Chapter 15

The experience of each season in regard to the conflicting opinions of umpires and players in their interpretation of the code of playing rules, has made it a necessity on the part of the editor of the GUIDE, to devote a special chapter each year to the subject of properly interpreting every important rule of the game. This year we make up this special chapter in the form of an _Explanatory Appendix_ to the new code, which is officially indorsed by the President of the National League, and the Secretary of the Joint Committee on Rules of the League and the American Association. Taking up the rules of the new code in their regular order we proceed to give the official interpretation of the practical application of each newly amended rule, as also of every rule, of the correct definition of which there is likely to arise any question.

THE PLAYERS ON EACH SIDE.

"In no case shall less than nine men be allowed to play on each side." So says Rule 14. The practical application of the rule is that if a club has not nine men ready to take the field at the hour appointed for beginning a regularly scheduled championship-game, the club short handed must forfeit the game. Moreover, if they begin play with the required complement of men, and one of the number becomes injured and disabled from service in the field, and they have no legal substitute player to take the disabled man's place, the game cannot be continued with but eight men in the field, and therefore it must be similarly forfeited.

PLAYERS MUST BE IN UNIFORM.

Rule 17 requires that "every club shall be required to adopt uniforms for the players;" and Rule 28 renders it necessary that at least one substitute player shall be ready "in uniform" to take the place of a disabled player, or to become the tenth player of the team in accordance with section 2 of Rule 28.

A TENTH MAN AS SUBSTITUTE.

Besides the regular substitute player required to be ready to take the place of a disabled player, Rule 28--a new amendment--admits of an _independent substitute player_ on each side, whose services in the field are held subject to the requirement of either of the two Captains whenever he shall deem it advisable to remove any player, who, though not disabled "by illness or injury," is not doing the work in the field to the Captain's satisfaction. But such substitute can only replace another player at the close of a regular innings play; and, moreover, the player whose place the extra substitute takes, cannot again take part in the game then being played.

It should be borne in mind that this special rule was adopted not only to enable the Captain of a team to strengthen a weak point discovered during the progress of the game, but also to enable him to utilize new talent when the game has been virtually won, as the experience in such instances is especially valuable to young players, notably so in the case of battery players. It also enables the Captain to save the work of a valuable battery player from a prolonged strain rendered unnecessary by the winning lead obtained.

PUTTING A NEW BALL IN PLAY.

Rule 12, Sec. 2, requires the Umpire to call for the putting in play of the substitute ball whenever the ball previously in play, is batted foul over the fence or the grand stands, "_out of the sight of the players_." Also in case the ball in play becomes "_unfit for fair use_," as to which the Umpire is the sole judge.

A new ball can only be called for in case neither of the two balls in use are legally available for service.

THE NEW RULE FOR PITCHERS.

The amended rule governing the delivery of the ball by the pitcher--Rule 18 of the new code--has had the words "his left foot in front of the right, and to the left of an imaginary line from his right foot to the center of the home base" eliminated from it, and in consequence the pitcher is not now required to abide by that portion of the rule, which governed his movements in 1888. The pitcher's position, when he prepares to deliver the ball to the bat, must be that in which he stands with both feet squarely on the ground, and with one foot--left or right--placed on the rear line of his position. While thus standing ready to deliver the ball, he must hold it before him in full sight of the Umpire. The words "in the act of delivering the ball" refer to the very last motion in delivery, and in making this motion the rear foot is of necessity placed on the ground, as it is from this standpoint that the power to give the last impetus to the ball in delivery is derived. Consequently the foot cannot be lifted from the ground entirely until the ball leaves his hand. In making his regular motions to deliver while he is prohibited from lifting the entire foot in the rear line from the ground, he is not debarred from lifting the heel of the foot an inch or so. In making the preliminary movements, too, he cannot take but one forward step, though he can make this single step in any way he chooses, provided it be a regular and habitual motion of his delivery.

FEIGNING TO THROW TO A BASE.

When the pitcher feigns to throw to a base prior to delivering the ball to the bat, in every such instance after making the feint to throw, he must resume his original position, "facing the batsman," and "holding the ball fairly in front of his body," and "momentarily pause before delivering the ball to the bat." If he makes a feint to throw and then delivers the ball with one apparent motion, without pausing to stand, he commits a balk.

THE ORDER OF BATTING.

Rule 19 says that "Batsmen must take their position at the bat in the order in which they are named on _the score_." This _score_ is not sufficiently defined in the rule, but it means the printed or written order of batting, which each captain of the contesting team presents to the umpire prior to the commencement of the game; and such order, on approval of the umpire, should be copied verbatim in the score book of the official scorer of the home club, who alone is authorized to send a copy of the score of the game, as the official copy, to the secretary of the League or Association the club belongs to.

