Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
FIRST RULES OF The GAME
WHEN BASE BALL WAS PLAYED
BY THE OLD KNIcKERBoCKERS.
Fundamental Principles the Same as
Today-Proposed Compilation of
History by a Commission.

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 COM
mission were Henry f. Chadwick. generally
called the father of base ball. -ir. Mich
oltS L. Young. the best-known of all Ma
tipnal League presidents; Mr.. A. G. Mills.
Eek President Van Colt of the New YOrks,
Albert J. Reach and some of the other OLD
boys VINO have figured prominently in the
development of the game. Although this
commission never actually came into life
rs IN 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 to a de-
gree The game was started in New York
iu lS42 The pioneers were a lot of gentle
men who met every pleasant afternoon on
the vacant lot wherein the famous Madison
S,UIaTe Garden now stands. The players
had no regular organization. but relied on
those present and willing to make up the
teams. These methods continued until 1910.
Then Alexander J. Cartwright proposed
that an organization he formed. The scheme
was taken up Immediately. and in June of
th It year the first base ball team was duly
organized and played together all season
az 4iuSt the best picked teams they could
find To oppose them. They took the name
of Kuickerbockers. and under its legend
the first attempt was made to place base
bail IN an organized footing.
In the following year, 1876 a team call
Ing itself the New Yorks was put in the
field. and it played the first regular sched-
ulef game on record between two organized
clubs The contest took place June 10,
and. "a it was extensively noticed in the
~ m a hinge crowd In
attendance The playing rules were, of
course. crude. the principal one being that
the club first making twenty-one aces, now
known as runs was the winner.
In this first contest the New Yorks sur
prised the Knickerbockers by defeating
them in four innings by % to l. 1t may be
of interest TO know that the uniforms OF
the Knickerbeckers in those days consisted
of blue full-length trousers, white flannel
shirt and a straw hat. In 1880 a mohair
hat and a patent-leather belt were added
to the uniform. which remained the same
until the club dissolved in 1882,
The rules. as adopted by the kncker-
bOCkers. were:
Section l. The bases shall be from hume, to
second base forty two PAGES: from first to third
bsss forty two PAGES. equidistant.
c"utts but at the conclusion an equal mum
Der of bands must I've played.
SECTION g. The ball must be pitched, not thrown
Section T. A ball knocked outside the rrhge OF
hrst third base ID foul.
Scctinn =. Three balls being struck at and
missed. and the last one caught. Is hand out: II
not caught is considered fair, and the striker
bound run.
Section B. A ball being struck or tipped and
Caught either the hy on the first bound Is a
baui out
section 7 4 player. running the bases shall be
~ the ball Is In the hands of an adversary on
th,. the runner is touched by 1t before he
m,ka his bsse-it being understood. however. that
H. no instance is a ball TO be thrown at him.
section y Ii two hands already out.
pIgyer running home at the time bal Is struck
cannot make il the striker Is caught out
Section o Three hands out. all out
Section 10 Players must take their strikes In
regular turn.
Sretion H. No ace or base be male
foul strike.
Section II A runner cannot be put out In making
pnp base when a balk is made by the pitcher.
Section IL. Rut one base allowed when the Dali
Bounds out of the field when struck
These were the rules that guided base
ball from 1915 to 1857. when the hrst con- 7
eSntioi Of base bali clubs was held. and a
regular alliance was formed for the guild
auce of the game for all future times.