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 circ.u.mstances 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 "b.a.l.l.s" be called upon the batsman who is out of his order of batting, such strikes and b.a.l.l.s 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 b.a.l.l.s.

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 ent.i.tled 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 ent.i.tled 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 ent.i.tled 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 ent.i.tled 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 b.a.l.l.s.

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 subst.i.tuting 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.

Pa.s.sED b.a.l.l.s WHICH GIVE A BASE.

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

OVERRUNNING FIRST BASE.

The base runner, in running to first base, is only exempt from being touched out after overrunning the base, when he turns to the right after overrunning the base. If he crosses the foul line after overrunning, toward second base, that is tantamount to turning to the left, but so long as he is on foul ground after overrunning the base, it is immaterial whether he turns to the left or to the right. The leaving foul ground in overrunning decides the point against him. It is best, however, always to turn to the right in returning.

DOUBTFUL DECISIONS IN FAVOR OF THE BATTING SIDE.

The rules expressly make a distinction in favor of the batting side in all cases where there is any doubt as to the player being fairly out.

Especially is this the case in the case of the batsman's being put out at first base, for Section IV. of Rule 48 requires the ball to be securely held by the base player "_before_" the runner touches the base in order to put him out, and the rub applies to the touching out of all base runners on bases; the words being "_before_" the runner reaches the base, if at the same time, he--the runner--is not out. Time and again were base runners unfairly decided out last season in cases where the ball was held by the base player simultaneously with the runner's touching the base, every such decision being illegal.

In regard to the umpire's enforcement of Rule 48, President Young says, "Too many base runners are decided out when the ball is held by the base player simultaneously with the runner's reaching the base, which decisions are illegal." If umpires will strictly enforce the rule it will greatly increase the chances for base running and team work at the bat.

Mr. Byrne, of the Joint Rules Committee, in joining with Mr. Young in having this rule enforced, says: "We are doing all we can to encourage base stealing and a proper attention to the rule, by more frequently deciding men safe at first, as it will add interest to the game. I believe, too, that it would be wise in all cases of decision on first base points for the Umpire to give the base runner the benefit of the doubt."

BATTED b.a.l.l.s. .h.i.tTING THE BASES.

Since the first and third bases were placed entirely on fair ground and within the foul lines, every batted ball touching either the first or third base bag, must be declared a fair ball no matter where it strikes after touching either bag. It would be better to have the bags in question on foul ground, so as to make every batted ball foul that strikes them; but until this is done, all such batted b.a.l.l.s must be declared fair.

COACHERS MUST KEEP WITHIN THEIR LINES.