The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-03-10
LESS WRANCLINC
ON THE DIAMOND
Changes in Baseball Rules Make
Them Clearer and Fairer

New York, March 1O.-A point of
moment regarding the changes in the
playing rules of baseball effected by
the joint committee of the National
and American leagues is that several
of them are expected TO produce less
wranglmg over interpretations. Also
several rules have been changed to
make them more equitable The chief
Of the latter revisions was brought
about by rewordng section of rule
"a and section of rule SO.
by striking out the words ION four
ground" in section I, and substituting
the clause while standing back of the
plate" for "or the umpire be struck
by a ball thrown by the catcher or
other fielder t. intercept base runner"
base runners no longer are compelled
10 return to the base from which they
started when thrown ball strikes an
umpire who is on fair ground.
The injustice OF the then existing
rule was illustrated forcibly at the
Polo grounds last summer. With Hart
zell of the New Yoiks on base Borton
made what was practically base hit
There was no chance to retire either
man, yet when Collins, who stopped
the hit, threw ii against Umpire Di-
neen's head, HartZell was sent back
TO his base and Borton had to bat over
again
In rule 30, Delivery Of the Ball to
the Bat" the words "or on top of the
plate" are inserted to make ii clear
that pitcher can have his feet in
that position as well as his heels in
contact with the front edge of the rub
Der; ana in section 3. rule "a, devoted
10 baking, il is now brought out plain
~ that neither foot can be back of
the plate without being IN contact
with it, 1t was the practise Of some
pitchers to slip foot behind the plate,
thereby starting q kick by an opposing
manager and a dispute for the UNI
pirc to settle.
Must Mind Bases.
The occasional practise of batsmen
in not running the bases in prescrb-
ed order on Il home run over the fence,
or Il two-base hit, if the distance was
less than 235 feet. is forbidden by the
specific requirement that "in either
event the batsman must touch the
bases in regular order" The rule,
as it was. seldom was evaded in the
manner mentioned, but there have
been few such cases and of umpircs
being complaisant.
In order to do away with a contra
diction in the rules which permitted
IN umpire To call two men out on the
same case of interference the commit
tee had to provide an exception to sec
ton ), rule 81, to conform To section
Is. rule 56. The latter section pro-
Ndes that "A base runner is out III
with one out or none out and a base
runner on third base the batsman in
terfercs with play being made at the
plate"
Section ) of rule 81. says II bats
man is out for interfering with a
catcher. Therefore. on n squeeze play
for example, If the batter interfered
both the runner and the batsman could
be called out After this. i'm such PLAYS
as the one named. only the runner ~
out, as provided by the following addi-
ton to section 5. run 81. Except
That the batsman shall rot be out un-
der this section If the base runner he
declared out according to section 10.
rule Sc"
Section | of rule 5i-Entitled t.
l}ases-has been elaborated by the adj
diton of the words before touching
helder" This means that If az ialr
MT ball strike the person or clothing oi
the umpire before touching = fielder II
shall he considered as i'm play ana tur-
thcr than n ball passing cleaniN
through q fielder's hands. constituting
an error. even though not touched. In
brief. ball on which a fielder mas
had chance to mako a play Is the
same as IL the fielder had touched IT,
The intent of the rule was understood
and observed pretty well as it was,
but the words are added for the sake
Of clearness.
VI always has been illegal FOR a ii'l'
er to stop or catch batted ball win