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Of special Interest to Every Fan
SPALDING BASE BALL ANNUALS
Spalding OfBcial Base Ball Guide
While the Guide is too well known to necessitate a
detailed description of its contents, the publishers
would call the attention of fans to its value as a cur-
rent history of the game, in addition to its most impor-
tant function, namely, the official publication of the
rules. Owners of Spalding Guides of former years
value them as priceless and back numbers are almost
impossible to obtain. It is well, therefore, to get a
copy early each year, to avoid disappointment. Where
copies of the Guide cannot be obtained, the publishers
would esteem it a favor to be notified of such cases.
Price 10 cents.
Spalding Official Base Ball Record
From four hundred to five hundred pages of base
ball "dope" each year that is simply invaluable and
unobtainable anywhere else. Published always in
January. Every fan needs this book if he would keep
in touch with the records of players and teams. The
contents include a short history of the game day by
day, all the major and minor league yearly statistics,
world series records back to the first of the contests,
diagrams of the pennant race week by week in each
major and minor league, previous winners in each,
detailed records of the players on championship teams
each season, list of ".400" and ".300" batters since the
start of organized base ball, best-on-record in various
departments and unusual occurrences, hall of fame in
National and American Leagues, pictures of world
series contestants and champion teams of the previous
season, and much other information. College base ball
records, reviews, schedules and pictures form an addi-
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Spalding Official Athletic Almanac
Many base ball fans are interested in track and field
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Base Ball Record is in the national game. All the rec-
ords that have been accepted as official by the Amateur
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giate A.A.A.A. are given, together with records of
important events, past and present holders of cham-
pionships, and other information that can be obtained
only in the Almanac. It is profusely illustrated with
pictures of athletes and athletic events. Published
annually in January. Price 25 cents.
THREE NEW SPALDING BOOKS ON
BASE BALL
How to Play First Base
By Hal Chase. One does not have to be a first base-
man, or even a player, in order to appreciate this book.
The duties of the guardian of the initial sack are set
forth clearly and to the point. Those who think of
the first baseman as merely a receiver of good and
bad throws will find that the position is one that
requires mental alertness as well as physical, and cer-
tainly no one is a greater exponent of the possibilities
that the position presents than the author. Illustrated
with pictures of prominent first basemen and several
diagrams. Price 10 cents.
How to Play Second Base
By John J. Evers. Second base is well called the
"keystone" of the diamond and no one is associated
more with the position in the minds of the fans than
the author. To think of second base is to think of
Evers, and no one can deny "Johnnie" Evers' ability
to think for himself — and think rapidly. In this book
he g-ives many ideas from which a thinking second
baseman can profit, and, in addition, several pictorial
diagrams illustrate the more frequent plays in which
a second baseman figures. Illustrated. Price 10 cents.
How to Play Shortstop
By Arthur Fletcher. In keeping with the other
books of this series, "How to Play Shortstop" tells the
player who would excel in this most difficult position
the methods that should be pursued. In addition to
being closely allied with second base work, the short-
stop has his own particular sphere of action, and to
explain and enlighten the young player on the duties
of the position is the object of this book. Illustrated
with picture diagrams of plays in which the shortstop
participates and photos of prominent players. Price
10 cents.
BILLY EVANS.
Spalding "Red Cover*' Series of
Athletic Handbooks
No. 75R
HOW
TO UMPIRE
INCLUDING
"KNOTTY PROBLEMS"
BILLY EVANS
published by
n AMERICAN SPORTS PUBLISHING
hi bri COMPANY .
— I LJ I— J 45 Rose Street, New York City /— ' ^
Copyright, 1917, by American Sports Publishing Company,
ID
In Peace or War — ^
"Keep Up Sport ''
o
To Athletic Sport— Base
Ball in particular— can
be attributed the love of
fair play and self-reliance
that caused our Amer-
ican youth to respond
so nobly and; unselfishly
when diity called.
JUL 31 !3i7
Contents page
Publishers' Note 5
The Fans' Question Box 6
Preface 7
The Single Umpire System 8
The Double Umpire System 13
The Double Umpire System in the American League 17
Methods of Conducting a Ball Game 19
Offenses That Merit Punishment 23
Looking After the Minor Details 25
Don'ts for Umpires 26
Umpires Are Human After All 30
The Fan and the Umpire 33
Explaining Much Discussed Infield Fly Z7
Mixing Common Sense with the Rules 40
Nice for Majors — How About Others? 43
The Toughest Decision I Ever Made 45
Interference Rule Should Be Changed 48
The Batsman and the Balk 50
Play That Always Creates a Dispute 52
The Introduction of a Pinch Hitter 55
Rules Don't Cover Freak Possibility 57
Play That Always Starts an Argument 60
PAGE
A Freak Batting-Out-of -Order Play 63
Star Players Easy to Handle 66
The Umpire, Base Ball's Greatest Alibi 71
Home Run Rule Needs Revision *17
Legality of This Run is Questioned 81
Correct Ruling That Was Nearly Fatal 84
The Base-Runner and His Rights 87
The Majors Differ On This Play 89
Balk Rule is a Trouble Maker 92
Three Similar Plays — Different Rulings 94
Knotty Problems 97
Knotty Problems Relative to Batting 97
Knotty Problems Relative to the Base-Runner.. 113
Knotty Problems Relative to Pitching 128
Knotty Problems Relative to Umpire 132
Miscellaneous Knotty Problems 136
Index to Knotty Problems 150
Umpire's Equipment Very Important 148
Publishers' Note
When the publishers asked Mr. Evans to write a book
on Umpiring, they did not expect an encyclopedia, but
that is what it might well be called. Mr. Evans has gone
into the matter of "How to Umpire" most conscien-
tiously, explaining every point, and his instructions, if
carefully followed, will enable the reader not only to
become familiar with the duties of the most arduous and
thankless position on the ball field but at the same time
earn for the one who knows — and knows he knows — the
respect of even the most rabid partisan.
Mr. Evans' ability as an arbiter and executive is famil-
iar to every follower of base ball, and now this book,
which will be a standard authority for years to come,
furnishes another interesting sidelight on his versatility.
American Sports Publishing Company.
The Fans' Question Box
The editor of Spalding's Official Base
Ball Guide, Mr. John B. Foster, secretary
of the New York National League base
ball club, each year, in the Guide, offers
to answer by mail questions relating to
interpretations of the playing rules. iVll
fans who submit questions should
enclose a self-addressed, stamped enve-
lope for reply, and address the inquiry to
Mr. John B. Foster, Editor Spalding's
Official Base Ball Guide, 45 Rose Street,
New York City.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Preface
Umpiring is a mixture of good eyesight, to which
you must add plenty of common sense, an abundance
of nerve, a dash of aggressiveness and a thorough knowl-
edge of the rules. Good eyesight is, of course, most
essential. To make the proper use of superior sight,
the umpire must figure on being in the proper place when
the play is completed. In order to do this he must draw
on his source of common sense and good judgment, and
figure out the correct angle at which to judge the plays.
He must be the boss of the game. He must impress
this feature on the players in a manner peculiar to him-
self. Few umpires would handle a complex situation
in exactly the same manner. A thorough knowledge of
the rules is most necessary, because a lack of the same
will quickly destroy confidence. One is never so
wise at the game but he can learn something new. I
am constantly getting new views and opinions because
of my close association with the game's leading umpires.
Many of the chapters herein have been inspired by dis-
cussions with the game's best authorities. The book aims
to give the beginner every bit of knowledge he needs ;
it aims to perhaps give the veteran a new angle to some
intricate situations. The player who reads it is certain
to get many new views and facts. The fan who reads
it will get a new angle to which he perhaps never gave
much consideration, the difficulties that beset the umpire.
Billy Evans.
8 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
The Single Umpire System
Umpiring a ball game alone is a most difficult propo-
sition. The major leagues as well as some of the faster
minor leagues are of the belief that it is too arduous a
task for one man and are using the double umpire sys-
tem. In most of the minor leagues of a smaller classi-
fication, the double umpire system, because of the extra
expense, is too great a luxury. Hence, in perhaps a big
majority of the games played annually only one official
is used. Such being the case, I will give my impressions
of the best methods to pursue when umpiring a ball game
alone.
The system of working entirely alone from back of
the pitcher is now practically obsolete, although in ama-
teur games where the umpire has no paraphernalia to
protect him, he is really forced to assume such a posi-
tion. My observation will be based on the theory that
the umpire in charge has the proper equipment.
At the start of the game the umpire should assume
a positioii back of the catcher. The style of position
varies with the different major league umpires, so that
it is a hard matter to state an exact position. I favor
working about a foot or a foot and a half directly back
of the catcher. The height of my position depends en-
tirely on the attitude of the catcher. I make it a point to
try and be just a trifle taller than the catcher, as he sets
himself to receive each pitch. Such a style necessitates
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 9
that you continually shift positions to suit the actions of
the catcher. I favor such a system because it enables
one to constantly keep the ball in sight, a very essential
feature. It also affords the umpire considerable protec-
tion, since to a large extent he fortifies himself behind
the catcher. I am also of the opinion that in crouching
with the catcher on each delivery, the umpire is in a
much better position to correctly judge the low ball, ad-
mittedly one of the most difficult tasks that confront
the umpire. When I first came to the majors, I worked
from an upright position at all times, and never shifted
at all. That is a system some of the leading umpires
still pursue, but I have been won over to the system I
have just described. I feel that it is vastly superior.
Umpires small of stature, who have trouble working
directly behind the catcher, are often forced to work just
outside or inside of the position assumed by the back-
stop, particularly if he is a big fellow. There are some
umpires who prefer working not over six inches back of
the catcher, while I favor from twelve to eighteen inches
away. I like such a scheme, because there is small likeli-
hood of ever coming into contact with the receiver and
offering an alibi for something that didn't turn out all
right.
Getting over the plays is a most valuable asset to
an umpire. It enables him to be excused for what often
appears to be a mistake, because he has made it apparent
that he is trying. Thus from a position back of the
catcher, taken at the start of the game, the umpire should
make it a point to follow closely each hit. If the batter
lo SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
hits the ball to the infield, the umpire should move into
the diamond perhaps half the way down the line and
assume a position about midway between the foul line
and the pitcher's box, so that he may view the play from
the proper angle. Also, in the case of an overthrow,
should the runner try for second, the umpire is in a
position to get right over the play, almost in advance of
the runner.
In case of a base-hit it is usually wise for the umpire
to cut into the infield much after the manner of an
infield hit, only that he should go farther into the in-
field. First, because he should shift back of the pitcher
the moment a runner gets on first, and, secondly, be-
cause he will be right in line for a decision at second
if the batter should try for two bases.
With a runner on first only, the umpire remains back
of the pitcher. There are various reasons for his so
doing. With a runner on first, the pitcher frequently
makes snap throws to that bag in an efifort to catch him.
An umpire would be almost helpless in trying to decide
that play from back of the catcher. In case the runner
tries to steal, once again he is in a perfect position to
get right over the play. Should there be a force at
second, a try for a double play, or a decision at first, he
is correctly positioned.
The moment a runner reaches second or third ; that is,
with men on first and second; first, second and third;
second and third, or on either one of the two last named
bases only, the umpire should work from back of the
catcher. In such cases with a run or runs in sight, a
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY ii
play is very apt to come up at the plate, which enables
him to be in the best possible position to judge it.
On sharply hit balls down the first or third base line,
the umpire when working back of the pitcher is at a great
disadvantage. His only hope is to move over toward the
foul line as quickly as possible. In fact, I believe that
the umpire should be up and doing, in action on every
play. It is just about as easy to move around as stand
still and is always far more satisfactory. At all times,
but when working alone in particular, the umpire should
never lose sight of the ball. If, with the double umpire
system one official falls from grace, the other one is al-
most certain to come to the rescue.
i
SHOWING POSITION OF FIELD UMPIRE WITH THREE ON BASES
Very often in base ball the umpire finds the following situation confronting
him: the bases are filled, and the score is such that the team in the field
figures it must make an effort to get the runner at the plate. Such an
action calls for the playing in close by the infield. The question that now
arises is what is the best position for the umpire to assume, in order to be
in the best possible situation to see any play that may arise. Since the
infield is in close, I have always believed it a wise move to shift back of
the infield. Since the desire is to make a hurried play, the umpire can in
no way interfere if he is back of the line of defense. Otherwise it is
always possible to use the umpire as an alibi, in case the defense fails, by
saying his presence interfered with the play. I have always believed a
position almpst directly back of the shortstop and runner as the best. Such
a position gives the umpire an excellent view of second and third, should
any play be made on a runner at either base, through the medium of a
snap throw from catcher or a throw from the pitcher. His view of plays
at first will not be quite so good, but by anticipating such plays and moving
in the direction of the play as made, the umpire can get an excellent view.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 13
The Double Umpire System
The double umpire system has done much to solve
the problem of running a ball game. One official admit-
tedly cannot always care for the situations that can arise
in a ball game. It would be necessary for said official
to have eyes in the back of his head, when two situa-
tions arise in directly opposite directions. For instance,
we will say a play is being made at first, and at the same
time the fielder at third interferes with the runner
rounding that base. It is impossible for one man to be
looking two places at the same time.
