East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-04-04
QUESTION OF GIVING
HONORFORGAME WON
SETTLED BY EXPERT
ALL DEPENDS UPON HOW SCORE
STANDS WHEN RELIEF
PITCHER GOES IN.

There has been so much confusion
in the mind Of the average baseball
fan as to which pitcher should be
credited with victory or charged with
defeat when two or more pitchers
are used in a single game that the fol-
lowing directions issued by John A
Heydler, secretary OF the National
League. are here reprinted:
While II Is not possible TO make
hard and fast rules for determining
which pitcher should be credited with
winning, or charged with the loss OF
a game, yet there are certain funda'
mental rules In arriving at a decision
which have stood the test of criticism
and which are as follows:
Relief Pitcher Excused.
/. When one pitcher is relieved by
another, with nne OF 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
illhnA VI n bdAlAhb AatAsb NoiAvN bN
held responsible for unners he may
find on the bases; nor should he be
charged up with the first batsman he
faces reaching first If such batsman
had any advantage because Of the
wild pitching Of the first pitcher.
2, While the relieving pitcher
goes in with the score tie or even in
nings. ne must win or lose the game,
regardless of the number of innings.
or how effectively the first pitcher
may have pitched. II the first pitch
or is relieved with the score in his ia.
vor. and later the score is tied up off
the second pitcher, then the latter
wins or loses. A tie game at any
stage with no one on bases, must be
considered to all intents and purpos-
es as the start of a new game for the
second pitcher.
3. Where the first pitcher is re-
tired after pitching. say, eve in
nings, he is entitled to the benefit Of
all run scored by his side in an
equal number Of innings. For in
stance, Brown, OF the home club, has
pitched seven innings, with the score
2 to 0 against him. He is taken out
when his turn at bat comes in the
eth. Before close or that inning his
team has scored two runs Brown re-
tires with the game a tie, and the next
pitcher becomes responsible.
4. Do not give the first pitcher
credit for a game won. ven II score
is In his favor. unless ne has pitched
at least the first hair OF the game. A
pitcher retired at close OF fourth in
ming. with the score : to | in his ia
vOr, has not a won game. If, how
ever, he Is taken Out because Of hi'
team having secured a commandint
and winning lead in a few innings
then he is entitled to the win. The
J good judgmet of the scorer must de-
termine in such cases, as much de-
ponds on whether the pitcher is re
lieved because of ineffectiveness, OF
because 1t becomes necessary, at
critical stage, to replace him by &
stronger batsman.
First Pitcher Bears Brunt.
s. Regardless of how many innings
the first pitcher may have pitched, he
is charged with the loss Of the game
il he is retired with the score against
him. and his team is unable thereaft'
er to tie or overcome that lead.
No attempt has been made to covel
in the foregoing all of the many sit
uations that present themselves to th'
scorer in games where pitchers are
changed. In isolated cases the appli
cation of these rules may work hard
ships to one pitcher OF the other; bu
on the seasons play. coupled will
your good judgment, results should
observance Of these rulings should
prove as satisfactory as they have foI
years past.