El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-15
= Baseball of Bygone Days =
James Captain Chicago
Stockings of 1901
FRANK G. MENKE
FRANK G. MENKE.

THE fundamental rules Of baseball
have not changed much since they
first we're drawn by the Knicker-
booker club-the first baseball organ
ization-in 1915. But there have been
many radical departures from the Gus
toms OF other days.
One is the treatment OF umpires. IN
the early part Of my baseball career
from 1883 to 1S59-an umpire was
highly honored. After each game the
players would give three cheers for
each other and then. as q grand finale.
they would below forth with three
mOre-and sometimes nine-for the
umpire.
Arbitrators in the early days were
chosen from among the crowd. In
most cases. al least I'D 10 1865. the
umpire often was one o. the dis
tinEuished men in the city. The clubs
We'd with each other in trying TO Sc
cure the most prominent personages.
Given Easy Chairs and Fans
The old time umpires always were
accorded the utmost courtesy by the
PLAYERS. They were given easy chairs
placed near to the home plate. pro-
vided with fans on hot days and their
absolute comfort was uppermOst in the
minds Of the players After each Of our
games in the early SOS. sandwiches.
were served. by the home team. TIE
umpires always received the choicest
bits OF food and the largest glass Of
beer--in case he cared for such
beverage II he didn't. he needed but
to express his desires in the thirst
quenchinE line before the game started
and he got IL.
Used to Play on lee
The playing OF baseball games on
skates on the ice during the winter of
S64 really brought about the rule
which permits players 10 over-run first
base. Prior to that time the runners
had to stop at first base the same as
they must stop now AZ the other sacks.
II they over-ran the bag they could be
touched out.
Baseball had taken such a firm hold
upon the people between 1850 and 1864
that they were not content 10 plav It
only during the summer They PLAYED
IL all during the winter in the enclosed
field in Williamsburg. known as the
Mon grounds The players wore
skates. but played the game under the
same rules as governed it in the sum
mer.
Players. however. found it Impossible
10 stop al bases after skating ont 4
hit Many OF them were injured by
sliding into the base. their skates
tripping them and sending them 10 the
cy surface To prevent further acct
tents the captains decided TO permit
players TO Over-skate the bags without
penalty OF being touched out IL they
turned TO the right on their way back /
% base.
When summer baseball was resumed /
I was decided that the rule made for 1
'kater- PLAYERS should be extended TO I
he regular diamond. SO far as first
,ase only. and II was Incorporated in /
ne statute books. AZ the next annual .
Meeting. and has been there fince-
Base Hits Counted Tn ISaS.
BaGH has were not counted until 1855
Then Henry Chadwick figuring that II
would stimulate base-runninE. decided
hat hits should be counted the same
runs The first game in which hits
rere tahul7ted was in the game on
.uEust 4. 1858 between the Eckfords
nd the Mutuais. OF New York. Chad
-ick offered a hat TO the player max
lg the most safeties-and that bat.
uitably engraved. IS my most treas
red possession today I won il by
iaking four clean drives
Changing Last Turn at Bat
Erom 1876 until the days of PATSY
ebeau and his Cleveland Spiders. in
ne '9O's. il always was the custom for
ne visiting team TO have the last turn
t bat That was courtesy But Tebeau
hanged all that. He discovered that
lere was no LEAGUE rule compelling
lie visitors 10 take last bats and at
10 same time he decided that II was
lie last crack at the ball on its home
rounds. Whereupon. Tebeau CURLY re
lsed visiting teams the final "outsr
nd later the other clubs had to fol-
W in the wake OF Tebeau.
Pitcbin Specd Came In
In the early SOS. when speed was the
ain dependence OF a pitcher. the
oundsmen would spend hours every
- trying TO perfect their delivery.
Ut IL remained for Joe LeGgett owner
I'll manager OF the ExcelSiors OF
TO originate the strangest
an ever known to help a pitcher
.velop his speed
1t was in the winter Of 1859 that
sgGett signed James p. Creighton
pitch for his team Creighton. at
at time. ranked IS one OF the greatest
lrlers in the game. In 1855. pitching
? the NiaCaras he had performed
lendidly and followed this I'm with
ne sterling performances among the
80 stars.
Used nm Iron Ball
When Leggett signed up Creighton.
said:
Jimmy speed is the thing You've