With the double umpire system, the man calling balls
and strikes is regarded as umpire-in-chief. He shall have
full charge of the game and be responsible for its proper
conduct. The American League is perhaps the only or-
ganization which pays little or no attention to the umpire-
in-chief theory. President Johnson places the two offi-
cials on the same equality, expects them to work together,
and follow a certain line of given instructions, which I
will detail under another chapter, entitled, "The Double
Umpire System in the American League."
It shall be the duty of the so-called umpire-in-chief to
call the balls and strikes. He must decide whether a
batted ball is fair or foul. He shall call the balks on the
pitcher. He shall rule on all batting-out-of-order plays.
He shall determine all interferences at the plate, whether
on the part of the catcher or batsman. He shall deter-
14 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
mine whether or not a batsman in running to first, stays
within the confines of his Hnes, or interferes with a play-
being made upon him. He shall determine all ground
rules that are necessary, and consult with the opposing
managers as to what rules shall cover the various
technicalities. If unable to have the managers agree, he
shall make an arbitrary rule.
The field umpire shall take up his position at first base.
His primary duty will be to pass judgment on all plays
that come up at first base. Just what is the best position
to assume is a matter that is hard to agree upon, as few
of the leading umpires have exactly the same style. The
principal thing for the field umpire to keep in mind is
that he always should be in a position where he will have
the ball constantly in sight. This eliminates any chance
for him to miss a play in which the ball is juggled or
dropped and almost instantly regained. When acting as
field umpire I always take up a position about fifteen or
twenty feet back of first base, and about three feet in
foul territory. I assume such a position simply to have
a working basis. A great many umpires work much
closer to the base. On balls hit to the second baseman
I change my position but slightly, because I am in a good
position to keep my eyes constantly on the ball. On balls
hit to third or short, I move up at the start of the play
until my position is perhaps six feet from first base, but
toward the home plate this time. This enables me to
always keep the play in front of me. If one stays behind
the first baseman on throws from third or short, he allows
the fielder to get between the runner and the ball, thereby
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 15
causing him to lose sight of it, a condition one always
should avoid.
Tommy Connolly, one of the game's greatest umpires,
always goes in on the diamond on all the plays that come
up at first. He is always in fair territory when giving
his rulings, while most umpires make their decision from
foul ground. Moving in on fair territory has the dis-
tinct advantage of always having the play directly in
front of you. The only disadvantage is that one is more
likely to be hit by a badly thrown ball, although during
liis long career such a thing has never happened to Mr.
Connolly.
The plate and the field umpire should always work in
perfect harmony to get the best results. They should
always make it a point to see that every possible chance
for a play is covered.
(i) With a runner on first, the plate umpire should
always run down to third, ready for a play on a ball hit
fair, whether a bunted ball, a tap to the infield, or a
base-hit. Very often on such plays the runner on first
attempts to advance to third. With a runner on third,
and more than one base occupied, the plate umpire shall
decide whether the runner on third leaves that base be-
fore a fly ball is caught. With only third base occupied,
it is the duty of the field umpire to handle such a play.
(2) When a runner is caught between third and home,
when more than one base is occupied, it is the duty of
the plate umpire to follow the play nearest the plate,
and render a decision, even though the out is finally made
at third base.
l6 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
(3) With more than one runner on the bases, and
a play comes up which causes one of the said runners
to round third for home, it is advisable for the plate um-
pire to observe the runner rounding third and see that
he is not interfered with.
(4) Very often on fly balls hit to the outfield, which
turn out to be difficult chances, it is hard for the plate
umpire in a great many cases to decide whether the ball
was legally caught or trapped. With the double umpire
system, the field umpire, who is much closer to the play,
should run out into the outfield if necessary, and by a
wave of the hand notify the plate umpire as to the legality
of the catch. The plate umpire in the meantime should
watch the base-runners, since the field umpire is in no
position to observe them.
(5) It shall be the duty of the plate umpire to rule on
all infield flies. It is up to him to determine whether
or not he believes they can be handled.
1. William G. Evans; 2. Fiaiik oLoughlin ; 'A. Gr^.rj;.- H il.iHltr.iiul : 4. WiUiaTii
Dineen; 5, C. B. Owens; 6, Thomas Connolly; 7, B. McCormick; 8, R. F.
Nallin; 9, George Moriarty.
AMERICAN LEAGUE UMPIRES.
1, Ernest C. Quigley; 2, William J. Klem; 3, A. L. Orth; 4, Charles Rigler;
5, Henry O'Day; 6, William J. Byron; 7, Robert D. Emslie.
NATIONAL LEAGUE UMPIRES.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 17
The Double Umpire System in the
American League
There is no umpire-in-chief in the American League
with two officials in charge of a game. The authority
of the two umpires is equal. According to the playing
code, only the umpire-in-chief has the right to forfeit
the game. In the American League either official has
the right and would be upheld by Mr. Johnson, although
the American League President dislikes the idea of for-
feiture and wants his men to refrain from so doing, if
it is possible to get around the situation in any other
way.
The double umpire system was inaugurated to do
away with many of the mistakes that occur with only
one man in charge of the game. It became apparent sev-
eral years ago that plays would get away from a single
official, but that such a thing would not likely occur
with two men officiating. It is still possible for an um-
pire to slip up on a play that comes under his particular
jurisdiction, but usually the other umpire in charge has
seen the happening. In relation to such particular hap-
penings the system used in the American League differs
greatly from that followed in most other organizations.
American League umpires when in doubt as to any play
that involves something other than a mere question of
judgment are instructed to request information from
their partner as to the point in dispute. In fact, the
i8 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
instruction is even more to the point, for Mr. Johnson
favors immediate assistance on such plays from the
umpire who reaHzes the other umpire is in error. I refer
particularly to plays that involve the dropping of a ball
or an interference. Very often an umpire will call a
runner out and then immediately turn his back on the
play. The ruling would have been the correct one had
the ball been held, but it so happens the fielder drops the
ball just as the official turns his back and is able to
recover same before the umpire can be apprised of the
error. Invariably the other official has seen the dropping
of the ball. In most leagues the umpire under whom
the play comes for a ruling stands pat on his first deci-
sion, because he failed to see that the ball was dropped.
The other umpire, because it is not his play, does not
interfere, even though he knows the ruling was absolutely
wrong. In the American League President Johnson
favors immediate assistance from the umpire who did see
the play and gives him the right to simply overrule the
original decision, or, if not, to inform the official who
made the ruling that the ball was dropped. The same
holds good on an interference play that is missed by the
umpire under whose jurisdiction such a play comes.
The American League executive favors cooperation at
all times between the two officials, when in doubt on plays
that involve conditions other than mere judgment. On
such plays he wants the umpire making the ruling to
stand pat. But when an outside condition enters into
the affair he wants the men to cooperate.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 19
Methods of Conducting a Ball Game
The successful umpire must be the master of every sit-
uation. He must rule firmly, but not necessarily with an
iron hand. He must instill confidence in the players over
whom he is presiding. That confidence can only be won
by demonstrating beyond a doubt that he has the proper
qualifications to umpire, nerve, good judgment, a knowl-
edge of the rules, and plenty of good common sense.
Once the player is firmly convinced that the official is
calling them without fear or favor, he will have won a
certain amount of respect that greatly tends to make his
work much easier.
The modern umpire is clothed with unlimited author-
ity, which is as it should be. However, it is a sad
mistake to make improper use of his best weapon. Some
officials go on the field seeking to immediately put into
action the wheels of authority which they control. Their
manner and style Is aggressive, their conduct such as
to show they are almost inviting trouble. Literally they
have a chip on their shoulder. To my mind that is
entirely the wrong system to pursue. One will find
enough trouble on the ball field without looking for it. It
will just naturally come. The longer one avoids trouble
by a display of diplomacy that in no way reflects on his
dignity, the more fortunate he can count himself.
There are some umpires who go on the ball field look-
ing as though they were on trial for their life. Every
120 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
feature is set, it is a serious proposition, they can see no
humor in any situation that may arise. Of some umpires
they do say that no one has ever seen them smile. I
regard the smile with much favor. I believe a smile and
a word of warning will go much farther with the average
player than a scowl coupled with a threat, provided
there is any gray matter lurking in said player's head.
Occasionally the umpire runs into an athlete who must
always hear the crack of the whip to be kept in line.
The successful umpire demands the respect of the
player, and in turn he should show proper respect to
the player, just so long as the conduct of the player
merits it. The umpire, because of his unlimited author-
ity, should not address a player in terms which would
cause the player to be ejected from the game if he so
addressed the umpire. That is taking an unfair advan-
tage. In some cases, instead of putting a player out
of the game, I have slipped him a line of talk flavored
with tabasco and let him remain, because I believed the
offense was equal. That is not the desired system, nor
the proper system, but occasionally it affords the umpire
more satisfaction than the mere ejection of the player
from the game. The proper way to meet such situations
is never to place yourself on the same basis as the player.
Instead of replying in like terms, let him do the raving,
and you remain silent. It is the ideal system, but as I
have said, every now and then it is impossible to follow
it, as the umpire is only human after all.
Every umpire has his strenuous afternoons when
everything goes wrong. It is best to try to forget them.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 21
If you constantly worry, you had better quit. Try to
start every game with a clean slate. When the day is
over leave the troubles of the afternoon in the dressing
room. One cannot be vindictive and be a good umpire,
as it is bound to seriously affect his work. Work on the
theory that every player is a gentleman, accord him the
treatment he deserves until he demonstrates to you that
he is a rowdy, then in a gentlemanly way, if such a thing
is possible, handle him a bit rougher than he is trying
to handle you. If you seek respect, you must give a like
amount.
SHOWING POSITION OF FIELD UMPIRE WITH RUNNER
ON THIRD
With a runner on third and less than two out, what is the best position
for the field umpire? It becomes his duty with only one man on, to see
that the runner holds his base, before trying to advance on a fly ball that
is caught. In such cases, it is the consensus of opinion of most umpires
that the best position is to stand 6 to 8 feet back of third base and about
a foot in foul territory. This gives the umpire a perfect view of any play
that might be made on the runner at third. The moment a fly ball is hit
the umpire should move up to third, and so position himself that he is on
a line with the player making the catch and has the runner before him.
In case a ball is hit to an infielder and a. play is being made at first, all
he need do is cut in on the infield and get as close as possible.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 23
Offenses That Merit Punishment
I am often asked what causes this or that player's ejec-
tion from the game. The fans see the disputes but sel-
dom hear what is said, hence the reason for wanting
to know just how the umpire reaches a conclusion when
he puts a player out of the game. That is indeed a diffi-
cult question to answer. The successful umpire must
be an excellent judge of human nature, and he must make
an even more careful study of the players' disposition
than a pitcher does of a batter's weakness. Thus what
may mean ejection from the game for a certain player,
might merely result in a reprimand for some other
athlete.
It is an excellent thing for the umpire not to hear
too much on the ball field. By making it appear that
he has not heard certain things, he can escape situa-
tions in a graceful manner that might otherwise turn out
to be serious affairs. The late Jack Sheridan once said
to me : "An umpire's success is in a large measure deter-
mined by his ability to hear the things he should hear,
and see only the things he should see." I have on many
occasions found that to be a most valuable bit of advice.
I figure that an umpire must be guided by existing con-
ditions in a great many cases. It is possible for him to
overlook an exchange of words with some player, if there
is no one within hearing. The same remark, if overheard
by a visiting player, would mean that the umpire in order
24 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
to maintain discipline, would be forced to put the player
out of the game. That is merely an instance of what
Sheridan meant, when he said an umpire should hear
only those things he should hear.
