Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-20
RECENT CHANGES IN
THE PLAYING RULES
Reforms Will Improve the
Game, and Evans Says UNI
.pires Are Pleased.
By Billy Evans.

of the country will have chance TO see
how the several changes in the playing
rules work out in regular game Dur
3ngsthe winter the rulemakers put through
a number of reforms, and it looks as II
every one of them would Improve the
game. Some of them may seem tribe
strange and a bit puzzlng for time.
burt the base ball fan is a mighty apt
pupil in all things pertaining to the great
national game.
Empires the country over hailed with
delight the rule which made any thrown
Or pitched ball in play should it strike
Che person or clothing of the umpire
while on foul territory. The clause COW
airing this play is covered in section of
rule 81 and reads as follows:
IF thrown or pitched ball strike the
person or clothing of an umpire on foul
ground, the ball shall be considered IN
play and the base runner or runners shall
be entitled to all the bases they can
make
Under the rules previous tothe code of
1910 the ball was dead just as soon as 1t
struck the person or clothing of the UNI
pire on foul territory. This rule stood
the test of time for years, but 1t was
manifestly unfair clause The umpire
was forced to advance all base runners
a base, although often the ball would
not roll more than four or five feet. and
had the baseman tried to advance at ms
own peril he would have been an easy
out.
Nothing could have possibly been more
disgusting to q base ball fan In bygone
wears than to see some game decided in
just such a way. l recall game OF
several years ago that went fifteen m
nipgs without a score, only to have such
a great contest end in a very disappoint-
ing manner In the last half of the fif
teentr. with two down and a runner on
third. the catcher allowed a fast shoot to
trckle through his fingers II didn't roll
more than three feet. vet despite the eff
forts of the umpire, the ball just touched
his trouser leg. That the ball had hit
him was apparent. and he was forced to
score the runner from third with the run
that won the game.
Despite the fact that the home team
won, I don't believe there was single
person at the game who desired to see
the contest decided in such way. 1t
was far too weak and unsatisfactory an
ending to remarkable game that sim
ply sparkled with brilliant plays. Time
after time pitchers and fielders, by some
seemingly impossible feat had prevented
anminent defeat, yet the enthusiasts were
forced to see the winning run canter over
the plate. the opposition having been
rendered poweress because of the unfor
tunate little accident.
Personally / know of no play that ever
made me as sore as the one related above
Naturally, to lose a game in such a way
always brings down lot of condemna
ton on the arbitrator's head. and, be-
lieve me. no one regrets the affair more
than he. Sometimes the umpire is to
blame for being flatfooted on the play
but often, no matter how quickly he may
move, it just seems impossible to avoid
the ball.
In the past the possibility of such
play turning up always kept the umpire
on edge. because invariably the result
proved fatal to the chances of one of the
teams. OF course, all umpires who take
a personal pride in their work will con-
tffSue In their efforts to avoid having the
ball hit them. but they will not work I'M
der 50 severe strain as they will real
sze that the result cannot be SO costly.
In the future the base runner will ad-
vance at his peril. No longer will he be
able to take an extra sack at the UNI
pres expense. 1t will also do away with
a lot of argument. as it had become Gus
toti1ary for players in a pinch to always
insist that short passed ball touched
some part of the umpires person or
clothing. Such kicks will now be futile
the umplres have reason to give many
thanks for this rule.
Another thing that the fans will miss
next year will be the promiscuous throw
ing of the players hat or glove at a bat
ted ball hit out Of reach. 1t has been sort
of traditional in base ball for players to
hurl glove or hat at the ball they could
not field. sometimes in spirit of anger
but oftener simply as joke, pure and
simple.
Under the old ruling the batsman was
entitled to a base should the player stop
the ball by hurting his glove or cap at It.
While the cases have not been numerous,
have seen player turn possible home
run into single by stopping the ball
with his glove.
It's questionable if base ball will ever
again see a player throw a glove or hat
alta ball or drive. unes he realizes that
1t VIII have no effect upon the game
The penalty for such action under the
new rules Is entirely too severe for the
players to take chance. Section g of
rule d covers this feature of the game,
and is as follows:
IF the fielder stop or catch batted
bail with his cap. glove any part of
his uniform. while detached from it's pro-
per place on his person, the runner or
runners snail be entitled to three bases"
1 once saw Jack knight of the New
York team really save a game for his
club by an accurate toss of his glove
New York was leading at the time by
men on first and second with two down
The batter hit a terrific drive over
knights head that looked good for three
bases and possibly a home run when it
Of the bat that he didn't have a chance
Toe get the ball, and as il was passing
over his head he tossed his glove high
ant. the air.
Pernaps no one was surprised more
TRAN knight when he saw the glove hit
the ball squarely. The force of contact
took much speed out of the drive, and it
drnpped to the ground not more than
fQeen or twenty feet back OF where
Knight was standing. The next man. of
course. fled out and the game was over.
LINER the new rule such a play entities
the batsman to three bases and all base
runners score.
OF course such things don't happen
often, but the tossing of gloves and hats
is, not reished by the men who finance
the game. it looks very amateurish to
them. and the rule granting three bases
Was framed to cut out this foolish play.
which is far from pleasing to the eye
mother rule that will meet with the
approval of the public is the one COM