After the order of batting has been submitted to the umpire, it becomes the official order, and after being thus indorsed it cannot be changed except in the case of a substitute player taking the place either of a disabled player, or that of a removed player--under the new rule--and in such case the incoming substitute player takes the place in the order of batting of the disabled or removed player.

THE CAPTAIN CAN PLACE HIS MEN AS HE LIKES.

The captain of a nine can place his nine men in any position of the field he chooses. There is in fact no arbitrary rule governing the placing of the men except in the case of the pitcher, and he of course must always occupy the pitcher's box. Under Rule 15, the captain can place his infielders, in close within the diamond, or all outside of it, also the outfielders, either in close to the infielders, or lying out deep or close to the foul line, etc. But the pitcher of the ball must always be in the "box" when delivering the ball.

THE DEFINITION OF THE BALK.

Rule 32, Section I, defines a balk as "Any motion made by the pitcher to deliver the ball to the bat without delivering it." This definition embraces every one of the motions the pitcher is accustomed to make preliminary to the actual delivery of the ball, whether of his hands, arms, or feet, or any motion of his body. He cannot therefore make any pretense of delivering the ball while not having the ball in his hand ready to deliver it as in the case of a base player hiding the ball while the pitcher acts as if he himself had possession of it--without his making a balk.

The words "any motion calculated to deceive a base runner," refer to pretended movements to deliver outside of those referred to in the first portion of the rule.

TAKING A BASE ON A BALK.

There is an important distinction between a "_balk_" and an "_illegal delivery_." A "_balk_" is made when the pitcher makes a motion to deliver the ball to the bat without following such motion with actual delivery, or if he holds the ball in his hand long enough to unnecessarily delay the game. An "_illegal delivery_" is made when the pitcher steps out of his "box" in delivery, or lifts his rear foot from the ground before the ball leaves his hand--his lifting his foot afterward is of no account--or if he fails to pause before delivery after making a feint to throw to a base. In the case of a "balk," every occupant of a base, as a base runner, becomes entitled to one base, whether forced by the batsman or not. But the batsman cannot take a base on a "balk." In the case of an "illegal delivery," however, while occupants of bases can only take a base on such delivery in case of being "forced off," the batsman is given a base on such illegal delivery. While an "illegal delivery" is in the nature of a balk, it is not an actual "balk" as technically termed in the rules.

DEAD BALLS.

The ball cannot be used to put a player on the batting side out, either in the case of a batted ball to foul ground not caught on the fly; a called _foul strike_; a runner being hit by a batted ball; a pitched ball striking the batsman, or striking his bat without being intentionally struck at; or from the ball striking the umpire while he is on foul ground, before it passes the catcher; or, in the case of a called block ball, until said ball is _first held by the pitcher while standing within his position_.

THE FOUL TIP CATCH.

The elimination of the sharp foul-tip catch from the rules will necessitate the placing of a white line, forming a half circle, within a radius of ten feet from the home base, and located on foul ground, as it is only foul tips caught within ten feet of the home base which do not put the batsman out.

THE BLOCKING OF BALLS.

Any interference with the progress of a batted or thrown ball by any person not one of the contesting players in a game, is what is termed _blocking the ball_. Suppose a ball is batted to the short stop, and that fielder overthrows the ball to first base, and it goes toward the crowd and is there stopped or touched by an outsider, the moment this stoppage of the ball or interference with it occurs, the umpire must call "Block ball," and until the ball is returned to the field and held by the pitcher while in his "box," it is _dead_ for putting out any base runner; and such runners are permitted to run all the bases they can until the ball is thus put legally into play. But should such overthrown ball, in addition to its being stopped or diverted from its course by any outsider, be also kicked aside or picked up and thrown out of reach by a fielder, the umpire must in addition call "Time," in which case runners shall only be entitled to hold such bases as they had touched before the ball had been so kicked or thrown out of reach, the ball, as in the prior case, not being in play until held by the pitcher while in his box.

HITTING BALLS FOUL INTENTIONALLY.

Rule 42, Section III, requires the umpire to call a strike on the batsman every time he makes "an obvious attempt to make a foul hit." Rule 43, Section XIII, states that "If, after two strikes have been called, the batsman _obviously attempts to make a foul hit_" he is out. Last year these rules were both misinterpreted by umpires. In the first place, in both cases the _intention_ of the batsman must be plainly manifest; and to judge of this the circumstances of the case must be taken into consideration. For instance, if the batsman _bunts_ a ball foul when a runner is on abase, it is evident that he does so unintentionally, for no point of play is to be gained by such a foul hit. Then, too, the hitting of a foul ball must be repeatedly done before such hitting can be adjudged as otherwise than accidental.

