Evening journal., 1910-03-22
TIMnTDr TUE DnCC
UWIINL I'LL DUSS
in 1910 BASEBALL
Now That Teams are Warming
Up Study Of New Rules is
in Order

vised rules is the Importance given
TO the powers and duties OF the um
pires. This season. more than ever
before in the history Of the game. the
umpire will be the reigning power on
the diamond.
The new rules establish double UNI
pire system for all games. with an
umpire in chief behind the bat to |
judge balls and strikes and certain /
decisions at third base. and a field |
umpire 20 judge base decisions.
The players are prohibited from dis
putting the accuracy Of the umplre's /
judgment, and not even the captain OF |
a team can call the umpires attention |
what he believes to be violation OF
the rule. This makes II mandatory |
on the umpire himself 70 note all |
violations OF the rules.
Hereafter when player is elected
from the game for violation of the
rules he will not be allowed to loltcr
about the grounds or grandstand but
Is decisively banished 10 tho club
house, and must stay there or leave
the grounds. and II he doesn't tho um-
pire Is given the power 10 forfeit
the game. The umpire can also fine
player So for discoloring the balls for
refusing to be seated on the bench
one minute after ordered to do so, IL
he violates the coaching rules, and II
the captain fails TO notify the official
OF a change in lineup
The revised rules give the umpire
absolute power over the players on the
bench and 10 do away with all the
! rowdyism which has started az this
! quarter in the past The umpire Is
given power TO fine substitute players
for yelling from the bench SO, and
IL the unsolicited conversation con-
tinues he is given power 60 clear the
bench and send the whole crew of sub
stitutes TO the clubhouse and have
them come out only as they are
needed.
The new code provides for several
changes in relation 20 ground rules, In
case of an overflow crowd. II the cap
tains OF the teams cannot agree on
ground rules. the umpire WIN have full
authority to make special rules. II a
thrown ball goes into the spectators
or through a fence surrounding the
field or in players bench, the runner
win be entitled to two bases. The
umpire must be certain that both
teams have agreed to, special ground
rules before the game commences. The
umpire must announce the batteries
before the game. and also announce
any change in the lineup.
Under the amended rules. II fielder
stops or catches batted ball with his
cap, glove or any part of his uniform,
the runner or runners on tho bases
will be entitled to three bases. IL a
thrown or pitched ball strikes the UNI
pire on foul ground. the bail be con-
sidered in play and the base runner
shall be entitled to all the bases he
can make A base runner will be
declared out II he passes a preceding
base runner before such runner has
been legally put out.
A new rule gives the base runner
the privilege of turning either to tho
right or left after touching first base,
where heretofore he was compelled to
turn TO the right. Additions have also
been made to the rule governing when
a base runner may return TO his base
without liability Of being declared out
A few slight changes are made in
the scoring rules.
Now that baseball men are warming
up for the seasons play It might be
we'll to say something about the new
rules that have been added to the book
since tho last playing season.
The committee has gone TO great
length I'm keeping the fans and press
box informed OF the changes in the
/ line-up. Baseball has by no means
reached its zenith. nor has it become
crystalized into a perfect organization.
There is much room for growth, de-
velopment, and the soothing OF rough
edges. In no department has II had
a wider scope for development that in
the protection and comfort of its
patrons at the grounds.
Il was largely as the result Of inces-
SAINT agitation that the patent score
boards were installed in all American
League parks by order of the league
itself. and are going 10 be installed in
the National League parks But the
boards left much to be desired. Man.
ayers, CAPTAINS and umplres became
exceedingly careless. and the last stat'
Of the public was as bad sometimes
; as the first. when there we're NJ
boards.
Now all that is changed. According
20 the latest amendments and addition
to the rules the lineup must be ol
tho score cards sold spectators. Next
J n man is injected into the game a
any stage the captain must give tn
: mans name to the umpire. who mus
call the game until the announcement
Q of the change is made. II the captaii
l fails 10 notify the umpire, or the umpir
$ fails TO make the announcement to tn
= spectators. the offender is subject to I
+. fine Of s.. If an umpire should de
velop a constitutional predisposition 4
forget his duty in this respect. il Il
very likely that he will develop alonl
$ with It a retrogressive tendency TOWARD
. the minor leagues or back to the farm
for the fiat has gone forth that this
rule must be strictly obeyed.