The umpire does not care to be shown up before the
crowd. In no way can a player bring more ridicule on an
official than by his actions. It doesn't take much on the
part of the player to arouse the wrath of the crowd. A
shake of the head, the stepping out of the batter's box, or
any one of a score of things, can in an unmistakable way
call the attention of the crowd to the fact that the player
doesn't look on the ruling with favor. Such actions are
seriously objected to by any umpire. No official will
resent an argument properly presented, and no official
will resent a player's opinion that he has missed a play,
if he so complains by word of mouth. It is the player
who seeks to alibi by some grand stand play that gets
the umpire peeved.
In this connection there are a number of stunts which
most umpires regard as sufficient cause to eject the player
from the game. The throwing of a glove high in the air
after a decision that displeases is almost certain to draw
the gate, unless it escaped the umpire's attention. As
Umpire Bill Byron once facetiously remarked, the balls
were made to be thrown and the gloves worn. The grab-
bing or shoving of an official after a decision that does
not meet with approval, is another stunt not regarded
with favor. These are but a few of the many grand
stand stunts that do not meet with umpirical favor.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 25
Looking After the Minor Details
Prior to starting play on any grounds the umpire should
carefully survey his field and note any peculiarities of
same. If there are any features about the field that
might cause a dispute, the umpire should get the two
managers together and arrange details which would cover
any situation that may arise. In a great many cases the
reason for getting a ground rule on a certain feature may
seem trivial, yet a game often hinges on such a techni-
cality, and if the official has no definite working basis,
he is bound to find himself in serious trouble.
I am often asked what attention is paid to the coacher.
I have always believed that pepper and enthusiasm by the
coacher adds much to the life of the game. For that
reason I always let the coacher go the limit, just so long
as he confines himself to talking to the batter or base-
runner and pays no attention to the opposition. The
moment he tries to annoy the opposition he is either
silenced or sent back to the bench.
The umpire should make it a point to appear on the
field in neat attire. The umpire who goes on the field
without paying attention to his personal appearance at
once creates the impression that his work will not be
unlike his appearance. He should avoid getting into
arguments whenever possible, either with player or spec-
tator, because someone must lose an argument, and if
you avoid them, there is never a chance of getting the
wrong end of the decision.
26 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Don'ts for Umpires
Don't go on the ball field with a chip on your shoulder.
You will find plenty of trouble without looking for it.
Umpires hate to lose arguments. Therefore, avoid
them whenever possible, and you greatly decrease your
chance of losing.
Never enter into debates with the spectators. Un-
fortunately for the umpire, the base ball fan seems to
have the divine right to say what he pleases and the
easiest way out is to pay no attention.
No umpire will for a minute stand for a ball player
showing him up on the field. Likewise, no umpire,
because he has the authority, should hold the player up
to ridicule without just cause.
Spectators like to see the regular lineup in action. The
ejection of several players from the game usually robs it
of much of its interest. Always try to give the specta-
tors a run for their money, if it is possible to do so,
and still maintain the dignity of your position.
It is often possible to escape trouble by not seeing some
of the things you shouldn't see, and giving the impression
that you didn't hear some of the things that you shouldn't
have heard.
A smile and a kind word often works to far greater
advantage than a frown and sarcasm. A lot of umpires
go on the field wearing the look of a man about to go to
the electric chair.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 27
Always maintain strict discipline, but don't do it in
such a way that you create the impression that you are a
slave driver, and all others must dance to the crack of
your whip.
Never lose sight of the ball. If you know where it is
at all times, you are not going to lose very many plays.
It is worse for someone to pull the hidden ball trick
and the umpire not to see it, than it is for the player who
has been trapped.
Don't turn your head and look the other way after you
have given a decision. A lot of things can happen while
you are looking in the opposite direction.
Show a little "pepper" in your work. If the umpire
is always on the alert, the players invariably get the
spirit. If the umpire is content to have the game drag,
the players seldom offer any objection.
There are always two ways of doing things on the ball
field — the right and wrong way — and invariably the right
way proves by far the easiest.
Impress the players that you are the boss, that you
intend to run the game with a firm hand, and they will
let you run it. Give them the notion that you can be
swayed, and they will literally run you out of the game.
A lot of people say umpires are not human. They are
wrong. It is human to err, and umpires err. If they
made as many mistakes as most fans insist they do, they
would indeed be very human.
After having made what appears to be a mistake, and
it so happens the next decision favors the team against
whom the mistake was made, a lot of foolish fans say,
28 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
the umpire is simply evening up things. That is all
wrong. No umpire who ever succeeded for a minute
adopted such a policy. It is bad enough to have made
the first mistake, to even up simply adds another blunder.
All umpires are honest. If you have the slightest
doubt about it, make it a point to question the honesty
of an official some day after he has been through a
strenuous contest.
Don't render your decisions too quickly. Nothing
makes an umpire look worse than to render a decision
before the play is completed, even though he is right.
Often something happens that makes the umpire wish he
had not figured the play in advance.
A good appearance always creates a pleasing first
impression. Most umpires who are so slovenly in their
dress, show a similar inclination in their work.
Never allow a coacher to call plays before you decide
them. If you happen to decide his way, the opposition
will insist he is getting to you first. Usually a word to
the coacher that you will do the umpiring, and that all
he is required to do is coach, will end the trouble. If
diplomacy fails to settle the case, there is always room
on the bench or in the clubhouse for one more.
Make it a point to start your games promptly on time.
The public likes it and the public must be pleased. Any
time you start late, you are beginning the day with a
mistake. The fewer mistakes you make, the better
umpire you are supposed to be.
Make it a point to treat every ball player like a gentle-
man. If you should find certain players don't conform
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 29
to that standard, treat them otherwise. If certain players
try to make Hfe miserable to you, your only salvation is
to make it more miserable for them.
Always make it a point to be on top of a play. If you
are right over the play and miss it, you are far more
liable to get away with such a decision than if you never
moved, and gave the play while standing fifteen or twenty
feet away.
An umpire must use consideration and common sense
in running a ball game. If he ejected a player every time
he had cause, few contests would go the required nine
innings. In the heat of battle players often do and say
things they do not mean, and often it is possible to over-
look some infractions of this sort, without an injurious
effect.
30 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Umpires Are Human After All
Umpires are human, despite all assertions to the con-
trary. Apparently a great many people believe that the
men who give the decisions on the diamond are composed
of some strange substance — possibly mineral or vegetable
or animal substance, but certainly not a human one. I
once met a young lady who, upon hearing that I was an
umpire, seemed greatly surprised to learn that I had a
father and mother and sisters and brothers ; that I lived
in a house; ate real food; was married — in short that I
was a human being, able to love and hate, and if stuck
with a pin would very likely say "ouch!" or something
worse.
Each day when the umpire steps on the ball field he
has eighteen active athletes arrayed against him, as well
as two live managers, and an imposing bunch of bench
warmers. There is also the crowd to be considered, for
as a rule the majority of those present agree with the
umpire only when he renders a decision that is in favor
of the home team. Several years ago a very fair minded
fan asked me this rather pertinent question :
"When you go on the ball field, who do you try to
please, and what effects do the kicks of the players and
the ravings of the crowd have on you?'*
"When I go on the field I try to satisfy myself," I
replied. "I give the plays just as I see them, without
fear or favor. When I satisfy myself I feel that I have
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 31
umpired a good game. Often I leave the game anything
but pleased with my work, for I often realize too late
that I have erred. Frequently I have umpired the very
best of ball, and still been severely criticised for rulings
which I knew were absolutely correct. If an umpire
catered to each player and gave the crowd the slightest
consideration in the rendering of decisions, he would be
in the madhouse inside of a month. The most pleasant
part of a ball game to me is when the last man is retired
in the ninth and the crowd files peacefully out and no
one blames the umpire for the defeat."
Despite the fact that umpiring is considered a difficult
position to fill with satisfaction, it is surprising the num-
ber of people who are willing to take a chance. In the
winter time, when the stove leagues are in session, is
when the umpire crop is most plentiful. When the snow
is on the ground, the heads of the majors and minors
are flooded with applications from men anxious to prove
what a great mistake is being made in keeping them out
of the big show. By spring, when the season is ready
to start, many lose their desire to try to satisfy fandom
and decide to stick to their winter job. By July the heat
of the sun and the withering sarcasm of the fan usually
has burned up the crop and officials are eagerly sought.
Several years ago an enthusiastic young umpire
dropped into my dressing room at the Chicago grounds.
He wanted to get a job in a minor league. A few min-
utes later a well known minor league president dropped
in to see me. I introduced the umpire to the president.
"I can use a good umpire," said the president, "but I
32 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
can't afford to pay much money, as my league is an easy
one for the umpires. All you have to do is to satisfy
the players, managers, club owners, public and the press,
and you won't have any trouble holding your job." Fol-
lowing my suggestions, the young umpire declined the
job. It was too easy.
''I wouldn't hold down your job for all the money in
the world," is an expression that every umpire hears hun-
dreds of times a year. But most umpires are perfectly
content to work for a very small portion of the world's
"mazuma." Most people regard them as a necessary
evil. However, I think they are very necessary, and if
you ever watched an important game that was umpired
by a couple of players, you will agree with me. And
most umpires are satisfied with their lot. I with mine.
I hope to be a big leaguer for many years to come.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 33
* The Fan and the Umpire
"Your job would never suit me," remarked an acquaint-
ance of mine as he stepped into our dressing room
one afternoon last summer. The game had been a bitter
extra inning battle, which the home team had lost because
of a close decision at the plate. Throughout the game
all of the close plays seemed to break against the home
club, and several peculiar plays came up which created
considerable argument. To make matters worse, the
fans, not familiar with the facts, roared. "I couldn't
stand to be abused when I knew I was right," added
the friend. My partner had just explained the reasons
for deciding several of the plays as we did. *T am sure
there would be less criticism if every fan at some time
would be unfortunate enough to have to officiate as
umpire in some important game," remarked the fan after
he had listened to the explanation. I had to laugh, for
it was an opinion I had long entertained.
It is to be regretted that every fan cannot at some
time act as umpire in a ball game of some importance.
A game in which there would be keen rivalry, and the
outcome of great importance to both teams, would be
the best to educate the fan in the troubles of the arbi-
trator. It would be a good thing if every umpire would
occasionally attend an important game as a spectator.
^The experience would prove especially beneficial if the
umpire as a spectator, should pull strongly for one of the
34 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
clubs to win and see the chances of his favorites killed
time after time because of some adverse decision by the
umpire. This would give the fan a chance to get all the
thrills that come to an umpire in a big game, and it would
give the umpire a chance to understand why the fans
rave when one close decision after another is given
against the favorite.
I never really appreciated the position of the fan until
the fall of 191 1 when in the role of writer I saw the
world series between the Athletics and the Giants.
While I refrained from rooting like a dyed-in-the-wool
fan, decision after decision came up that first made the
Athletic fans tear their hair and the next moment made
the Giant rooters rave like madmen.
Plays look different from a position in the grand
stand. One play after another came up in the world
series that looked one way from a seat in the grand stand,
while the umpire ruled just the opposite. Many of the
plays would have figured prominently in the run-getting
had they been decided differently. Is it any wonder that
fans raved when the official gave decision after decision
opposite to the way the play looked to them and against
their favorites.
I realized things were taking place on the ball field
with which the people in the stands were not familiar.
From my experience as an umpire, I knew some little
things that could not be discerned from the grand stand
were the deciding factors in the rulings. I knew the
umpires must be right and the spectators wrong from
the attitude assumed by the players. After each game
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 35
I went downtown with the umpires and was enlightened
on the plays that had looked doubtful to me as a spec-
tator. On a certain play in which the runner appeared
to be an easy out the fielder had failed to touch him.
On another play, when it seemed as if the base-runner
had been successful in stealing a base, it developed he
would have been, had he not overslid and been touched
out before he could recover the bag. On a third play,
where it seemed as if the batter was an easy out at
first, it was explained the throw had pulled the first
baseman just off the bag. In every case some little factor
that was not noticed by the spectators proved to be the
deciding point. Unfortunately, the umpires have no way
of explaining these things to the fans as they did to me.
If there was some way in which the spectators could be
informed as to what really happened on the field, much
less abuse would be handed the umpire.
