Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-05-09
SOME TIMELY AMENDMENTS
Arguments Over Stolen Bases Is Done
AWAY With-Various Base Running
Differences Plainly Interpreted SO
az to Eliminate Personal Opinion
and Individual Judgment.

ruary the joint rules committee or the
two leagues got together and straight
ened out several points affecting the
playing and scoring rules. The COM
mittee comprised President Harry
Pulliam and Manager William Murray
of Philadelphia for the Nationals and
President Charles Comiskey OF Chi
cago, and President Thomas A. Noyes
of Washington for the Americans. The
committee was, as usual, very con-
sentative in handling any changes IN
the actual playing rules. But the
members, urged on by the committee
of the Baseball Writer'S association,
made many and important changes
in that portion of the code relating
to the Interpretation and scoring OF
plays, thereby comforting big boon
on the scorers, amateur as well as
professional. From the summary that
follows it will be seen that consid'
cradle progress was made toward the
long-wished-for uniform scoring. For
instance the double play controversy
is settled, the problem as to scoring
a missed third strike on wild pitch or
passed ball probably is solved by pen
alizing either the pitcher or catcher
with q fielding error in such cases.
The various base running differences,
particularly on the so-called double
steal, are reduced to plain interpre-
tation, 80 as to eliminate personal
opinion and individual judgment.
For the benefit of the fans who wish
to keep posted on the scoring rules
as fixed by the committee the follow.
ing summary is given:
An error shall be given for each
misplays which prolongs the time at
bat of the batsman or allows a base
runner to make one or more bases
when perfect play would have insured
his being put out. But base on balls,
a base awarded to a batsman by being
struck by a pitched ball, an illegal
pitch, balk passed ball or wild pitch,
unless such wild pitch" or ball be on
the third strike and allow the batter
to reach first base, shall not be
charged as an error. In case Of
wild pitch or a passed ball allowing
the batter to reach first base, the
pitcher or the catcher. as the case
may be, shall be charged with an error.
Hereafter stolen base shall be
credited to q base runner whenever he
advances a base unaided by base
hit, a put out, fielding or q battery
error, subject to the following excep
tons:
In event of a double steal being at
tempted from bases one and two to
bases two and three, where either is
thrown out, the other shall not be
credited with a stolen base.
In event of a base runner being
touched out after sliding over base,
he shall not be regarded as having
stolen the base in question.
In event of a base runner making
his start to steal a base prior to a
battery error, he shall be credited
with a stolen base.
In event Of a palpable muff OF a ball
thrown by the catcher, when the base
runner is clearly blocked, the In.
fielder making the mum shall be
charged with an error and the base
runner shall not be credited with q
stolen base.
A double play shall mean any two
continuous put outs that take place
from the time the ball leaves the pitch,
er's hands until it is returned to him
again standing in the pitchers box.
Briefly stated the changes affecting
the play on the field are: Under the
head of delaying the game" the fol-
lowing has been added to the rule:
Section 3. In event of the pitcher
being taken from the game by either
manager or captain, the player sub
stituted for him shall continue to
pitch until the batsman then at bat
has either been put out or has reached
first base"
According to the revised rules q ball
is not in play under the following con.
ditions: ... 49,. 81
In case of foul strike, foul hit ball
not legally caught, dead ball, inter.
ference with the fielder or batsman, or
a fair hit ball touching base runner,
the ball shall not be considered in play
until it be held by the pitcher stand
ing in his position, and the umpire
shall have called Play
i A most important addition was made
to the rule covering the order of bat
ting. It reads: .,,
SECTION 2. When the umpire an.
nounces the pitcher prior to com.
mencement of game, the player an.
nounced must pitch until the first
batsman has been put out or has
reached first base"