The Detroit times., 1914-05-02
Ii Hitter Fails To Touch Every
Base He Can Be Put Out
With New Ball
YET RULES SAY FENCE
CLEARER GETS A HOMER
But They Now Add That He
Must Touch the Bases In
Their Regular Order

When is a home run not a home
run? That question in past years
has been the subject OF much com
ment. In past years section . OF
rlle As, which governs balls batted
OUTSIDE the grounds. read as follows
fair batted ball that goes over
ne renee or into the stand shall en-
title the batsman to a home run, un
less 1t should pass out OF the ground
or INTO a stand az a less distance than
235 feet from the home base, In which
case the batsman shall be entitled 10
only two bases"
There have been several cases
Were a batter, after making a home
run Dy hitting the ball over the fence,
mas carelessly neglected TO touch a
certain base. In such a case. II mem
Der OF the team in the field called the
attention OF the umpire 10 the play Il
mas been customary for the umpire
20 put new ball in play, and upon
visiting player touching the base
IN ssed, 10 declare out the batter who
hlt the ball over the fence. The um.
plre IN such plays have always quoted
rule 90 TO substantiate such a ruling
Ihat rule relates To the scoring OF
runs and specifically says:
one run shall be scored every time
hsserunner after. having legally
Z uched the first three bases, shall
iegsisyAe..tya homie plate before three
men are put out IL.
AZ glance II can be seen that
these twot rules conflict. one states
that the batter is entitled to n home
run when he hits a ball over fence
which is the required distance from
tie home plate. Yet the other rule
says a run cannot be scored unless
tue runner touches all the bases
Many managers have contended that
since a home run entitled the batter
20 score II was impossible TO put him
out regardless OF his failure TO touch
the bases The rules committee bv
the addition OF one short sentence has
mao" uehnite the duties OF the batter
after ne hats a ball over the fence
rue sentence which follows the rule
quoted above reads as follows.
III either event, the batsman mIrst
touch the bases in the regular order ;"
interference With Catcher
Plays in which the batter interyarss
az the plate have long puzzled many
people who profess 10 know the pan,n
pretty we'll Just who should he do.
cared out on such plays have often
eieateG much argument and discus
sion. Reading rule 81 which foIiows
moulu iead one TO believe that the
batter was always out. n is ss 20,
lows. 40 ioi'
Inc batsman is out II he attempts
- nlncer the catcher from fielding or
. .n the ball by stepping outside
,ue ines OF the batsman's position. or
"a any way obstructing or interfering
with that player"
perusal OF the above would mako
!, seem That on all interference plavs
AZ the plate the batter was ALWAYS ON
2uch' however is not the case. Far.
,neI down in the playing code. 70
De exact section IL of rule Sc. we snd
announcer Interpretation That section
read as follows: ''0ii
me base runner is out N, with one
or no one out and a base runner nm
uilrd base, the batsman interferes
Win play at the plate"
nus again we have a sbarn con
net One rule SAYS the batter is 81
WAYS out when interfering with ~,
catcher, then an exception annears
sriehy, the Interpretation az The tao
fuies IS as follows: With runners on
any base other than third the ba,.,
man Is always out when interfarino
/ WIN the catcher: with a runner o.
tHird the batsman is out n be in,ar
/ itIes VIII play at the plate Tbo
iules committee has cot away u,itt
me conflict this year by adding tbo
iolowlng clause at the bottom os cor.
ton OF rule 81
I Except that the batsman shall M.
7 be our under this section n the bas.
I runner be declared according 70 soc.
ton Il OF rule So
thrown Ball Included in Code
several years ago the rules com.
mittee decided that any time a fielder
stopped batted ball, by throwing
ms glove or cap al the ball. the bat.
ter was entitled to three bases No
aclloE was taken on thrown hall
/ Empires In the big leagues IN tho
| rev Instances that such a play has
come mp, have always granted the
runners two bases. just as IN the bal
went into the stand or players bench
which is the rule covering the point
This year the committee has incor.
porated clause in the code which
governs the throwing OF a cap or
glove at a thrown ball. Section OF
rule "a now reads:
If ? fielder stop or catch a batted
ball with his cap glove or any part
I Of hf2 uniform. while detached from
the proper place on his person. the
runner or runners shall be entitled ~