SHOWING POSITION OF FIELD UMPIRE WITH RUNNERS ON
FIRST AND THIRD
With runners on first and third and the infield playing half way, assume a
position about forty feet back of the pitcher, and about six feet to his left.
An attempted theft of second, to draw a throw that may offer a chance for
the runner to score from third, is the play the umpire must anticipate. On
tliis play the second baseman cuts in to cut off the throw and make a play
at the plate. If he sees the man on third does not intend to try to go
home, he lets the throw go through. It then becomes the duty of the
Ehortstop to handle it and try for a play at second. Collins and Barry,
when with the Athletics, made this play to perfection. The umpire on this
play, at the start of the throw should move up close to the pitcher, so as
to in no way interfere with the play.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY Z7
Explaining Much Discussed Infield Fly
What is an infield fly? That question is often asked
me. In a way it is hard to explain satisfactorily, al-
though on the face it does not appear a problem difficult
of solution. Invariably I reply that an infield fly is any
fly ball, other than a line drive, which in the judgment
of the umpire can be handled by an infielder. That is
practically the definition given in the playing code, and
it is probably the best way to put it, although it does not
mean a great deal in that form, because of the many
conditions that can arise.
I am often asked what the umpire would do if he
decided a certain fly ball could be handled by an infielder,
and immediately so declared himself, only to have an
outfielder make an inglorious muff. It might be well
to state no matter who handles the ball it is an infield
fly the moment the umpire so rules and the ruling stands.
To illustrate I will cite a play in a major league game
in which I was the official in charge.
With runners on first and second and one man out
and the team at bat three runs behind, the batter hit a
high fly. The moment the ball was hit I called, "infield
fly," as is customary with American League umpires.
The shortstop started to make the play on the ball and
backed just off the skimmed infield on to the grass and
set himself. The batter had the reputation of being a
hard hitter and the outfield was playing fairly deep. The
38 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
left fielder, a fast man, came tearing in after the ball. He
did not hear me call ''infield fly," and had made up his
mind he could make a play on the ball. Neither did he
hear the shortstop shout he could handle the ball. Instead
he came thundering on, calling out he would make the
play.
The shortstop would have made the easiest kind of a
play. Fearing a collision, he stepped aside and let the left
fielder go through with the play. It was a difficult chance
for the outfielder, a shoestring catch, which he muffed
and then turned a couple of somersaults. Regaining
his feet, he picked up the ball, and tried to head off
the runner, who had started from second to third. He
made a bad throw, as did the player who recovered the
ball. When the smoke had cleared away, the runners
on first and second had scored and the batsman had also
made the circuit.
Many home fans as well as players believed the
score had been tied. I allowed the first two runs, but
there was nothing doing on the batsman. The team at
bat contended that since the fly ball was handled by an
outfielder, it could not be classed as an infield fly. It was
hard to convince some of them that it made no difference
who handled the ball, just so long as the umpire believed
an infielder could handle it, and immediately so ruled.
There is only one situation where umpires are slow
to rule balls infield flies that under ordinary conditions
would be immediately so labeled. With runners on first
and second and no one out, the sacrifice play is often
called for. On such occasion the entire infield is in
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 39
motion as the play starts. The first baseman comes tear-
ing in to handle balls down the first base line, and to
make a play at any bag that seems best ; the second base-
man is tearing over toward first to cover that bag; the
shortstop shifts to second base ; the third baseman moves
over to cover third, while the pitcher handles all bunts
down the third base line. At such times a batter often
bunts a fly ball, that under most conditions would be
called an infield fly, but because the entire infield is out
of position the umpire usually insists the ball be handled.
40 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Mixing Common Sense with the Rules
There are many times in base ball where the official
in charge must mix some common sense judgment in his
interpretation of the playing code. Not a summer passes
but what I am queried a score of times on a certain play,
which requires the mixing in of a little common sense.
The play I refer to involves the failure to touch a base
by a runner, and then the touching of that base by a
following base-runner, who is ignorant of the fact that
the man who preceded him has neglected one of the
rules. The query always relates to the status of the fol-
lowing runner or runners.
To illustrate: We will say that in the 1916 world
series, with Brooklyn in the lead, Larry Gardner, with
two men on, hit a home run. By the way, Gardner did
hit two home runs in that series, two runners being on
the bases when he came through with one of the wallops.
We will assume the runners were on first and second and
no one out, when Gardner cracked out his home run.
We will also assume the runner originally on second
failed to touch third as he raced to the plate. The run-
ner originally on first touched each base in proper order,
as did Gardner. The general feeling among the crowd
was that Boston had scored three runs and taken the
lead. Now for the trouble.
The failure of the first runner to touch third had been
noted by the guardian of that base and by the umpire.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 41
As soon as he could attract the attention of the player
with the ball, the third sacker called for it and touched
third base with the ball in his possession. Since the
first runner had failed to touch third, he had erred and
made himself liable to be put out. He was so declared
by the umpire in charge the moment the fielder touched
third base with the ball in his possession.
Now for the point that is a constant source of dis-
pute. We will say the Brooklyn manager raised the
contention that not only the first runner was out but
that the runner originally on first and Gardner, who hit
the ball, also should be declared out, making the situation
take on the form of a triple play, retiring the side rather
than a home run that scored two men ahead of him. The
Brooklyn manager based his contention on the rule that
a base-runner is out the moment he passes on the lines a
preceding runner. Since the runner originally on second
failed to touch third, and the two runners following him
did, hence they technically passed him on the line, is the
claim.
That sounds like a rather foolish sort of an argument,
yet it is surprising the number of authorities who are
inclined to that view. Can you imagine the umpire in
charge of a world series game declaring all three run-
ners out? Personally, I have never been for that inter-
pretation. I can see no reason why runners who conform
to all the rules of the game, should be penalized for an
offense committed by the runner ahead of them. It is
my belief only the runner who erred should suffer a pen-
alty.
42 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
The runner on first and Gardner who hit the ball
touched each base, and complied with all the rules relat-
ing to the proper scoring of a run. I contend such runs
should count, except when the mistake of the runner
ahead made the third out in the inning. Undoubtedly
such a situation will always cause disputes and protests,
until the rule makers see fit to incorporate a new clause in
the rules which will definitely state that with one or none
out, the failure of a runner to touch a base, shall have
no bearing on the runner or runners who follow him.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 43
Nice for Majors— How About Others?
It is all very nice for the major league to have a cer-
tain league ruling of their own to govern an unusual
feature of a disputed rule, but what about the thousands
of amateur players who have no league president to
formulate a satisfactory rule to govern the various freak
plays that come up?
A few years ago the rulemakers incorporated in the
playing code a section which limited the activities of the
coacher at third. It had always been customary up to
that time for the coacher to use any means possible to
stop a runner, if he believed the runner was sure to be
retired in his effort to score. In many instances plays
at third resembled scenes from the gridiron. It was not
unusual for the coacher to save the day and the runner
by pulling off a flying tackle and preventing the runner
from trying to score on a hit, where the odds were all
against him going over.
The rule states the base-runner is out, if a coacher at
third touch or hold a base-runner at third base, or a
base-runner who is rounding third base for the home
plate. The umpire must immediately call the runner
out, the action of the coacher in touching or holding him
automatically retiring the runner. The framing of that
rule was an excellent bit of progress, for it compelled the
runner to think more for himself, also to pay more atten-
tion to the advice of the coacher, rather than to run with
44 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
his head down, and take a chance that the coacher would
use force to stop him if it seemed he was going to his
certain doom.
In one of the first games of the season after the new
rule had been put into the code, a situation came up
that put the acid test to the line of reasoning. In a game
at Baltimore in the Federal League, a player hit the ball
out of playing territory. It was a long drive well worth
being put in the home run class. The drive came when
it meant much to the team at bat. The manager was
coaching at third. In his enthusiasm over the hit of the
player, the manager gave him a pat on the back as he
rounded third base at a jog, on his way to the plate.
It is easy to imagine the argument that went up when
the umpire called out the runner who had batted the ball
over the fence. He based his ruling on that clause which
states that the coacher at third must not touch or hold a
runner rounding third base. The pat of encouragement
was construed as touching the player. That play proved
there was a flaw in the rule. The following day Ameri-
can League umpires received a wire from President
Johnson, who was quick to see that something was wrong.
That wire instructed American League umpires to pay
no attention to any action of the coacher when action
was done after a chance for a play had ceased. The
National League also took a similar view. It is all very
nice for the two major leagues to have the play cleared
up, but why not clear it up for the amateurs ?
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 45
The Toughest Decision I Ever Made
Umpiring is merely a matter of judgment, and opin-
ions of plays naturally differ. Two men sitting side by
side in the grand stand may have opposite opinions of a
dozen plays. Frequently their opinions are the result
of partisan feelings. If the umpire put every play up
to the fans for a decision, base ball would be a wild affair.
Perhaps what was the toughest decision in my career I
put up to the fans and they answered it correctly,
although against the team they were rooting for. They
did not know what they were doing and imagined they
were aiding their favorites by expressing themselves as
they did.
The game was at Forbes Field in the fall of 1909, and
was a world series contest between Detroit and Pitts-
burgh. Pittsburgh had taken the first game, and wanted
a commanding lead by annexing the second contest. The
decision I refer to came up in the opening inning of this
game.
A crowd of over 32,000 was on hand. Such a crowd
taxed the seating and standing capacity. Temporary
stands had been erected along the right field foul line
from just back of first base to the stands that stretched
from right to left field. It was agreed a hit bouncing into
the stands in foul territory should go for two bases. This
was to guard against fluke home runs, as it would have
been possible for a puny fly to drop safely back of first
46 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
base, and by having been given the proper "English," as?,
a billiard player would say, bound into these temporary
stands. A hit that bounded into the stands on fair terri-
tory— those that skirted the outfield — was to go as a
home run.
Bobby Byrne of Pittsburgh was the first to face Bill
Donovan in the opening inning and went to first on four
straight balls. Tommy Leach doubled to right, scoring
Byrne. It looked as if the Pirates would pile up a lead
that would cinch the game. Fred Clarke's sacrifice, Dono-
van to Tom Jones, moved Leach to third. Hans Wag-
ner loomed up big at this moment, but he disappointed
the Pirate rooters by striking out. Miller was next and
started the trouble. He hit a long drive down the right
field foul line that looked for a time as if it might clear
the fence. The ball struck just inside the foul line in
deep right and then bounded out of view. Leach scored
and Miller trotted home after him. The fans went wild,
believing it a home run.
I was in doubt as to what decision to render, as it
was next to impossible to follow the ball from my posi-
tion back of the plate. When it hit the ground the fans
in the bleachers all stood up and leaned over the railing,
practically cutting off my view of the final destination
of the ball. I conferred with Bill Klem, who was work-
ing the bases, but he was as much in doubt as I, as to
whether it was a double or a home run. Fred Clarke of
the Pirates was in insisting on a home run, while Hughey
Jennings of the Tigers claimed the hit was only good for
two bases. I wanted to do justice to both clubs, but it
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 47
seemed the only thing I could do was to make a guess.
Then I had an inspiration and decided to take the long
chance it offered. I rushed out into right field with Jen-
nings and Clarke at my heels.
"Was that ball fair or foul?" I asked.
There was none but Pittsburgh rooters in that section,
as it was reserved for them alone, and in an instant a
hundred voices yelled :
"It was fair by a foot."
It was then up to me to learn into which stand the ball
bounded after striking the ground. The fans did not
know a ground rule had been agreed upon.
"Well, if it was fair, where did it bounce?" I called
back.
"It bounded into this stand," yelled back the fans.
"Yes, and I have the ball and I am going to keep it," said
one spectator as he exhibited a brand new ball.
The stand was on foul territory and meant the hit
was only good for two bases. Neither Clarke nor Jen-
nings had anything further to say. Miller was sent back
to second and the game proceeded. The Pirates did no
further scoring, and lost 7 to 2, Donovan being invincible
after the first inning. Had the fans not set me right, I
would have allowed a home run. It would have probably
put the Tigers to rout, and it might have been unneces-
sary to play seven games to decide the winner of that
series.
That decision was also the cause of four umpires being
used in the following world series games. Had an umpire
been stationed in right field that day it would not have
been necessary to have appealed to the fans.
