The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1920-05-06


batted over the stand at that distance was
home run, many home runs were killed
because the ball passing above the stand
would steadily curve to the left and when
it disappeared from the view of the UNI
pire might be ten feet foul. Therefore he
was compelled to call foul on a hit
which actually left the playing field on
fair ground. One notable park on which
many home run was lost, because the
umpire was compelled to follow the ball
all the way, was that of the old ground
rule was made to hit that particular
ground as one of short field chances.
Official ruling is now made that game
which is stopped in the last half of the
fifth inning with less than the required
number of players out but a game in
which the score is tied, is to be considered
legal. That is a good change. The point
was brought up last summer and the rules
were so vague that good-natured dis
pute arose. The editor of the GUIDE
contended that score which had
been tied in the last half of the fifth inn
ing resulted in a legal game, for the rea-
son that game could be won without
playing the last half of the fifth inning
if the team which went second at bat had
more runs in its half of the fourth inning
than the team first at bat had in its half
of the fifth inning. In other words, that
the question of equal innings, which was
brought into the discussion, did not mean
equal innings of three hands out but equal
innings on the basis of an equal score.
If team second at bat could tie the score
in the fifth inning only, but tie it because
of rain or panic, it had placed the game
in such a stage that the team could not
be beaten, and if it could not be beaten,
because it had as many runs as the team
first at bat, the contest acquired legal
standing. 1t is now decided that way.
In the future players and clubs will know
where they stand on this question. The
tie score in the last half of the fifth inn
ing makes the game record contest.
Some changes were made which keep
the pitcher a little closer to his knitting.
He will have to be very careful young
man in using almost any kind of motion
while he has the ball in his possession.
The intent of these changes was to make
more difficult the possibilities of baking.
The pitcher in recent years has been wont
to 90 as far as he dared, and much fur
Their than was always advisable, to try to
keep runners on bases. The balk rule has
been violated in spirit, if not in actual
play. The additional sections, which are
now part of the balk rule, give the umpire
more leeway in determining that balk
has been committed than was the case in
the past. The pitcher cannot grip the
ball and then release his grip if he wishes
to do so except that he steps off the rubber
to dry his hands or to wipe perspiration
from his eyes. If the pitcher drops the
ball when he is pitching, or when he is
trying to throw to first base, it is balk
The rule as it has been amended is now
uniform in both major league organiza-
tons. If the pitcher delivers the ball with
no one on base and when he is off the rub
Der, ball is to be called, but if pitcher
has done anything of that kind in the past
it has escaped the attention of the public.
Other reWording of the rules has been
adopted to make them clearer. The game
will not be materially changed, but the
umpires and the beginners will both bene-
fit. Umpires of the major leagues have an
understanding among themselves as to
what they shall do. Conferences are held
before the season begins at which uniform
agreements are entered into. The UNI
pires for the thousands of amateur and
semi-professional games will be assisted
immeasurably and they deserved such
assistance. -Spalding's Official Baseball