The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-06-10
Directions to Scorers.

'S"i"She W. Vh' hdNuIiduSi, VI l.lt
Southern League, has issued a bull
letin to his scorers making some rul-
ings In regard to scoring. Here are
two which are Of general interest:
In case of double steal where the
catcher gets one Of the stealers by his
throw the other stealer is not to be
credited with stolen base. He
reaches the base on the play and the
same record should be applied to him
as is applied to the runner reaching
first on a fielder's choice.
In infield sacrifice hits when the
batter Intentionally sacrifices, and
the ball Is handled in plenty of time
to catch the batter at first, do not
give the batter a base hit II the field.
er throws to head the runner at sec.
ond and gets the ball there too late
A just way Of scoring this play is to
allow the batter sacrifice. He ac-
complished his part of the work and
by so doing robbed himself Of an
opportunity to get base hit. there.
fore. he should be exempted from a
time at bat. No one should be charg-
ed with making an error unless the
ball is dropped or fumbied, when per-
feet handling might have insured the
"out" Of one runner.
1t seems as though injustices win
be done under the ruling about the
double steal. Such ruling is COR
rect under the stolen base rule, which
says that "A stolen base shall be cred
tied to base runner whenever he
advances a base unaided by a base
hit, put-out, fielding, or a battery
error" The man Of course advances
with the assistance Of the put-out.
But still who Is to say that he would
not have stolen the base If the hall
had been thrown to catch him.
With men,, say. on first and third.
suppose the runner starts from first
as the ball Is pitched and makes such
a run for 1t that ne has any possible
throw beaten a mile. And suppose
the ball is thrown first to
the pitcher and by him sent
back to the cathcher to catch
the "other half' Of the double steal,
who is trying to pilfer home plate.
Now why has not the man who grab
bed second done everything required
OF him to get stolen base?
or course. viewed from the catch.
er's standpoint. any other method
than that suggested by President
Kavanaugh Is an injustice to him.
He cannot throw to catch but one
man. He catches him. He has done
his duty and has a just claim to be
exempted from the discredit OF hav-
Ing stolen base scored in favor of
the opposing player. And there is
no doubt but that the catcher gets
most Of tho discredit for the stolen
bases scored by the opposing team,
regardless of whose fault it really is.
The sacrifice hit mentioned by
President Kavanaugh is usually
scored in Atlanta in the way ne sug-
gests.
But the play has added gray hairs
to the head of every scorer who ever
tried to decide whether or not the
ball was handled in time to catch
the runner at first. The question,
did he have 1t beat?" (over the
grammatical construction Of which
we pass lightly is one that is hear ]
with frequency In the press box. And
there Is usually plenty OF divergence
OF opinion as to the answer.
This little spiel may not be very
clear. In fact. to be entirely accu-
rate. 1t isn't very clear.
But 1t goes to show what we have
been insisting for years that a revis-
ion Of the scoring rules is absolutely
essential.
The rules ought to be revised by a
competent committee and then a CEN
tral fountain Of scoring information
ought to be established 80 that the
questions as they arise could be de-
cided by one competent body and uni
formity secured.
As the thing stands now the scoring
rules are incomplete and five dozen
league presidents are interpreting
them In five dozen different ways
Atlanta Journal.
FIVE YEGGMEN CONVICTED.