48 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Interference Rule Should Be Changed
In the ninth inning of a game in which I recently
officiated, with the score a tie, two out, a runner on third,
a fast man attempted a steal of home. The man on
third had figured the play carefully, got away to a big
lead, and from my position back of the plate it seemed
almost certain he would beat the play. There is no pret-
tier way in which to win a game in the ninth than a
steal of home, unless it is a clout for a home run with
the bases filled, that sends over the needed four runs.
The fans were on their feet shouting encouragement
to the base-runner, the visiting pitcher had shortened his
windup and hurried his delivery to the plate, the catcher
was yelhng madly for the ball. The throw was inside
and low, and it would probably have hit the batsman.
The catcher, forgetful of everything except the desire
to retire the runner, pushed the batsman out of the way
and made a lunge after the ball. It escaped him and
rolled to the stand, while batsman, catcher and base-run-
ner were all tangled up at the plate. The crowd was
wild with enthusiasm, believing the game had been won.
Such a situation is never pleasant for the umpire.
Imagine the feelings of the crowd and the kind words
that were passed to the umpire, when he sent the bats-
man to first, and the runner who apparently scored the
winning run back to third. Until the rule covering such
plays at the plate is changed, there will always be plenty
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 49
of argument. The rules on this play state that when the
catcher interferes with the batsman, the batsman shall
be entitled to first base, but no bases shall be run, unless
forced to make room for the batsman. In this case, since
only third was occupied, the runner was sent back to
third and the batter to first.
That is the literal interpretation of the rule. It is fol-
lowed in the American League, but not in the National.
While the National League version gets away from the
letter of the rule, it is the fair interpretation, because it
IS based on common sense and fair play, the fundamental
principles of the game. In the National League the
runner is not only allowed to score, but the batter sent
to first base. The batter is sent to first base, because the
catcher has interfered with him in his attempt to hit the
ball. According to the rules play ceases when an inter-
ference is committed. But the National League lets
the runner come home on the theory that the catcher has
left the lines of his position and made a balk. Of course,
allowing two such rulings on the same play does not con-
form with the rules, but it is the proper decision, basing
everything on fair play.
It would be easy to end all argument over this play
if the rule makers will add a few words to a certain sec-
tion. If the rule which grants the batsman the right
to first because of an interference by the catcher, also
permitted all runners to advance a base, whether forced
or not, seldom would there be an interference play at
the plate. There would be nothing for the catcher to
gain.
50 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
The Batsman and the Balk
Can a batter at any time take his base on a balk ? Can
a base-runner score from third on a balk. These two
questions are fired at me a score of times each season,
and perhaps an equal number of times during the win-
ter.
Many fans are certain a base-runner can go from first
to second on a balk and from second to third, but there
always seems to be a doubt if a run can be scored from
third, on some illegal movement which the umpire in
charge construes as a balk. There also exists doubt as
to the status of the batter when a balk is declared, par-
ticularly if at the time there happens to be three balls
called on the batsman. There is a widespread impression
a balk at such a stage, also is classified as a ball, and
entitles the batsman to take first.
Now to settle the first question: Can a batter at
any time take his base on a balk? No; positively no.
A batsman cannot at any time take his base on a balk.
There is one particular phase of this situation that can
come up. It did in the American League several years
ago. It finally resulted in the game being forfeited.
An American League pitcher was delivering the ball
illegally. As I have the facts, at no time did he have
either foot in contact with the rubber. The umpire,
noticing it, warned the pitcher and explained what was
wrong with his delivery. The pitcher delivered the
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 51
next ball in the same manner. Although it was right
over the plate, the umpire ruled it a ball. Rule 32 states
that with the bases unoccupied any ball delivered by the
pitcher, while no foot is in contact with the rubber, shall
be declared a ball. The pitcher delivered four similar
balls to the batter. All were over the plate, yet all
were declared balls, entitling the runner to his base on
four balls.
Now for a peculiar angle of the above trouble. The
first batter up, having reached first base, the pitcher con-
tinues to deliver the ball in the same improper fashion.
What, according to Rule 2>^, was a ball with the bases
unoccupied, now takes a different interpretation. The
first ball delivered to the second batter was after the
same fashion. Instead of it being a ball on the batter,
it becomes a balk on the part of the pitcher. It entitled
the runner to advance from first to second. Another
similar pitch sent the runner from second to third, while
another scored the runner from third. Each such deliv-
ery with a runner on constituted a balk. The moment
the runner scored and the bases were again unoccupied,
the umpire started calling balls. At this stage of the
game, it broke up, one team leaving the field and the
umpire was compelled to forfeit the game.
Can a runner score from third on a balk? That ques-
tion was answered in the explanation offered in the pre-
ceding paragraph. A runner certainly can score from
third when the umpire calls a balk. All base-runners
have a right to advance a base when the umpire calls a
balk, as clearly defined in Section 3 of Rule 54.
52 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Play That Always Creates A Dispute
What are the rights of a pitcher when he attempts
to get a runner at the plate after once getting on the
rubber with the ball in his possession? If a runner takes;
too great a lead off first to suit the pitcher, he has a right
to drive him back by stepping in the direction of the first
baseman and then throwing the ball to that player. If
a runner on first makes a break for second, and the
pitcher's attention is called to the fact, he has a right to
wheel around and throw the ball to second base to head
off the runner, first stepping in the direction of the base
to which he desires to throw. He has the same right to
intercept a runner going from second to third.
The trouble comes when a runner makes a dash for
the plate from third, after the pitcher gets on the rub-
ber. The contention is raised that since the pitcher has
a right to throw to any other base from his position on
the rubber, he should have the same right to throw to
the plate. The dispute, of course, hinges on the fact
that when the pitcher delivers a ball to the plate while
standing on the rubber it is regarded as a legal pitch.
Recently a play came up in the Western League which
caused a great deal of discussion. The umpire wrote me
about the play and asked me what I thought about it.
It happened that the identical play came up in the Ameri-
can League eight or nine years ago. It resulted in a
protested game and caused President Johnson to issue an
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 53
interpretation of the play for his umpires. Here are
the conditions : The score is a tie, it is the last half of
the ninth, the bases are filled and the count is three and
two on the batter. The pitcher with the ball gets on
the rubber ready to pitch. He has made no preliminary
motions, his arms are at his sides. The moment he gets
on the rubber, the runner on third starts for the plate.
The pitcher standing on the rubber ready to pitch is
slightly bewildered. He hurriedly delivers the ball to the
plate. It is a wild pitch, missing the plate by a foot.
The catcher gets the ball and touches the runner coming
in from third. The Western League umpire and the
American League umpire called the runner out.
The American League game was protested, as was the
Western League contest. The team at bat insisted the
pitcher had made a legal delivery when he threw the ball
to the plate, since he was on the rubber ready to pitch.
As the delivery was wild, it was insisted that the umpire
should have declared it a ball, making the fourth to the
batter, entitling him to first base, and forcing the winning
run over the plate. The contention of the umpire was
that the pitcher had a perfect right to make a play at the
plate, just as he has to first, second or third. When mak-
ing a play at first, the pitcher is forced to step toward
that base and then throw the ball to that base, if he is
on the rubber. When making a play to second or third,
while on the rubber, he must step in the direction of the
base, but need not throw it if he deems it unwise.
There is no denying the right of the pitcher to make a
play at the plate, but if he is on the rubber some method
54 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
for making that play is necessary. If the pitcher, while
standing on the rubber, threw the ball to the batter, it is
regarded as a legal pitch. Consequently it was neces-
sary that some ruling be made on such a happening.
President Johnson ruled that it was necessary for the
pitcher to step off the rubber, by taking a step to either
side or the rear, when desiring to make a play to the
plate to intercept a runner after once getting on the rub-
ber ready to pitch. That is the interpretation in vogue in
the American League and makes an easy play for the
umpire on what appears to be a very difficult problem at
the first glance.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 55
The Introduction of a Pinch Hitter
Del Gainer with his timely base-hit was the hero of
the fourteenth inning game of the 1916 world series.
That hit scored McNally from second base and enabled
Boston to win the longest game ever played in a world
series, 2 to i.
Suppose Del had gone to bat and failed to notify the
umpire he was batting in place of Larry Gardner. Such
is not unusual. Suppose, after Gainer had made his
base-hit and won the game, Manager Robinson of Brook-
lyn, while the crowd was surging on the field, rushed up
to the plate umpire and insisted that since Gainer had
not announced himself as a substitute for Gardner, he
was not the proper batsman and should be declared out.
Can you imagine what a wild finish there would have
been to that contest? It would have been worse than
the day Merkle failed to touch second.
Hardly a major league season passes without several
substitutions being made in the field or at the bat without
me being notified. I don't believe my experience is dif-
ferent from any other official. One day a player was
overcome by heat between innings. It happened while
his club was at the bat. When the team went to the field,
another player took his place in the outfield. The first I
knew of a change was when the batter hit a terrific drive
to the outfield on the first ball pitched. Looking in the
direction of the ball I saw a strange figure giving chase.
56 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
for the regular player was short and stocky, while the
substitute was tall and rangy. I realized a change had
been made without me being notified. The player made
a brilliant catch of the fly. I then had the announcer
make known the change. The manager of the team at the
bat might have protested the catch was not legal, since
the player had not made known his entry, hence really
did not belong in the lineup. Had such a protest been
made, I would have paid no attention to it, but would
have declared the batsman out.
In the play I have cited relative to the outfielder, it
could be contended that since the player had not an-
nounced his entry into the game to the umpire, that he
was not in the game, hence the catch was illegal. In
fact, the entire play could be argued illegal, because if
that player was not in the game, it made only eight
players in the field, which, of course, is contrary to rules,
it being specified there must be nine. In the case of
Gainer, it might be argued that since he did not make
known his entry he was not in the game, hence an im-
proper batsman. The rules governing such substitution,
where the substitute neglects to notify the officials, are
lax.
The one section that tangles the situation, states that
a player shall become actively engaged in the game the
moment the captain gives notice of the change to the
umpire. The contention is then made that unless a
player so reports, he never becomes a regular in the
lineup. A few rewritten sections would forever clear
up this play which is constantly creating disputes.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 57
Rules Don't Cover Freak Possibility
It is possible to work out some wonderful freak plays
on paper, yet in many cases more peculiar tangles take
place on the ball field. Bill Brennan, former National
and Federal League umpire, had an unusual one come
under his observation in the early days of the Federal
League. Brennan's ruling was the common sense inter-
pretation. I believe it will be followed as a precedent,
yet the rules do not clearly define what action should
be taken.
Until recently, when a manager wanted to make a
quick change of pitchers and had no one warmed up, he
had a system of jockeying that usually gave him the
needed time. It delayed the game and displeased specta-
tors. The manager would hurry the pitcher he intended
to use to to the "bull-pen" to get warmed up. He would
then notify the umpire such a player would pitch. The
rules gave that twirler the right to throw five balls. The
pitcher would usually consume more time than necessary
in doing so. Then the manager would decide he wanted
some other pitcher to work and would so announce to
the umpire. The new pitcher would take advantage of
his rights. Often a manager would send in as many as
four or five relief pitchers, who would simply consume
as much time as possible in throwing the five warm-up
balls allowed. In the meantime the pitcher the manager
really intended to use would be taking advantage of his
58 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
manager's dilatory tactics by getting into the best shape
possible.
This feature was so overdone, the rule makers found
it necessary to take some action that would eliminate the
practice. A rule was incorporated which made it neces-
sary for any pitcher sent in as a substitute to continue to
pitch until the batsman at bat has been put out or has
reached first base. That broke up the jockeying prac-
tice and made managers more careful about having the
proper pitcher ready to send in as relief twirler. Now
for the freak happening that was put up to Umpir«
Brennan for a ruling.
The game was played at Brooklyn. In the first half
of the ninth, the visitors filled the bases after two men
were down. The Brooklyn pitcher was in distress, and if
my memory serves me correctly Jim Bluejacket, the
Indian, was sent in as relief pitcher. Before he had had
a chance to throw a ball to the man at the plate Blue-
jacket, by a snap throw to first base, managed to catch
the runner at that base napping, retiring the side. Little
was thought of the play at the time, but in the last half
of the ninth it caused an argument.
Brooklyn needed two runs to win. It happened that
with runners on second and third, it was Bluejacket's
turn to bat. Pitchers as a rule are not good hitters, so
this seemed the logical place for Brooklyn to send in a
pinch hitter. A benchwarmer was therefore sent to hit
for Bluejacket. When said substitute made known his
intention to Umpire Brennan, a lengthy argument ensued.
