The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-15
EQUITY AND CLARITY
SOUGHT IN CHANGES
RevisiOns in Baseball Code Are
Intended to Decrease Dis
putcs on Field.
RULE ON PITCHERS FEET
Comes in for Action by Joint
COmmittcc-ThrOwn Balls
and Umpires.

\ point of moment regarding the
changes in the playing rules OF baseball
effected by the joint committee OF the Ma
tional and American leagues II that
several OF them are expected to produce
less wrangling over interpretations. Also
several rules have been changed to make
them more equitable The chief of the
latter revisions was brought about by re-
wording section of rule "a and section
4 of rule So.
BY striking out the words ION four
ground In section :. and substituting the
clause while standing back OF the plate
for "or the umpire he struck by ball
thrown by the catcher or other fielder to
intercept base runner" base runners no
longer are compelled to return to the
base from which they started when "a
thrown bait strikes an umpire who is on
fair ground
The injustice of the then existing rule
was illustrated forcibly AZ the Polo
Grounds last summer. With Hartzell Of
the New Works on base. Rorton made
| what was practically "A base hit. There
was no chance TO retire either nan, vet
when Collins. who stopped the hit. threw
it against Umpire Dineen's head. Hart
| zell was sent back to his base and Bor
, ton had to bat over again.
| In rule 30. Delivery Of the Ball TO the
Bat" the words cor on top of the plate"
| are inserted to make II clear that a
| pitcher can have his feet In that position
| as we'll as his heels in contact with the
| front edge of the rubber and in section 3,
| rule "a, devoted to baking, 1t is now
| brought out plainly that neither foot can
| he back OF the plate without being In con-
| tact with II. II was the practice of some
pitchers to slip foot behind the plate,
| thereby starting Kick by an opposing
| manager and a dispute for the umpire to
| settle.
| The occasional practice of batsmen in
| not running the bases In prescribed order
| on home run over the fence, or n two
| base hit. IL the distance was less than
| 235 feet, is forbidden by the specific re-
| iuirement that in either event the bats
| man must touch the bases In regular Or
der" The rule, AZ 1t was, seldom was
| evaded in the manner mentioned but
there have been few such cases and
| Of umpires being complasant.
In order to do away with contradlc-
| ton in the rules which permitted an UNI
| pire to call two men out on the same
| case Of Interference the committee had TO
| provide an exception to section D, rule 81,
| to conform to section Is. rule So The
| latter section provides that n base run
| ner liz out "if with one out or none out
| and a base runner on third base the bats
msn interferes with play being mad
| at the plate
| Section of rule II says batsman is
| out for interfering with a catcher. There
| fore. on a squeeze play for example. II
| the batter interfered both the runner and
the batsman could be called out, After
| this, In such plays as the one named,
| only the runner is out, as provided by thu
/ following addition to section b. rule 81
| Except that the batsman shall not be GU
| under this section If the base runner b.
declared out according to section 10, rule
| So"
| Section | of rule 54--Entitled to Bases
has been elaborated by the addition o.
| the words "before touching fielder
This means that II fair hit ball strike
! the person or clothing Of the umpire be
| fore touching a fielder 1t shall be con
| sidered as In play and further that n
| ball passing clearly through fclders
| hands, constituting an error. even though
not touched. in brief ball on which y
| fielder has had chance to make "A play,
Is the same as II the fielder had touched