Evening journal., 1909-04-12
MANY CHANGES IN
BASEBALL RULES
Conditions Under Which
Games are Played and
New Scoring Points

For the convenience Of the thousands
Of fans who will attend the games here
this season the following short synopsis
Of the playing rules as amended and
changed at the recent meeting Of the joint
playing rules committee he'd February Il,
in Chicago. will be interesting.
Sizing up the changes in order OF the
numbered rules. the first new idea APP
pears under Rule 49, headed delaying the
game" To the old rule has been added the
following.
Section g. In event OF the pitcher being
taken from the game by either manager
or captain. the player substituted 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 a ban Is
not IN play under the following condi-
tons:
I'm case OF a foul strike, foul hit ball
not legally caught, dead ball. interference
with the fielder or batsman. or a fair hit
bail touching base runner the ball shall
not be considered In play until it be held
by the pitcher standing in his position,
and the umpire shall have called play.
A most important addition has been
made to the rule covering the order Of
batting. II reads:
"Section o When tho umpire announces
the pitcher prior to commencement OF the
game the player announced must pitch un-
tn the first batsman has either been put
out or has reached iirft base"
The difference between fair" or
/ foul" hit is shown as follows
"A fair hit is a legally batted ball that
settles on fair ground between home and
first base or between home. and third base
or that is in fair ground when bounding
/ 10 the outfield past first or third base or
/ that first falls on fair territory beyond
/ first or third base. or that while on or over
/ fair ground i4uches the person OF the um-
| pire or a player.
"A foul hit is a legally batted ball that
settles on foul territory between home
and first base or home and third base,
1 or that bounds past first or third base on
foul territory beyond first or third base,
or. while on or over foul ground, touches
I the person of the umpire or player
Players removed fro mthe game must
hereafter obey the following rule;
In the event Of removal OF player or
manager by the umpire, he shall so d.
rect to the club house and remain there
during progress OF the game, or leave the
grounds and a failure TO do so will war
rant forfeiture OF the game by the um-
pire. CThis rule shall be mandatory in the
major leagues. but In minor leagues and In
amateur contests hning system may b,
subsututed)"
The vexed question as TO the decidnl
Itr fnI
lowing stipulation:
provided that II does not conflict Will
any OF these rules. and are acceptable 4
the captain OF the visiting team. II th'
latter object to a proposed ground rul'
the umpire shall have authority 10 adop
or reject IT,"
Several changes were made as TO th'
charging Of errors. An error shall be givei
in the sixth column for each mispla'
which prolongs the time at bat OF th'
batsman or allows base runner TO maxi
one or more bases when perfect play woui'
have insured his being put out. But
base on balls. base awarded TO bats
man by being struck by a pitched ball o
wild pitch. unless such wild pitch or bal
be on the third strike and allow the bat
ter to reach FIRST base. shall not be includ
ed in the sixth column. In case Of Will
pitch or a passed ball allowing the bate
TO reach first base. the pitcher or tn
catcher. as the case may be- shall b
charged with an error.
Here's another one: In event OF a field
er dropping a fly but recovering the bal
in time to force a batter at another base
he shall fbe exempted from an error, tn
/ play being scored as a "forceout."
Hereafter stolen base shall be cred
tied TO base runner whenever he ad
vances a base. unaided by base hit,
put-out fielding or battery error, sub
ject 10 the following exceptions:
In event of double steal being attempt
ed from bases one ana two TO base two ant
three, where either is thrown out. tn