The manager of the team in the field insisted Blue-
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 59
jacket had not done what the rules prescribed he should
do — pitch to the man at the bat until he was retired or
reached first. His snap throw to first had retired the
side and eliminated that chance. The manager of the
team in the field insisted that since Bluejacket had failed
to do so, he must remain in the game; that the team
It bat had no right to substitute a hitter for him. Bren-
tian overruled the protest on the ground that the rule
ivas not made to cover such a situation, but simply to
prevent jockeying, and that in retiring the side the pitcher
had fulfilled his mission. The batter sent in as pinch
bitter singled, winning the game.
6o SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Play That Always Starts An Argument
Bill Carrigan is one of the brainiest fellows that ever
handled a big league ball club. Not only is Carrigan a
great leader of men, but he is a close student of the game.
I don't believe Carrigan ever made a foolish kick in his
life. Any time Bill sought a conference with the umpire,
he invariably had a good reason. Bill never entered a
protest on the theory that he was absolutely right, or
that the official was absolutely wrong. He made his
claims because in his mind there existed a doubt and he
sought a reason for the ruling.
During a game at Boston, in 191 6, a batting-out-of-
order play almost cropped out among the visitors. The
manager of the visiting team at the last moment decided
to make a change in his batting order. He shifted the
catcher who usually batted eighth to sixth, and dropped
the infielder who had always batted sixth to eighth.
His team had been in a slump, the catcher was hitting
the ball, while the infielder for a couple of weeks had
almost been helpless, so he figured moving the catcher
up in the batting order might tend to make his hitting
of more value.
What nearly proved an unfortunate happening was
the failure of the manager to notify the two players in-
volved of the change. In the second inning after the
fifth batter had singled with one out, the infielder who
had always batted sixth, stepped to the plate, when the
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 6i
change called for the catcher to hit sixth. Evidently
the players had the hit-and-run sign on, for the man
on first dashed for second on the first pitch. The batter
fouled the ball. The same play was tried on the next
pitch. Again the batter fouled, making the count two
strikes and no balls. In each instance the runner, of
course, was forced to return to first base.
At this juncture the visiting manager became aware of
the mistake. He rushed to the plate, had the umpire
show him the batting order and then called the proper
batsman to the plate, the catcher. The rules provide the
proper batsman can be substituted the moment the mis-
take is discovered, and the balls and strikes called are
counted on the proper batsman. The proper batsman
then struck out on the next ball pitched, so that nothing
came of what promised to be a tangled situation.
Several players on the bench later informed me Bill
had noticed the mistake the moment the improper bats-
man stepped into the box, and was all set to dash out
to the plate and enter his protest the moment the improp-
er batsman was retired or reached first in safety. In either
case, had the protest been immediately made, all acts
made possible by the improper batsman would have been
nullified and the proper batsman would have been de-
clared out. It was the following day Carrigan brought
up what might have been the unusual feature of the
situation.
"I am looking for a little information. Bill," is the
way Carrigan greeted me. "Say, the improper batsman
missed either of those two balls he swung at and fouled,
62 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
and on one of them runner on first managed to steal
second, would you have allowed the runner to remain on
second ?"
The point Carrigan was trying to make was apparent.
The rule states no bases shall be run or runs scored
because of any act of the improper batsman. This
brought up the question as to whether the striking at and
missing the ball by the improper batsman constituted an
act. While I had never given the play any thought, never
having had it come up, I told Carrigan I would allow
the runner to remain at second. I would certainly
have called him out, had he been thrown out, hence
should call him safe if he beat the play. I could not
figure where any act of the batter would have played
any particular part in aiding the base-runner, hence I
figured he was advancing at his peril.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 63
A Freak Batting-Out-of-Order Play
Batting-out-of-order plays are common among ama-
teurs. Every now and then such situations come up in
the majors. I have officiated in two big league games,
in which players batting out of their order caused con-
siderable confusion.
I believe a game in Washington some years ago about
wins the championship for freak happenings. I was
umpire-in-chief, but can take no credit for what hap-
pened. The situation that developed made every one con-
nected with the game look rather foolish, myself in par-
ticular.
Branch Rickey, a bright base ball man, was managing
the St. Louis club. Carrying out the rules of the game,
Rickey, prior to the start, walked to the plate and gave
me his batting order. It seems there had been some
1 doubt in Manager Rickey's mind as to how he would bat
Jimmy Austin and Bobby Wallace. The batting order
he presented to me as the official one had Austin hitting
sixth and Wallace eighth. It was the custom of Rickey
to have his trainer keep a detailed score. In repeating
his batting order to the trainer, Rickey had Wallace in
sixth position and Austin eighth, shifting the two from
the official order. That is the way the two players batted
until the final inning. Had not Manager Rickey decided
to use a substitute batter the mistake would probably
have never been discovered. He so elected, the mixup
64 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
was disclosed, and one of the most peculiar situations
that has ever come up in a major league game was the
result.
After one man was retired Wallace came through with
a clean hit. Catcher Agnew, seventh batter, was taken
out and Clarence Walker was sent to hit in his place.
When Walker reached the plate, he informed me that he
was hitting lor Agnew, It was the first change either
manager had made. I took out my batting order to verify
it. Then I discovered Wallace had batted out of order
all during the game, five times in all. Catcher Henry
of the Washington club was standing at my side as I in-
spected the batting order and he noticed the mistake. He
asked for a ruling.
It was an unusual occurrence. Wallace from the first
inning had batted out of order, as had Austin. The St.
Louis players had followed the batting order on the
bench, which differed from that given me by Manager
Rickey. The rule on this point is specific. It states that
when a batter hits out of his proper position, and the mis-
take is discovered before a ball is pitched to the succeed-
ing batsman, the proper batsman should be called out.
According to the official batting order Austin should
have batted sixth. As Wallace had batted in that position
when he hit safely in the ninth inning, I declared out
the proper batsman, Austin. That made two out.
Walker then batted for Agnew, as had been Rickey's
intention. He went out retiring the side. Had Walker
hit safely while batting for Agnew, Wallace would have
come to bat again in the same inning. The fact that he
I
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 65
had once batted did not affect the situation, other than
wasting his hit, since Austin, the proper batsman, was
declared out. There are some who contend that as the
two men had batted out of order five times prior to the
discovery of the mistake such batting order should have
been followed throughout. The rules, however, state that
the batting order given the umpire is the official one, as
there was no big league precedent for such a happening, I
played it safe by sticking closely to the playing code.
(£ SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Star Players Easy to Handle
"Why is it that star players seldom make any trouble
for the umpire?" That is a question that is asked me
time and again. The lover of base ball watches care-
fully every move of the game, and naturally he has ob-
served that the real stars of the game rarely kick so
strongly that it becomes necessary to put them out of the
game. National League umpires tell me that Alexander
and Mathewson never disputed a called ball or strike.
No American League umpire can ever recall the time
that Walter Johnson questioned a ruling. In fact, I have
often heard him tell other members of his team that
the umpire was right when the general opinion was that
the official had erred in his ruling.
It is the same in any other branch of the sport, the
really great catchers, the crack infielders and the bril-
liant outfielders, as a rule, accept the decisions of the
umpires without any protest to speak of. Don't think for
a minute that these players are of the same opinion as
the umpire in all cases, positively no. They often believe
the umpire has erred, in a good many cases they let the
official know just what they think about the decision,
but they invariably do it in such a way that any umpire
with any common sense would have no reason for taking
offense. I have often heard people say that Eddie Collins
is not aggressive enough. They form this opinion because
Collins is not being put out of the game every so often.
1
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 67
It is a fact that Eddie Collins is an aggressive player,
but of a type that is not known to the public. Collins
can protest as strongly as any player in the business.
When he believes the umpire has erred he never fails to
register his protest, but there is nothing of the grand
stand variety in the protest. He does nothing by word
or action that will cause the crowd to believe that the
umpire has erred. For that reason Collins is always
listened to, and given consideration when he enters a
protest, for the umpires know it is the expression of an
honest opinion.
But to get back to the opening question, the real reason
that star players seldom incur the displeasure of the
umpire, is simply that they never find it necessary to seek
an alibi in order to cover up either lack of ability, or
failure to have properly completed a play. The real good
ball player can always make good on natural ability, even
if the umpire every now and then gets him into a hole
because of a mistake. Umpires make mistakes, so do star
ball players, both are human, and the star player, who
has some brains, or he wouldn't be a star, is broad minded
enough to take all things into consideration.
The fellows who make the most trouble are the players
who believe they are stars, yet fall considerably shy of
that class. This phase of the question holds good in all
branches of the sport, the majors, the minors, the semi-
professionals and the amateurs. Another class of play-
ers who make trouble for the big league umpire, is the
bush leaguer fresh from the small time circuit. A good
many of these fellows come up to the majors with the
68 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
impression that in order to get in good with their man-
ager they must argue with the umpire, and in all proba-
bility get put out of the game. I can recall half dozen
such cases of players now rated as stars. Just as soon
as they got over the idea, that getting put out of the
game a couple of times a week was the proper kind of
aggressiveness, they never made any trouble for the offi-
cials.
Major league leaders like aggressive players. The
minor leaguer who can show pepper and aggressiveness
of the right sort, has a much better chance as a rule than
the player who accepts every ruling without a word. A
player adds no strength to a team when he is chased to
the club house, or has to sit out a suspension in the grand
stand. The day of that style of aggressiveness is past.
It is costly to the owner, club and patrons, for often they
are deprived of seeing the player who attracted them to
the park. The modern manager wants the player who
can be aggressive, yet do it in a way that escapes the
wrath of the umpire.
Johnny Evers is one of the few really great players
who is in constant hot water with the umpires. Evers
has just one thing strongly in his favor in this respect — •
his kicks are actually from the heart, not actuated by a
desire to alibi. Evers is one of the greatest players of
all times, reputed to be one of the brainiest infielders
in the history of the game. I have never met Evers
personally. I am told that he is a mild mannered indi-
vidual off the field, but on the ball field he is a raging
torrent when all the breaks, as well as the umpire's
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 69
rulings, appear to be going the wrong way. Evers' kick-
ing has had one good feature, it is not the aUbi sort;
simply the nature of the man when in the heat of battle.
Of the modern ball players Johnny Evers and Eddie
Collins stand out prominently. They are credited with
being the two greatest second basemen in the game.
Arguments galore have been caused by discussion of
the relative merits of the two stars. There is little to
choose between the fielding. Collins is the better batsman,
and on the bases also shows to advantage. Both have
far more than, the average amount of gray matter, and
clubs on which they play invariably look up to them to
direct the play. Evers made a great team out of the
Boston Braves, in fact played a big part in turning a
second division club into a pennant winner and a world
champion. Eddie Collins put an awful crack in the Ath-
letics when Mack sold him to Chicago. He proved just
the man needed to round out Comiskey's club, and make
it a strong contender.
In most respects these two star players are similar
and practically equal, yet in one respect they are entirely
different in their attitude toward the umpire. Evers is
aggressive; so is Collins, although a great many fans
do not regard him as that type of player. Evers, with
his fiery temper, can protest only in a way that aggravates
the official and results in his ejection. Collins can regis-
ter an equally strong protest, yet do it in such a way
that he gets consideration rather than hasty ejection. In
all his career Collins has never been put out of a ball
ground, while Johnny has been given the gate in so
70 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
many contests that he has probably quit keeping track of
his banishment a long time ago. In a good many cases,
trouble with the officials means a three-day suspension,
often a much longer time. It is almost impossible to com-
pute the great value of such wonderful players as Evers
and Collins to a team in the fight for the pennant. They
are almost absolutely essential.
In that one feature of play Collins has a decided and
distinct advantage over Evers. He is always in the game,
giving his club his very best efforts. Evers does the
same when in the game, but Johnny is often playing the
role of spectator, because of his failure to see things as
the judge of play did. Taking Collins and Evers from
the game is just like taking the leading man from a play,
in which much of its success depends on the acting of the
star. Unquestionably the Boston club dropped many a
game which would have been won had Evers been in the
lineup.
Collins comes from the school of Connie Mack. Mack's
theory is that no club in the history of the game won a
pennant by fighting the umpires. He insists that clubs
that spend their energy in fighting the opposition invari-
ably gets much better results. Mack figures that any
time a star player gets put out of the game, he does not
only himself an injustice but also his team mates, the
club owner, his league, and the patrons, many of whom
perhaps came out to see him play. The great success
Mack has had during his long career makes it appear
that he employs the proper methods.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 71
The Umpire, Base Ball's Greatest Alibi
Base ball is largely a game of alibis. The player can
always offer an alibi when things do not break his way.
