Evening star., 1963-01-27
Baseball Acts
To Cut Walks
And Homers

NEW YORK, Jan. 26 (AP).
In a surprise step designed
to give some relief to home-run
plagued pitc hers, baseball's
rules committee unanimously
voted today to increase the bat
ter's vertical strike zone by
nearly a foot.
This drastic action, recon-
mended by virtually all 20 ma
jor-league managers, is ex-
pected to enable the pitchers
not only to better cope with the
hitters but also to reduce the
vast number of bases on balls
which heightened and dragged
out games in recent years.
The change in the strike zone
will be in the area of the bat
ter's knees and shoulders. I'm
der the new rule, which goes
into effect in 1868, the defini-
tion of the strike zone will
read:
Space above home plate
which is between the top of
the batter's shoulders and
his knees when he assumes
his natural position :"
In Effect Since 1850
The old rule, in effect since
1850, reads space above
home plate which is between
the batter's armpits and the
top of his knees when he as
sumes his natural stance :"
This change could make a
difference of from 10 to IL
inches" said Cal Hubbard, su-
pervisor of the American
League umpiring staff and a
member of the nine-man rules
committee.
Charles Seq ar, secretary
treasurer of the major leagues
and head of the rules commit
tee, said the action was taken
with the thought of giving some
aid to the pitcher, who has been
on the receiving end of nearly
all rules changes in recent
years.
Most Of the rules changes
in recent years have been made
for the benefit of the batter"
he said. ut was the feeling
that some changes should be
made bencfitting the pitcher.
Easier for Umpires
This rule should give the
pitchers more confidence. Ac-
tually what we've done is to
reinstate the old strike zone
rule, which was reduced In
1880"
Fred Fleig, supervisor of Ma
tional League umpires. said the
new rule would make it easier
for the umpires to judge called
balls and strikes.
THE top of the shoulder is
much better line of demar-
cation" he said. This area is
more readily observed by UNI
pires, fans and the guys on the
bench. The difference between
the armpitS and the top of the
shoulders can be around 2 or
3 inches, and more in some
cases."
Fleig said the umpires will
be instructed to operate under
the new rule in the exhibition
games during spring training.
Expect Complaints
1--WE expect to receive some
complaints from the hitters
during the exhibition games"
he said. but in a few weeks
everything will be stabilized"
The committee also reworded
the rule concerning the position
Of the pitcher when making his
delivery to the batter. This
stemmed from a complaint
lodged against Righthander
joey Jay of Cincinnati, who
sometimes switched from a
windup to a no-windup delivery
from one pitch to the next.
The new rule clarifies the
pitching position to take care
Of the no-windup pitcher. 1t
reads:
when a pitcher holds
the ball with both hands in
front Of his body, with his en-
tire pivot foot on or in front Of.
and touching and not off the
end Of the pitchers plate, and
his other foot free, he will be
considered in a windup po-
sition."
Fleig explained: 1T Just
doesn't let a pitcher get ready
in one position for one pitch,
then change to another position
for another pitch"
The committee also agreed to
grant permission TO Kansas
City Owner Charles Finley TO
outfit his Athletics in 1863 in
"a uniform other than the
standard white at home and
gray on the road. However,
the committee stipulated that
1t would be done only on an
experimental basis.
AS a result, the Athletics
this year will display home
uniforms consisting OF shirts Of
gold with green sleeves, pants
OF gold with green stripes, a
green belt, and a green cap
with a yellow visor and letters
KC in white.
It was not stipulated what
the road uniforms would look