Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-26
National League
Makes Several
Changes in Rules
Passed Balls and Wild Pitches Be-
come Errors-Umpires May Send
Substitutes to Club House.

PITTSUBRG, Jan. 25.-The National
league playing season will be based on a
schedule OF los games. and upon thai basis
the joint schedule committee of the Amer
lean and National league is working, al
though It's labors here were not completed
Monday. Another session will be held to-
morrow and in the meantime no informa-
tion will be given out.
Chairman Ebbets of Brooklyn. chairman
of the National league committee, said
that the work of the joint committee was
the rearranging Of conflicting dates and II
was impossible to finish tonight. AS to
the length Of the season, he said that as
chairman of the schedule committee he
had been instructed by the six club presi-
dents to arrange for 16S games. They had
the determining power in voting It next
month, and Mr.. Dreyfuss and himself had
no vote by reason Of bling members of
the committee. Therefore the arrange
ments with the American league were be-
ing made on that basis.
| Mr.. Ebbets said, further, that as he was
instructed, 1t would be a breach of trust
to present any other than the 1853 games
schedule.
The committee on rules of the National
league, which Is also meeting here, was in
session all day from IL o'clock this morn
ing until almost midnight, with the excep-
ton of a short time tonight when the
members attended a complimentary dinner
rendered by Barney Dreyfuss. president of
the Ptttsburg club. AT this dinner Pres
ident Ban johnson of the American league
and President Thomas j. Lynch of the
National league, exchanged expressions of
harmony and fraternity between the two
leagues.
When the rules committed finished its
deliberations just before midnight a state
ment Of its work was given cut. For the
first time two umpires are officially recog-
nlzed in the national game and their duties
are defined. The umpire behind The plate
is the umpire-in-chief and the one on bases
is designated field umpire.
Aside from changes in phraseology 10
clarity the meaning of the rules there were
few alterations. Wild pitches and passed
balls will be no longer recognized and these
designations disappear from the game.
They will be classed as errors.
The amount of fines for violation Of rules
Is set forth, and the umpire is also given
power to clear the bench of substitute
players expressing their disapproval of de.
%cisions. The substitutes may be fined $40,
after being warned, and further may b.
sent to the club house, to be called into
the game by the captain as he needs them
This was found to be advisable because
much trouble was experienced by the Ma
tioRal league last year from the substitutes
on the bench, according TO Secretary Heyd-
Ter. A batter throwing a bat before run
ming. so that it hits the umpire or catcher,
will also be fined for the offense s..
A coacher's box extending fifteen feet
from the bases is provided. Foul strikes
are designated Illegally batted balls" Nc
change can be made in the batter's box by
a batter after a pitcher is ready to deliver
a ball. A ball passing an infielder and
hitting an umpire on foul ground permits
a runner all the bases he can get, but ii
an umpire is hit by a ball. no runner can
score unless forced by other base runners
The batting order must be delivered to the
umpire at the plate just before the game
by the two captains. This order must be
retained throughout the game unless a man
Is taken out.
Umpires will make rulings on coa.ninG
violations or discoloring OF the ball IN tneir
own judgment without waiting for captains
TO notify them. Ground rules and calling
Of games to enable teams to catch trains
must be announced by the umpire. He Will
also call the game on account OF rain when
occasion warrants in his own Judgment
When teams from the east, playing in the
west or Vice versa, agree upon a certain
time TO stop playing that they may catch
trains, they must start the game at least
three and a half hours before their :,aln
leaves.
Whenever a player is substituted the cap
tain shall notify the umDfre who abou -
nouncs 1t to the spectators. Throwing a
mask or glove at a batted ball by a fielder
entities the batter. who becomes a base
runner, to three bases.
These changes and additions become the
law Of base ball in the National league et
once without further sanction.