Evening star., 1919-04-26

The National League adheres close
~ TO the rule on this point. and calls
any infraction of that section a balk.
The American League. while enforc-
ing it. eliminates one angle. II a
pitcher started to deliver the ball to
the batter and then for some reason
did not go through with his intention.
still retaining the ball. it would be
and National.
Accident Can Happen.
Now for the angle that the Ameri-
can eliminates. We will suppose the
pitcher starts his wind up. and. be-
fore he is anywhere near ready to de
liver the ball. 1t accidentally slips out
or his hands to the ground: In the
National League that would be con
strued as failing to deliver the ball 10
the batter after having started to do
so: National League umpires would
Gall it balk; In the American
ac.;Gse, LeaGae it Tss Wou'd d be looked on as an
privileged to advance. but would do
so at his peril. American League
umpires would not call it balk.
The infield fly is another angle, on
agree in their Interpretation. The in
field fly applies with less than two
out. with FIRST and second. or first,
second and third bases occupied. if.
i'm the opinion Of the umpire. The
hatsman hits a fly that can be han
died by an infielder. The intent was
to protect the base runners. IL WAS
put in the code so that an infielder
could not Intentionally drop fly ball
and coinplete n double play. In the
stantly up in the. air. not knowing
what the fielder intended to do. TO
try TO break up a double play i! was
necessary for him to take as big
H. H..
lead that he would be unable to re
turn to his base If the ball was
caught The infieId fly rule was for
mu,ated to protect the base runner,
because under it he knows the bats
man was out. regardless of whether
the ball was caught. IT was cue to
the base runner to return to his base.
Runner Can't Leave Base.
To advance on a caught fly ball it
is impossible 10 leave the base prior
to the catch. The play must be COM
pleted. The infieId fly which retires
the batsman is regarded by the Amer
fore the base runner should return to
his base. according to the. American
League Interpretation. and wait for
completion of the play. The Ameri-
the play as the actual catching Of the
ball, the muffing of the ball or the
ball striking the ground, if it is not
touched by a fielder. At such a time
base runners in the American League
can try to advance II they so desire.
To leave the base prior to such time
would make them liable to be put
out by throwing the bah to the base
vacated. The National League. while
regarding the batsman as out. places
no other strings on the play. A ba Sc
runner need not return to his base
unless the ball be caught; then he Is
forced to return to escape being put
out. If the ball is muffed National
League runners can advance at their
peril without having TO return to
their base.
The playing code states that on "alI
balls thrown into stand for spec
the runner or runners shall be en-
titled to two bases. The umpire. In
awarding such bases. shall be gov
erned by the position of the runner
or runners at the time of the throw"
On the last sentence the two leagues
differ. The National League confines
itself to the rule, while the American
League has its own Interpretation.
which it believes does away with
many chances for dispute that are
offered by hewing closely to the rule
Instead Of taking into consideration
where the runners were at the time
of the throw, the American League
figures the advance of the runners
from the base they occupied when the
ball was pitched. To illustrate:
There is a runner on first base. The