The umpire stands out as the greatest of all alibis for the
ball player and the fan. The umpire is not infallible, he
makes mistakes, but not nearly as many as fan and player
would have you believe. Often the umpire renders a per-
fectly correct decision that changes the result of the
game, yet for so rendering the proper decision he is often
mobbed and compelled to suffer any number of other in-
dignities at the hands of the fans, who insist he has
robbed their team out of the game.
The umpire is one of the most important cogs in the
base ball machine, provided he is moving smoothly. Yet
most base ball fans regard the umpire as a necessary evil.
Lovers of base ball seldom inquire who will umpire the
game. They don't go to the park to see the umpire per-
form, as they do to see any of the great stars pitch.
The umpire will never be a drawing card like Tyrus
Cobb, Hans Wagner, Napoleon Lajoie, Tris Speaker, or
any of the other celebrities of the diamond. As a matter
of fact, the only time the umpire is given the slightest
consideration by fan or player is when he renders a deci-
sion that fails to meet with their approval. Usually the
consideration is of a very uncomplimentary nature. If
the time ever comes that the fan and player believe the
umpire is infallible (the time will never come), then
72 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
base ball will lose one of its strongest points, the blaming
of the umpire for every defeat. It is surprising what
pleasure it gives a lot of people to leave the ball park,
positive that had the umpire rendered the proper ruling
on the play at the plate, at second, third or first, the game
would have been won instead of lost. The umpire gives
them an alibi.
Just so long as the umpire shows up for the game every
day and performs his duties in a capable manner, his
presence is almost unnoticed. There is never any ap-
plause for him, as is the player's portion when he pulls
a great play. There is never any encouragement from
the crowd, for the umpire is always in hostile territory.
He is the common enemy of the base ball fan at large. It
would seem then, from the consideration usually meted
out to the umpire, that he played a very minor role in
the game of base ball. When then is the importance of
an umpire realized ? To illustrate this point, I am going
to relate a situation which a veteran umpire created,
simply to prove that after all the umpire is a very essen-
tial factor. I will quote the umpire as closely as possible.
"It is the deciding game of the world series, each team
has won three games. Forty thousand people are packed
into the park to see one of the most important games
in the history of base ball, a contest which would decide
the winner of base ball's classic. To each player alone
the winning of the game meant a difference of at least
$1,500. The player of a losing team in the world series
is certain of $2,000 for his share, yet the umpire on
whose decisions the outcome of the series hinges gets only
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 73
half that amount. A dispute arises just before the final
game, the umpires have a grievance that cannot be ad-
justed, and they refuse to officiate. There is a delay in
starting the game. It is impossible to get satisfactory
umpires. The game must be played, so there is nothing
to do but to agree on two players. When the fans see
that two players, not versed in the art of umpiring, are
going to officiate, they let out a mighty shout of disap-
proval. They want so important a game in charge of
umpires having a reputation for being impartial and com-
petent. Close decision after close decision comes up
early in the game, and the player umpires are in constant
trouble. Before the contest is completed the affair has
developed into more or less of a farce. A goodly portion ,
of the crowd has left the park disgusted. At such a time
as that," concludes the veteran umpire, *'the importance
of the umpire would be made evident to the fans."
There are infielders in base ball who never fail to
touch the base-runner if you take their word for it.
There is never a play but what the base-runner is out.
On the other hand, there are any number of base-runners
who are never touched with the ball if you take their
word for it. When they attempt to steal a base or take
two bases on a hit, they always manage to elude the in-
fielder, if you would believe them. With two such classes,
it is easy to see that the umpire must of necessity find
himself in trouble when he renders a decision, for each
decision must be against one of the parties concerned.
After such a play the base-runner,, if he is declared out,
goes back to the bench and tells his team mates what a
^4 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
blind man the umpire is, and usually shows just how
far he was missed. If the runner is declared safe, the
infielder lets the world know that he had him by a yard.
No matter how the verdict is rendered, someone is sur6
to alibi himself at the expense of the umpire.
Every fan has attended a game in which the pitcher
by some show of disapproval would let it be known that
he didn't regard the eyesight of the umpire as perfect.
The catcher can in various ways, make it apparent to the
crowd that he is not concurring with every decision on
balls and strikes. Nine times out of ten the umpire has
properly called the pitches. In a pinch the pitcher is
looking for everything. To many of the twirlers balls
that are from three to six inches outside or inside, are
right through the middle. If his control is bad, there is
nothing in the world easier for him to do, than to alibi
himself at the expense of the umpire. There are many
things he can do, that just escapes ejection from the
game, yet are of such a nature that the base ball fan is
soon wise that he is not agreeing with the umpire on
balls and strikes. The next day the umpire often dis-
covers that his bad eyesight was responsible for the
pitcher's poor control and the loss of the game.
There is one situation in base ball that invariably gets
the umpire in trouble, unless the pitch is an extremely
wide one, or the batter relieves the situation by taking
a swing. Imagine the bases filled, two out and three
balls and two strikes on the batter. Have it the ninth
inning if you want to have the situation all the more
intense, and the score a tie. On the calling of the next
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 75
ball really depends the game. If it is a ball, it means
the game for the home team; if it is a strike, the score
remains a tie, and the visiting club has a chance to win
out in extra innings. To the home fan a ball merely a
few inches inside or outside, high or low, looks like a
strike, if the visiting team is at the bat. If the home
team is at the bat, pitches that are just good enough to
be called strikes by the umpire are regarded as balls by
the fans. Any time the umpire calls the batter out on
such a pitch, with the situation I have described above
existing, he is bound to find himself in trouble. Even
if the ball is right through the middle, the batter who has
struck out in a pinch, will invariably alibi himself at the
expense of the umpire by declaring that it was a foot
outside. In such situations there are some pitchers who
never throw anything but strikes, if you would take
their word for it. On the other hand, there are many
batters who insist that at such times it is impossible for
the pitcher to throw other than a ball.
Often when the umpire appears to be most seriously
at fault, he is absolutely correct. Such plays are when
the ball easily beats the runner to the base, but the fielder
fails to touch him. Nearly every base-runner of any
merit in the game at present has developed the fallaway
slide to such a degree that touching the runner is ex-
tremely difficult, unless the infielder is equally clever in
handling the ball. A runner like Ty Cobb, the Detroit
star, gives the infielder little more than the spikes on his
shoes to touch as he slides into a base. In plays where
it is up to the fielder to touch the runner to complete
76 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
the out, the average base ball fan watches the ball. If
the ball reaches the base ahead of the runner, he nat-
urally presumes that the runner is out. Under ordinary
conditions the runner should be an easy out, with the
fielder waiting with the ball, yet time after time the run-
ner eludes the touch through the fallaway slide, though
the ball often beats him a yard or more to the base. Such
plays invariably get the umpire in trouble, for the runner
is positive that he wasn't touched, while the fielder is
equally certain he put the ball all over him.
The umpire is unquestionably the greatest alibi in base
ball. When he steps on the field he has eighteen active
players, a swarm of substitutes from both sides, two
wise managers and a hostile crowd arrayed against him.
When mistakes are made the easiest way is to try to place
the blame on the umpire. In the future please don't
blame the umpire every time you see a player kick, for
he isn't always wrong, as some people would have you
believe.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY yj
Home Run Rule Needs Revision
Does the rule regulating the hitting of a home run need
revision ? It is my opinion it does. I regard the present
rule a bad one. It is almost obsolete, hence should be
changed entirely. The fan construes the home run to
mean a mighty drive. In nine cases out of ten it does
require some wallop to enable the batsman to make the
circuit, yet the provisions for the making of a home run
are fairly easy.
The playing code states that any fair batted ball that
passes into the stands or goes over the fence shall entitle
the batsman to a home run, providing the distance to
fence or stand be not less than 236 feet from the home
plate. Any one v^^ho ever has seen a game at the Phila-
delphia National League park, the Chicago National
field, or the Polo Grounds, knows it doesn't take much
of a drive to go for a home run. In Philadelphia and
Chicago a high screen on top of the fence makes the hit
more difficult. In New York such a thing is impossible
because that part of the right field boundary is part of
the grand stand.
On all these fields, the Polo Grounds in particular,
many a high fly drops into the right field stand for a
home run which would be the easiest kind of an out on
most other major league parks. The left field bleachers
on the Polo Grounds is also none too deep. All these
boundary lines are the regulation distance or more from
78 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
the plate, yet many a fluke home run is made as a resul
of the rule.
At most of the parks all the fields are much deepeiit
than the regulation distance. Fast outfielders who car l
cover a world of ground are of little use on a small field I
hence the distance from the plate to the fence in various i
fields is made much greater than regulation. In Phik'
delphia and Chicago lack of space has prevented a larger!
right field, and in each instance a street abuts against t
the right field wall. In New York an effort to provide!
plenty of seating capacity cut down the space. I under-!
stand there is a suggestion to change the distance from
235 to 290 feet from the home plate before the rules
committee. I understand it is receiving serious considera-
tion. I believe the distance should be not less than 300
feet. Then a drive that cleared the fence or went into
the stands would be well worthy being recorded a home
run.
There is another clause in the rule that relates to balls
batted outside the grounds that never strongly appealed
to me. The opening clause in Rule 48 states that on a
batted ball which passes outside the grounds or into a
stand, the umpire shall decide it fair or foul according to
where it disappears from the umpire's view. That means
that the umpire must constantly watch that ball, and if
the last glance he gets at it the ball is in foul territory,
the drive is rendered void no matter how far it was when
it actually passed over the fence.
I have always believed that when the ball passed over
the fence, and out of playing territory, jurisdiction over it
n
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 79
should cease. It seems a player able to hit a ball outside
of playing territory, which in most cases means a long
drive, should receive credit for it, if the ball, when it
passed over the fence or into the stands, was fair. I
recall a ball that Frank Baker hit over the right field wall
at Washington, which seemed at least thirty feet fair
when it passed over the wall, and was a mile high, yet was
foul by inches when it last disappeared from the um-
pire's view.
^
SHOWING POSITION OF FIELD UMPIRE WITH RUNNERS ON
FIRST AND SECOND
With a runner on first, first and second, or first, second and third, and the
infield playing out, a good position for the umpire is about forty feet back
of the pitcher and five or six feet to his left. Such a position gives you a
chance to shift in the direction where the play may be made. With a
left handed pitcher working and a left handed batter up such a position
often gets you on a direct line with the batter and obscures his vision. If
the batter requests you, as is often the case, simply move about six feet to
the right of the pitcher in the direction of third.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 8i
Legality of This Run is Questioned
A play came up in the American League some years
ago which involves a question that is a constant source
of trouble to ball players, from the amateurs to the
majors, and to catchers in particular.
There is one man out and a runner on second, when
the batter singles sharply to left field. The runner on
second, away to a good start, rounded third and headed
for the plate. The left fielder made an excellent throw
home. The runner slid so wide of the catcher to avoid
being touched that he also missed the plate. The batter
had gone to second on the throw-in. The catcher, while
realizing he had missed the runner, was also pretty cer-
tain the runner had missed the plate. Both regained
their feet about the same time. Immediately the catcher
started after the runner, and. the runner realizing he
had no chance to get back to the plate without being
touched started for the bench. It took the catcher some
ten or fifteen steps before he put the ball on the runner.
In the meantime the batter who had arrived safely at
second, taking in the situation, headed for third, and
made that base.
When a player misses first, second or third base there
is never any question about how to proceed. Some
player instantly gets the ball, and with it in his posses-
sion touches the base that has been missed and claims
the out. The fact that the home plate is the final goal
S2 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
is perhaps what confuses all plays at that station. Often
a player in sHding into the home plate, misses it, and also
is not touched. If such player can scramble back to the
plate and reach it before he is touched with the ball he
has a right to do so. A play in which the catcher at-
tempts to touch the runner, and then has the runner race
to the bench or to any portion of the field, puts a dif-
ferent complexion on the matter. In such cases all the
catcher need do is touch the plate with the ball in his
possession.
