Spalding's Baseball Guide And Official League Book For 1889 Part 16

BALKING.

RULE 32. A Balk is

SEC. 1. Any motion made by the Pitcher to deliver the ball to the bat without delivering it, and shall be held to include any and every accustomed motion with the hands, arms or feet, or position of the body a.s.sumed by the Pitcher in his delivery of the ball, and any motion calculated to deceive a base runner, except the ball be accidentally dropped.

SEC. 2. The holding of the ball by the Pitcher so long as to delay the game unnecessarily; or

SEC. 3. Any motion to deliver the ball, or the delivering the ball to the bat by the Pitcher when any part of his person is upon ground outside of the lines of his position, including all preliminary motions with the hands, arms and feet.

DEAD b.a.l.l.s.

RULE 33. A Dead Ball is a ball delivered to the bat by the Pitcher that touches the Batsman's bat without being struck at, or any part of the Batsman's person or clothing while standing in his position without being struck at; or any part of the Umpire's person or clothing, while on foul ground, without first pa.s.sing the Catcher.

RULE 34. In case of a Foul Strike, Foul Hit ball not legally caught out, Dead Ball, or Base Runner put out for being struck by a fair hit ball, the ball shall not be considered in play until it is held by the Pitcher standing in his position.

BLOCK b.a.l.l.s.

RULE 35. SEC. 1. A Block is a batted or thrown ball that is stopped or handled by any person not engaged in the game.

SEC. 2. Whenever a Block occurs the Umpire shall declare it, and Base Runners may run the bases, without being put out, until the ball has been returned to and held by the Pitcher standing in his position.

SEC. 3. In the case of a Block, if the person not engaged in the game should retain possession of the ball, or throw or kick it beyond the reach of the Fielders, the Umpire should call "Time," and require each base runner to stop at the last base touched by him until the ball be returned to the Pitcher standing in his position.

THE SCORING OF RUNS.

RULE 36. One Run shall be scored every time a Base Runner, after having legally touched the first three bases, shall touch the Home Base before three men are put out. If the third man is forced out, or is put out before reaching First Base, a run shall not be scored.

THE BATTING RULES.

RULE 37. A Fair Hit is a ball batted by the batsman, standing in his position, that first touches the ground, the First Base, the Third Base, any part of the person of a player, Umpire, or any other object that is in front of or on either of the Foul Lines, or batted directly to the ground by the Batsman, standing in his position, that (whether it first touches Foul or Fair Ground) bounds or rolls within the Foul Lines, between Home and First, or Home and Third Bases, without interference by a player.

RULE 38. A Foul Hit is a ball batted by the Batsman, standing in his position, that first touches the ground, any part of the person of a player, or any other object that is behind either of the Foul Lines, or that strikes the person of such Batsman, while standing in his position, or batted directly to the ground by the Batsman, standing in his position, that (whether it first touches Foul or Fair Ground) bounds or rolls outside the Foul Lines, between Home and First or Home and Third Bases, without interference by a player. Provided, that a Foul Hit not rising above the Batsman's head and caught by the Catcher playing within ten feet of the Home Base, shall be termed a Foul Tip.

b.a.l.l.s BATTED OUTSIDE THE GROUNDS.

RULE 39. When a batted ball pa.s.ses outside the grounds, the Umpire shall decide it Fair should it disappear within, or Foul should it disappear outside of the range of the Foul Lines, and Rules 37 and 38 are to be construed accordingly.

RULE 40. A Fair batted ball that goes over the fence at a less distance than two hundred and ten feet from Home Base shall ent.i.tle the Batsman to two bases and a distinctive line shall be marked on the fence at this point.

STRIKES.

RULE 41. A Strike is

SEC. 1. A ball struck at by the Batsman without its touching his bat; or

SEC. 2. A fair ball, legally delivered by the Pitcher, but not struck at by the Batsman.

SEC. 3. Any obvious attempt to make a foul hit.

RULE 42. A foul strike is a ball batted by the Batsman when any part of his person is upon ground outside the lines of the Batsman's position.

THE BATSMAN IS OUT.

RULE 43. The Batsman is out:

SEC. 1. If he fails to take his position at the bat in his order of batting, unless the error be discovered and the proper Batsman takes his position before a fair hit has been made, and in such case the b.a.l.l.s and strikes called must be counted in the time at bat of the proper Batsman: _Provided_, this rule shall not take effect unless _the out_ is declared before the ball is delivered to the succeeding Batsman.

SEC. 2. If he fails to take his position within one minute after the Umpire has called for the Batsman.

SEC. 3. If he makes a foul hit, other than a foul tip as defined in Rule 38 and the ball be momentarily held by a Fielder before touching the ground, provided it be not caught in a Fielder's hat or cap, or touch some object other than a Fielder before being caught.

SEC. 4. If he makes a foul strike.

SEC. 5. If he attempts to hinder the Catcher from fielding the ball, evidently without effort to make a fair hit.

SEC. 6. If, while the first base be occupied by a base runner, three strikes be called on him by the Umpire, except when two men are already out.

SEC. 7. If, while making the third strike, the ball hits his person or clothing.

SEC. 8. If, after two strikes have been called, the Batsman obviously attempts to make a foul hit, as in Section 3, Rule 41.

BASE RUNNING RULES.

WHEN THE BATSMAN BECOMES A BASE RUNNER.

RULE 44. The Batsman becomes a Base Runner:

SEC. 1. Instantly after he makes a fair hit.

SEC. 2. Instantly after four b.a.l.l.s have been called by the Umpire.

SEC. 3. Instantly after three strikes have been declared by the Umpire.

SEC. 4. If, while he be a Batsman, his person or clothing be hit by a ball from the pitcher, unless--in the opinion of the Umpire--he intentionally permits himself to be so hit.

SEC. 5. Instantly after an illegal delivery of a ball by the pitcher.

BASES TO BE TOUCHED.

RULE 45. The Base Runner must touch each Base in regular order, viz.: First, Second, Third and Home Bases; and when obliged to return (except on a foul hit) must retouch the base or bases in reverse order. He shall only be considered as holding a base after touching it, and shall then be ent.i.tled to hold such base until he has legally touched the next base in order, or has been legally forced to vacate it for a succeeding Base Runner.

ENt.i.tLED TO BASES.

RULE 46. The Base Runner shall be ent.i.tled, without being put out, to take one Base in the following cases:

SEC. 1. If, while he was Batsman, the Umpire called four b.a.l.l.s.

SEC. 2. If the Umpire awards a succeeding Batsman a base on four b.a.l.l.s, or for being hit with a pitched ball, or in case of an illegal delivery-- as in Rule 44, Sec. 5--and the Base Runner is thereby forced to vacate the base held by him.