BATTING OUT OF ORDER.

Rule 43 states that the batsman who fails to bat in his proper turn according to the approved order of batting, must be decided out by the umpire, unless the error in question be discovered and the right batsman be sent to the bat in the regular order "_before a fair hit has been made_." If, before the mistake is discovered, "strikes" or "balls" be called upon the batsman who is out of his order of batting, such strikes and balls shall be counted against the batsman who should have gone to the bat in the regular order. But the violation of the rule must be declared by the field Captain before the ball is delivered to a succeeding batsman, or the penalty of an out cannot be enforced, the mistake, of course, being at once corrected, without the enforcement of the penalty.

RETURNING TO BASES ON FOUL BALLS.

The change made in Rule 45 is to the effect that base runners required to return to bases which they had left on a hit ball, can, if the ball be hit foul and not caught on the fly, return to their respective bases directly. For instance, suppose the batsman hits a long fly ball to right field, on which he runs to third base before the ball falls on foul ground, under the old rule he would be required to return to home base after retouching second and first bases; but under the new rule he can in such case return to home base direct from third, instead of returning around the diamond. The object of the amended rule was to save loss of time by a runner's leisurely return to the base he had left.

HOLDING BASES AFTER TOUCHING THEM.

Rule 45, in its reference to a base runner having the right to hold a base after touching it, is to be thus defined: Suppose that base runners are on third and second bases, and that the runner on third is trying to steal home, and in doing so vacates third base and runs for home base, the occupant of second base in the meantime running to third base and holding that base; and suppose that in such case the runner from third to home finds himself likely to be put out at home base, and then returns to third base, he still has the right to that base, and having such right, the runner from second to third must give up holding third base and try and get back to second, failing which, and preferring to hold third base, he can be put out there even while standing on third base, provided the legal occupant of that base is also standing on that base, but not otherwise.

OBSTRUCTING BASE RUNNERS.

Rule 46, Section VI, states that a base runner is entitled to the base he is running to "_if he be prevented from making that base by the obstruction of an adversary._" Now the correct interpretation of this rule is that such obstruction as that in question must be that at the hands of a fielder who has not the ball in hand ready to touch the runner. Of course if the runner is met by the fielder with ball in hand ready to touch the runner, and thus stands directly in the path of the runner, no legal obstruction has been presented, though in fact he is obstructed. But the "obstruction" meant by the rule is that presented by a fielder who has not the ball in hand at the time.

A THROWN BALL HITTING THE UMPIRE ON FAIR GROUND.

Rule 47, Section IV, states that "The base runner shall return to his base and be entitled to so return without being put out, if the person or clothing of the umpire is struck by a ball thrown by the catcher to intercept a base runner." Rule 46, in referring to base runners entitled to take bases without being put out, states that "if a fair hit ball strikes the person or clothing of the umpire, the batsman making the hit, or a base runner running a base upon such a hit, shall be entitled to the base he is running for without being put out." For instance, suppose there is a runner at first base trying to steal second, and the catcher throws the ball to the second baseman to cut him off, and that the ball thus thrown hits the umpire and glances off out of the reach of the fielders, the runner in such case, while being debarred from making second base by the accident, is allowed to return to the base he left without being put out. But the umpire must see to it that the ball is not intentionally thrown to hit the umpire with a view of preventing what would otherwise be a successful steal. In other words, the throw in question must be an accidental one, or it must be judged as an illegal play.

THE COACHING RULE.

Umpires must enforce the rule governing the "coaching" of base runners in accordance with the spirit as well as the letter of the law, and this forbids the addressing of any remarks except to the base runner, and then only in words of necessary direction. Moreover, no coacher is allowed to use any language, in his position either as player or coacher, "which shall in anyway" refer to or reflect upon a player of the opposing club. The noisy, vulgar yelling of some coachers is in direct violation of the spirit of the rule, as it is done, not to coach the runner, but to confuse the pitcher or catcher, and distract their attention. The penalty for violating the rule is the suspension of all coaching by the offending club during the remainder of the game.

PLAYERS MUST BE SEATED ON THEIR BENCH.

Rule 54, Section I, requires that all the players of the batting side when not actually engaged in batting, base running or in coaching--as in the case of the two appointed coachers--must remain seated on the bench until called in their turn to go to the bat. The umpire too must see to it that the requirements of this same rule be strictly enforced in regard to keeping the bats in the racks, and not allow them to be laid on the ground in the way of the catcher running to catch foul balls.

REMOVING A PLAYER FOR KICKING.

The most important change in the rules affecting the duties of the umpire is that made in Rule 57, Section V, which gives the umpire the discretionary power to remove an offending player from the field who is found violating Rule 57.

