The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-01-15
QUESTION OVER RIGHT
SCORING OF BASE HITS

An inquiry has come concerning
whether there Will be any changes in
the rules Of baseball for next season.
There win be none-can be none
now under the regulations of the ma
doDa1 agreement provided for making
changes in the rules The new agree
mission certihes to the president of
each major league that in its Judg-
ment the playing rules require amend
ment. q joint committee of three rep
resenta91ves from each major league
shall meet on or before October 16 of
the year in which such notice is Serv-
cd and adopt g code OF rules to regu-
late the playing OF the game of base
ball for the ensuing season.
Under the provision, the time has
passed for a revision of the rules. The
rule was expressly changed so as to
rave the rules committee meet pre-
Ttous to the annual sessions of the
major leagues, perhaps with the idea
that the league meetings should pass
upon any changes suggested If the
national commission called for the ap-
poiutment OF a joint rules committee
mert was made OF the fact; at least
no committee was named by Presi-
dents johnson and Lynch, and there
was no meeting during the worlds SER
les, which would have been the APP
propr1ate time says the Sporting
News.
The argument that the rules need
rewordfng and annendm emit in various
places not In fundamentals, but in or
der to clear obscure ambiguous pas
sages, is generally admitted, burt the
game wdIl have to put up with them
as they are for another year.
But there Is nothing in that situa-
ton to prevent an understanding be-
tween scorers and record keepers as
TO various disputed points which are
distinct from the rules themselves. I'm
lnoru1dty OF scoring does not necessar-
rules. A case in point involves for
instance. what is and what is not a
base hit? There was a distinct ddv1s-
ion of opinion in this regard last sea-
son and the season before.
Off1cfal scorers in the major leagues
and the difference OF course follow
Iess1y in dispute in the matter of scor-
ing q delder's choice that comes I'D
when a batSnan sets out to advance
p runner by sacrificing, but gets his
base through q. play that fails to get
the man ahead Of him.
In some cities they scored this sort
Of play as a hit, in others they gave
the batsman nothing, charging him
with a time at bat, while in other cit
les the scorers compromised by call
Ing It a sacrifice hit. Necessarily a
season of such contrary scoring makes
batting averages-particuiar team
hating averages as inddcat-
ing comparisons. Such a play may
come M often enough in one citv
where a base hit is scored TO make
2 material difference in team batting
over the team IN another city where
me scorer does nOIn1ng DuC charge
the successful bunter with q time at
bat when a perfect play is made on a
man going to second and fails, allow
Ing both runners to land safely.
The issue will not be settled by the
rules thems elves Those rules pro-
vide that where a ball is hit so slow
ly that it can not be f1elded in time
10 retire the man who hit, it shall be
scored a safe hit, but when the
play is made on another runner, how
can 1t be determined if the batter
might have been retired had the play
been made for him?