Bisbee daily review., 1909-07-20
CHANGES MADE IN
 SCORING RULES
BY COMMITTEE OF BIG LEAGUES LONG STEP
 TOWARD UNIFORMITY.
SOME TIMELY AMENDMENTS
Arguments Over Stolen Bases ls Done Away Wish-varieus Base Running Differences Plainly Interpreted So ss to Eliminate Personal Opinion and individual Judgment.

and individual Judgment.
 During the present season, so Tar tus il has gene there have been many disputes among the fans and some among the scorers as to the rules GOV ering plays that have arisen. During the meetings of the National and American leagues in Chicago last Feb ruary the joint rules committee of the two leagues got together and straight, ened out several points affecting the playing add 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. Moves of Washington for the Americans. The committee was. as usual, very con, servative in handling any changes in the actual playing rules. But the members. urged on by the committee of the Baseball Writers association. made many and important changes in that portion Of the code relating to the interpretation and scoring Of plays, thereby conferring a big boon on the scorers. amateur as well as professional From the summary that follows 1t will be seen that cons!d- erable progress wcs made toward the long g-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 a fielding error in such cases. The various base running differences. particularly on the so-called double steal, are reduced to a plain interpre- tation, so 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 misplay which prolongs the time at bat of the batsman or allows a base runner 10 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. a 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 a 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 a stolen base shall be credited to a base runner whenever he advances a base unaided by a base hit, put out, fielding or a battery error, subject to the following excep. tions.
 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 stolen base.
 In event of a base runner being touched out after sliding over base be 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 with stolen base.
 In event of a palpable nun of ball thrown by the catcher. when the base runner is clearly blocked. the in fielder making the muff shall be charged with an error and the base runner shall not be credited with g stolen base.
 double play shall mean any tive continuous put outs that take place from the time the ball leaves the pitch CTS 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. Tn event of the pitcher being taken from the game by either manager or captain, the player sub stituted for him shall continue tc pitch until the batsman then at bat has either been put out or has reached | first base"
 According to the revised rules a bal Is not in play under the following con | ditions:
 In case of foul strike. foul hit bal not legally caught, dead ball. inter ference with the fielder or batsman, ol fair hit ball touching base runner the ball shall not be considered in pla, l until it be held by the pitcher stand ing in his position. and the umpir' shall have called Play
 A most important addition was mad, to the rule covering the order of bat | ting. It reads:
 Section g. When the umpire an nounces the pitcher prior to com
 mencement of game, the player an nounced must Istch until the frs
 batsman has been put out or ha
 reached first base"
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