It should be borne in mind, however, that the rule is not compulsory, for if it were so, a captain desirous of substituting another player for one in the field, after he had availed himself of the tenth man rule, might conspire with a player to violate the rule intentionally to aid the captain in getting in an extra man.

ON CALLED STRIKES.

In the case of a called third strike when two men are out, Rule 43, Section VI., requires the ball to be held on the fly whether first base be occupied or not, in order to put the batsman out. But in the case of the first base being occupied by a base runner, when only one man is out, when the third strike is called, in such case the batsman is out on called strikes, whether the ball on the third called strike is held on the fly or not. The batsman is out too,--under the new rule--if, _when the thud strike is called, the pitched ball hits him or touches his clothing_.

ON FORFEITED GAMES.

The Joint Rules Committee have decided that an umpire cannot declare any game forfeited of his own motion, though in Rule 26 it states that forfeited games are incurred under several conditions, one of which definitely states is the wilful violation of any one rule of the code. But he can declare a game forfeited under any one of the specified conditions in Rule 26 if requested to do so by the captain of the club at fault. Section IV of Rule 26 gives the umpire the discretionary power to declare any game forfeited in which he is personally cognizant of the fact of any single rule having been wilfully violated, the offending team forfeiting the game then and there. But only in very rare cases should this power be used in opposition to the wishes of the captain of the team not in fault. When the rules have been plainly violated and the captain of the team not in fault claims forfeit, the umpire must enforce the penalty.

THE UMPIRE'S POWER.

Under Section II of Rule 52 the umpire _is invested with the authority to order any player to do, or to omit to do, any act, as he may deem it necessary_, to give force or effect to any or all of the provisions of the code of playing rules. This gives him the authority to decide all disputed points in a game not expressly covered by the rules, subject, of course, to legal protest.

JUDGING THE CONDITION OF THE FIELD.

Rule 29 gives the captain of the home club the sole power to decide whether the field is in condition for play at the hour appointed for beginning a game. But after a game has been commenced, and it be interrupted by rain, the umpire alone decides whether the field is in fair condition for resuming play after such suspension of the game.

THE UMPIRE SOLE JUDGE OF ILLNESS OR INJURY.

Rule 28 makes the umpire the sole judge as to the nature and extent of the "illness or injury" claimed to disable a player from service on the field. The captains have nothing to say in the matter. All they can do is to appeal to the umpire, and abide by his decision.

GAMES STOPPED BY RAIN.

Rule 55 the umpire is prohibited from suspending play in a match game on account of rain, unless "_rain falls so heavily that the spectators are compelled by the severity of the storm_, to seek shelter." If the rain is light, or an ordinary drizzle, it is not sufficient to legalize the suspension of the play.

THE CAPTAIN ONLY CAN ADDRESS THE UMPIRE.

Rules 53 and 57 are explicit in prohibiting any player, except the captain of the nine, from addressing the umpire in regard to any decision he may make; and even the captain can only do so in the case of a question involving an error in misinterpreting the rules. If the decision disputed involves only an error of judgment, even the captain has no right to question the decision. In every case of a violation of this rule, the umpire must fine the offender _five dollars_, or he himself be liable to immediate dismissal for violating the rules.

BATSMEN CHANGING POSITION.

Last season a custom came into vogue which virtually violated Section V of Rule 43. It was the habit some batsmen had of jumping from one batting position to the other just as the pitcher was about to deliver the ball to the bat, this act virtually hindering the catcher from properly fielding the pitched ball. While no rule should prevent a batsman from batting from either the left or the right batting position at his option it certainly was never intended to allow the change to be made while play was in progress: and it therefore becomes the duty of the umpire to interpret this rule according to its spirit, and to regard the action of a batsman in jumping from one position to the other while the ball is in play from pitcher to catcher as hindering the catcher, and in such case he should declare him out.

INTERFERING WITH A BATTED OR THROWN BALL.

Rule 48 prohibits a base runner from interfering with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball. The runner has no right to the line of the base when a fielder is occupying it in the effort to catch a fly ball, or to field a batted ball; nor can a base runner make any attempt to hinder or obstruct a fielder from fielding a thrown ball without his being promptly decided out. In all cases the base runner must run off the line of the bases to avoid interfering with a fielder standing on the line of the bases to field a batted ball. Section VIII of Rule 28 says, "_Or intentionally interferes with a thrown ball_," and the intention is judged by his effort to avoid interference or not.

PASSED BALLS WHICH GIVE A BASE.

Rule 46, Section IV., states that in the case of a pitched ball which passes the catcher and then touches the umpire; or if such passed ball touches any fence or building within ninety feet of the home base, the runner is entitled to one base without being put out, and can of course take more at his own risk.

OVERRUNNING FIRST BASE.