The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-03
SCORING RULES FOR TELLING
WHICH PITCHER WON CAME

New York, April 3-The pitcher al
ways has been the dominant factor in
a baseball game. More rules govern
his work and precribe how it shall be
performed than handicap or enhance
the efforts of the other eight players.
The baseball public, even that part
of it which is usually well-informed
on the rules. never has thoroughly un-
derstood the rules for determining
runs earned off pitchers and the basic
rules and principles governing the
determining of games won and lost
where two or more pitchers part1c1-
pate for the same team in the same
game. These rules are the result of
years of experience and are consider
ed as near perfect as expert baseball
knowledge can devise.
John A. HeydIer, secretary of the
National League, will send this week
to each official scorer of the league a
copy of the rules, to determine the
perpIexing questio ns arising under
these two heads. These rules are for
warded annually to the official scorers,
yet there are frequent discrepancies in
the intrpreatian of the rules. The
rules follow:
While it is not possible to make
hard and fast rules for determining
which pitcher should be credited with
winning, or charged with the loss of
mental rules in arriving at a decision
which have stood the test of criticism,
and whichFare as follows:
l. When one pitcher is relieved by
aother, with runners on bases, charge
another, with runners on bases, charge
up all such runners in case they score,
to the first pitcher. The relieving
pitcher, coming into the game "cold,' -
and possibly in the midst of a batting
rally, cannot be held responsible for
runners he may find on the bases: nor
should be be charged up with the first
batsnan he faces reaching first if such
batsman had any advantage because
of the wild pitching Of the first
pitcher.
| 2. Where the relieving pitcher goes
in with the score tie on even innings,
hem ust win or lose theg anne, regard
less of the number of innings, or how
effectively the first pitcher may have
pitched. If the first pitcher is reliev-
ed. with the score in his favor, and
| later the score is tied up off second
pitcher. then the latter wins or loses
A tie game at any stage with no one
/ on bases) must be considered to all
| fntents and purposes as the start OF
a. new game for the second pitcher.
| \3. Where the first pitcher is retired
after pitching, say, seven innings, he is
entitled to the benefit of all runs scor-
|
! innings. For instance, Brown of the
home club, has pitched seven innings
! with the score 2 to against him. He
is taken out when his turn at bal
comes in the seventh. Before close
Of that inning his team has scored two
/ runs. Brown retires with the game g
tie, and the next pitcher becomes re-
sponsib1e.
4. Do not give the first pitcher
credit for a game won, even if score is
in his favor, unless he has pitched a
least the first half of the game. A
pitcher retired at close Of fourth in.
ming, with the score 2 to 1 in his
favor, has not a won game. If, how
ever, he is taken out because of his
team having, secured a commanding
and winning lead in a, few innings
| then he is entitled to the win. The
good judgment of the scorer mus
determine in such cases, as much de
Ponds on whether the pitcher is re
Heved because of ineffectiveness, OF
| because he has a commanding lead
or, because it becomes necessary, at
critical stage. to replace him by {
stronger batsman,
8. Regardless of inning