan. and there
! fore the only one to be declared out,
"The intent of the rule is to prevent club
being the beneficiary Of an net of the i'm:
proper batsman therefore 1t was decreed
| that when Il protest was properly made
! ali the act ions OF the improper batsman should
he declared null and void and the proper
batsnan should be called out"