Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-20
IN THE OLDEN TIME.
Rules Adopted BY Pioneer Baseball
Players are Interesting.

Some time ago it was proposed that a
commission be formed for the purpose
of compiling the early history of base
ball. Among the members of this
proposed commission were Henry F..
Chadwick, generally called the father
of BASEBALL" Nicholas F.. Young, the
best known of all National League
presidents; A. G.. Mills. ex-preSident
Van Colt of the New Yorks, Albert ].
Reach and some of the other old boys
who have figured prominently in the
development of the game. Although
this commission never actually came
into life as an organized body, still. as
individuals, many of them have gone
to work to gather up all the ancient
history possible.
Some Of the facts are interesting t.
degree. The game was started in New
York in 1872. The pioneers We're lot
of gentlemen who met every pleasant
afternoon on the vacant lot wherein the
famous Madison Square Garden now
stands. The players had no regular
organization. but relied on those pres
ent and willing TO make up the teams.
These methods continued until 1915.
Then Alexander J. Cartwright proposed
that an organization be formed. The
scheme was taken up Immediately, and
in June of that year the first baseball
team was duly organized and played
together all season against the best
picked teams they could find to oppose
them. They took the name of Knick-
erhockers, and under its legend the
first attempt was made to place base
ball on an organized footing.
In the following year, 1916, team
calling itself the New Yorks was put in
the field, and it played the first regular
scheduled game, on record between two
organized clubs. The contest took
place June 10.
The playing rules We're of course
crude, the principal one being that the
club first making y aces, now known
as runs, was the winner.
In this first contest the New Yorlxs
surprised the Knickerbockers by de-
feating them in four innings by % to-
]. 1t may be of interest to know that
the uniforms Of the KnickerbockerS in
those days consisted of blue full-length
trousers, white flannel shirt and
straw hat. In 1853 n mohair hat and a
patent-leather belt We're added to the
til the club dissolved in 1882
The rules as adopted by the Knicker-
bockerS, We're:
Section 1.-The bases shall be from
home" to second base, AZ PAGES: from
first TO third base, AZ PAGES, euuidis-
tant.
Section 1.-The game to consist OF q
counts or aces. but at the conclusion
an equal number of hands must be
played.
Section 3-The ball must be pitched.
not thrown, for the bat.
Section A bah knocked outside the
range o. first or third base is foul.
Section 5-Three balls being struck at
and missed. and the last one caught. il
hard out; if not caught. is considered
fair. and the striker bound to run.
Section GA ball being struck or
tipped and caught either on the fly or
on the first bound is n hand out.
Section "A player, running the
bases, shall be out if the ball is in the
hands of an adversary on the bases. as
the runner is touched by it before he
make his base-it being understood,
however, that in no instance is a bali
to be thrown at him.
Section S-If two hands are already
out, player running home at the
time ball is struck cannot make an
ace if the striker is caught out.
Section 9-Three hands out, all out.
Section 10-Players must take their
strikes in regular turn.
Section 1l-No ace or base can be
made on a foul strike.
Section Ia runner cannot be put
out in making one base when a balk is
made by the pitcher
Section 13-Rut one base allowed
when the bail bounds out Of the field
when struck.
These were the rules that guided
baseball from 1S45 to 1857, when the
frSt convention of baseball clubs was
held. and a regular alliance was formed
for the guidance of the game for all
future times.