Evening star., 1909-01-31
GET TOGETHER ON
BASE BALL RULES
Uniformity of interpretations
Will Do Away With Disputes
Among Fans.

1t looks very much as though some uni
form system of scoring would be- adopted
this season. The new scheme, If taken up
seriously, will do away with the many diff
ferences of opinion among the base ball
fans which have SO often threatened to
disrupt friendships Of years standing. AS
things now stand with the Interpretation
of the rules it is up to the sweet will OF
the scribes. according to the way they see
the play or their own Interpretation OF the
rules. 1t is the intention of the newly
formed Scorers Association to agree on
the one viewpoint and have each play
scored accordingly.
This general agreement will, OF course,
only apply to the Interpretation of the
rule. and will have nothing to do with
the sizing UP OF the play itself.
Fortunately for the game. there will con-
tinue to exist the same discrepancies as
to whether this or that play was "hit'
or an error" Some will still be put in
one column or the other according to the
way the scorer saw it. Much trouble will
be avoided, however. by the fact that all
rules will be understood the same way.
and that is where most of the trouble
exists at the present time.
Although not much has been heard Of
the new association since the meeting in
New York, it Is understood that the rules
committee is hard at work. Both officials
OF the American and National Leagues
have expressed their willingness not only
to welcome the advent of such aid as that
proposed by the new association. but to
help 1t in every way that would be in
their power. This promise was made to
Jack Ryder of Cincinnati. the newly elect
ed vice president Of the Scorers Associa-
ton. who, in the absence of President Joe
Jackson, headed the delegation of news
paper men before the major leaguers at
the New York meeting.
AS one of the committee looking toward
uniformity in scoring. this same Jack
thoroughly. and recently went so far as
to divide up the various points which
might be open for discussion.
One Of these points relates to the scor-
ing Of Sacrifice hit
The rule on this point is very plain. and
yet there are few scorers who do not
give batter a sacrifice when an error Is
made on his attempt and he reaches first
base in safety on account OF the mspiay.
Section of rule So reads: "A sacrifice hit
shall be credited to the batsman who,
when no one is out or when but one man
is out. advances a runner base by
bunt hit. which results in the batsman
being put out before reaching first or
would so result If handled without error.
sacrifice hit shall also be credited to
batsman who when no one is out or when
but one man is out. hits a fly ball that is
caught, but results in run being scored"
Ryder contends that according to this
rule a player must be credited with
sacrifice If his bunt is fumbled or if
wild throw is made, enabling him TO reach
first base in safety. for it would be mani
festly unfair to deprive him OF credit for
his performance because one of the
enemy has made an error on the play. In
all cases where an error Is made in
handling an attempted sacrifice the
fielder is charged with the misplay In
the error column. and the batter is cred
tied with a sacrifice and exempted from
time at bat.
'"rhis last clause in this rule has been
in force only one year" explains the Gin
cinnati scribe 'It seems to work fairly
well, and it certainly boosts the batting
averages of a few players a very few
points.
"The objection 10 the rule is that it
records slightly. as outfeld flies are
seldom Intentional. and a batter. there
fore. is getting credit for something that
he did not really try to do. That often
happens in base ball. however. and the
OBJ lection does not amount to much.
''It has been suggested that the rule
he extended to include all flies on which
a runner advances a base, whether he
scores or not. At present the batter does
not get credit for a sacrifice unless his
third base. who is able to score after
the catch Is made.
"a batter who knocks a long fly to
right field on which fast runner ad-
vances from second to third. is charged
with time at bat and does not get
credit for a sacrifice. In such case.
however, It would be fairer to give the
runner a stolen base than to credit the
batter with sacrifice. for the latter has
not gone out on a fly Intentionally. and
he does not deserve any special credit for
advancing the runner to third. The run
ner himself must be a good man on the
bases to take advantage Of such an op-
portunity. and If any one is going to get
any credit for the performance. he Is the
man who deserves It."
Still another question brought up by
the members of the rules committee OF
the new Scorers Association. on which
there is much diversity of opinion. is in
the case where a batter bunts, but the
fielder. instead OF trying to catch him at
first attempts 10 force another base
runner and fails in the attempt. though
no error is made on the play
"Many scorers do the batter a great
injustice by scoring this play as a
flelder's choice. which means that the
ba alter gets time at bat. but no hit,
saws Ryder.
'That is he is penalized for reaching
first base in safety. If the fielder had
thrown him out at first. he would have
been credited with sacrifice hit and
absolved from time at bat but being
safe. he finds his batting average de-
creased through no fault of his own. This
is An absurd way of scoring a play, yet
it is often done by experienced men who
should know better
HUSTLlNG FOR THE