Failure to touch the plate by the runner can create
all kinds of trouble. In an important game in which I
was umpiring balls and strikes, the home team scored the
winning run in the ninth with two down, the batter hit-
ting safely, scoring the runner who was on second. The
hit was of such a nature that the runner from second
beat the play by at least ten feet. The throw was a
trifle short and the catcher was probably six feet in front
of the plate receiving it, when the runner crossed the
plate. He was in such a position that it was impossible
for him to give the runner any attention.
One often wonders why many things happen on the
ball field. That player never did touch home plate, al-
though he was not hurried. His last stride carried him
over the plate at least six inches. Knowing that run
decided the game, the visiting team rushed off the field,
as did the catcher, who was in no position to see the
runner had failed to touch the plate. I managed to get
oflF the field as hurriedly as the rest, for I wasn't looking
for trouble.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 83
I had hardly reached my dressing room before three
or four newspaper men came to inquire about the play.
From their position in the press box they could see the
player had failed to touch the plate. The newspaper
men raised the contention that since a runner must touch
each base and then the home plate to score a run, that
the run was never legally registered. They also raised
the question as to the attitude the umpire should assume
on such plays. Plays in which a runner fails to touch a
base are plays which require that a complaint be regis-
tered by the side affected, and that otherwise the umpire
shall disregard the error. On such plays if the umpire
stood at the plate, after the team had left, he would
reveal that something was wrong and instead of being
merely a judge of plays, would be acting as adviser to one
of the teams.
84 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Correct Ruling That Was Nearly Fatal!
During my career as an umpire I have probably made
many decisions which might be regarded as cause for
fandom to say unkind things about me, and be the excuse
for things coming my way that I didn't ask for. On the
other hand, a perfectly correct decision that was in favor
of the home club almost proved my undoing. So many
fans have that incident confused that I will relate it,
because in many ways it was a most unusual happening.
The game was played in the fall of 1907 at St. Louis.
Detroit was the opposing club and an overflow crowd was
in attendance. In those days the double umpire system
was not in vogue.
Because of the overflow crowd a hit into the crowd had
been agreed on as good for two bases. There was a
swinging gate about six feet long out in the left field
fence, about ten feet above the ground, about which I
knew nothing. It was used to facilitate the delivery of
bottled goods into the park.
On the day in question it was extremely hot. Some-
one in the overflow crowd had discovered the gate, and
by opening it found it provided a light breeze. Up to
the fifth inning Detroit led by a run. In that inning
Harry Howell, who was pitching for St. Louis, hit a
ball into left field. As I followed its course I was sur-
prised to see the opening in the fence. A few minutes
before I had observed nothing wrong. I afterwards
I
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 85
learned the gate had been opened only a few seconds
before Howell hit the ball.
It was my bad luck to have the ball pass squarely
through the opening. When Howell made the hit I had
run toward third base to follow the ball more closely.
When it passed through the opening I was about fifteen
feet back of third base. Howell paused at second base
and I motioned for him to continue home, with the run
that tied up the game. When the St. Louis fans saw I
had allowed Howell a home run instead of a two-base-hit
they went wild with delight. As he trotted from second
to the plate unmolested he was given a great ovation.
The Detroit team set up the claim the hit was good
for only two bases — a foolish contention. I was sur-
rounded by Tiger players, all talking at the same time.
There is no fairer man in base ball than Hughey Jen-
nings, the famous leader of the Detroit team, and I told
that gentleman the easiest way to settle the argu-
ment was to get rid of the players, and the two of us
would thrash it out, which he proceeded to do.
''A hit into the crowd is only good for two bases,"
said Hughey.
''Right you are," I replied, *'but this hit didn't go into
the crowd. It went over the crowd and out of the
grounds."
"But the gate should have been closed," argued Jen-
nings.
"It wasn't," I replied, "the blame for which I will
take. When a ball goes out of playing territory, how
IS it regarded?" I asked.
86 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
"A home run, of course," answered Jennings.
In the meantime pop bottles were being thrown from
all directions, but few had the force to carry close
enough to do any harm.
"Then the argument is settled," I stated. "Let us
continue the game. If we don't get away from here
some one will be getting killed."
The next thing I remember was when I came to in the
hospital and inquired what happened. After the nurse
had told me in a few words all she was allowed to say
about the case she switched the conversation by asking
me who "Kid-So-and-So" was. I told her he was a well-
known player.
"You are not very fond of him?" she asked. When I
agreed that I was not very fond of him she told me that
I had put him out of the game only four times in the
past half hour.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 87
The Base-Runner and His Rights
Can a base-runner steal a base and then steal back
to the base originally held by him?
That possibility was brought up by the comedian of
the ball field, Herman Schaefer, who, aside from being
a wit, has a lot of gray matter. Players have been
known to run within a foot or so of a base with a ho|>e
of drawing a throw, and, failing to do so, rush back
to their original base. There is nothing wrong with
such a play. It is all right according to the rules. It
i*emained for Schaefer to create such a situation in a
different way under peculiar conditions.
The game was played at Washington, with the Chicago
White Sox as the opposing team. Late in the game
Milan was on third, Schaefer on first, two men out and
an ordinary batter up. Schaefer, hoping to draw a throw
that might enable Milan to make a dash for the plate,
essayed a steal of second. The catcher made a fake
throw to second and then snapped the ball to third, almost
getting Milan.
The play had failed to work out as Schaefer had
intended. After the pitcher had delivered a ball to the
batter, Schaefer created all kinds of commotion by dash-
ing back to first base from second. In a moment the
Chicago club was up in the air. The ball was thrown to
second base and held by the fielder on that bag. The
umpire made no decision. The ball was then thrown to
the first baseman. At that moment Schaefer started for
88 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
second. The first baseman started to chase Schaefer,
when Milan, who had been sneaking up, made a dash
for the plate. The fielder threw to the plate, and Milan
was declared out on a close play. The fact that Milan
was retired saved the umpires a lot of argument.
The moment Schaefer touched second base on his
steal he became the occupant of the bag. First base no
longer offered him any protection.
It would have been possible for him to have been
touched out while standing on that base. The moment
he touched second base he became the occupant of that
bag, it causing him immediately to forfeit his rights to
first base. The main point centers around the right of a
base-runner to run bases contrary to the rules. There
are those who contend that the moment the runner
started back to first, after having become the occupant
of second, he should be declared out for running out of
line. There is difference of opinion on that point. Oth-
ers contend he should not be ruled out until he comes
back and touches first.
Then there are others who contend a base-runner
has the right to take any chances he sees fit. That if he
cares to jeopardize himself by running from second to
first, there is nothing to stop him, and that to retire
him, the team in the field must make a play on him and
touch him between the bases or while he is standing on
first base. The play has many peculiar features. I have
heard it discussed many times by leading authorities, and
I have yet to get a unanimous verdict on the situations
that can arise, because the base-runner decided to pull a
freak stunt.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 89
The Majors Differ On This Play
Prior to every city or world series a meeting is called
o discuss differences in rules. Though the playing code
s supposed to be the last word governing all base ball
situations, it is a well known fact that the two major
leagues lack uniformity on a half dozen or more possi-
)ilities that can arise on the ball field.
At one of the meetings I brought up a play on which
:he two leagues differ, which, on the face, appears like a
:rivial happening, yet has many possibilities. We know
;hat with runners on first and second, or first, second
md third and less than one out, the base-runner is pro-
tected by the infield fly rule. The situation I brought up
related to a runner being on first base, less than two out,
and the batter sends up a little fly to one of the infielders.
Now if the infield fly rule applied to this situation, a
runner on first and none or one out, the chance for any
^rgument would have been ended for all time. Rather
unfortunately, I think, the infield fly fails to cover the
situation.
The purpose of the infield fly was to afford the base-
runner protection. Before the adoption of the rule many
double plays were made by the intentional dropping of
the ball by the infielder, such action offering him a force
)lay. The runner, realizing he would be an easy victim
lor a double play if he took any lead, providing the ball
was caught, was forced to stick closely to his base. It
90 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
was evident the infielder had an unfair advantage. The
infield fly rule retiring the batter, whether the ball was
caught or not, was the result. It was a good rule.
The rule makers failed to incorporate in the section
that the batter was out, with a runner on first only, be-
cause they knew there was no chance for a double play,
provided the batter ran out his hit, and it is a generally
accepted theory that one thing a player should do is run
out every hit. Hence the rule makers figured the runner
on first needed no protection other than the running out
of a hit by the batter. If there is a loophole in any part
of the playing code some wise player is sure to discover
it and immediately everyone is trying to take advantage
of it. It is always desirable to get a fast man off the
bases, and by taking advantage of the above play it is
possible to make the substitution of a slow runner for the
speed merchant. I will illustrate.
One man is out, Max Carey of Pittsburgh up, he
singles sharply to the outfield, reaching first in safety.
We will presume the next man in the Pirate lineup is a
much slower runner. The next batter hits a high fly
to the second baseman. Carey dares not take any lead
for fear of being doubled up; as a matter of fact, he
holds his base. The second baseman gets the ball
squarely in his hands, then pulls them apart. The man
who hit the ball is almost to first when the fielder makes
the miss. The second baseman picks up the ball and
tosses to the shortstop, who touches second base. The
umpire declares Carey out. He is forced at second. By
his intentional dropping of the ball, after having prac-
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 91
tically made the catch, the fielder forces the fast man
at socond, and leaves the slow runner on first base. That
play is regarded as perfectly proper in the National
League and is made often during the season. In the
American League if the infielder will take a chance on
trapping the ball, that is, allowing the ball to strike the
ground first, the play is allowed. However, if he gets
the ball squarely in his hands, and then in a manner
that is apparent to any spectator at the game, pulls his
hands apart and allows the ball to strike the ground, the
batter, under the American League code, is called out,
on the theory that the ball has been held long enough
by the fielder to complete the catch and out. I have
discussed this point with a great many National League
managers, and all seem to like the American League
ruling, yet the two leagues continue to differ, even in the
world series. A definite rule explicitly covering the play
would do away with all such arguments.
92 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Balk Rule is a Trouble Maker
The balk rule, perhaps least understood of all the
rules by fandom, is one of the most important sections
of the playing code. During the winter I have heard
the constant cry from managers and authorities for a
stricter interpretation of the balk rule. I favor that. I
have always been a strict disciplinarian on the enforce-
ment of the balk rule, as I am sure many American
League pitchers will testify.
On the face it may not seem that the balk rule and
base-running have anything in common. As a matter
of fact no two features of the national pastime are so
closely related. During the past four or five years base-
running, one of the game's prettiest features, has been
on the decline. I feel safe in saying the deceptive moves
practised by many pitchers has more seriously affected
base-running than any other thing.
The successful base-runner must be able to get away
to a good lead. A foot or two on the getaway means
everything when many decisions are based on a matter
of a few inches. Ability to get the break by getting
away with the start of the delivery is a wonderful ad-
vantage. It is usually the difference between out and
safe. The brainy base-runner is the player who studies
the delivery of the pitcher closely and is usually able to
decide when the pitcher is going through with his delivery
or when he is going to throw to first.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 93
Of late years pitchers have so tried to circumvent the
balk rule that every trick of the trade has been brought
into play to deceive the base-runner, yet pass the muster
of the umpire. Many pitchers have developed moves
to first that so closely resemble their pitching delivery
that the runner is almost at sea trying to pick the proper
spot to start his steal. Of course this is all wrong. The
pitcher's style of delivery and move to first must differ.
Some do, but it would be almost necessary to get a
strong microscope to note the exact difference.
Usually the left-handers give more trouble on the balk
rule than right-handers. While the major league um-
pires may be lax, the minors are even more so, and it is
a caution the moves some of the recruits bring up to the
majors. A left-handed pitcher joined an American
League club one year who had a movement that was
fatal to a base-runner if he took a lead of more than two
or three steps. It is unfortunate for such recruits, be^
cause it makes them start a new style and often retards
their natural ability. If all managers would just get
over praising moves that are balks nine times out of ten
pitchers would not be so fussy and base-running would
be increased. It is possible to develop a good move that
will hold runners on closely but won't catch many nap-
ping. Such moves are praiseworthy, but most pitchers
are not content with that ; they want to catch them off.
94 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Three Similar Plays— Different Rulings
Here are three plays that puzzle. I am often asked
to give an explanation of the difference that exists from
the penalty standpoint. In appearance each play is the
same, yet three dif^ferent rulings are possible.
Play No. I. — A runner is on first and he tries
to steal second. He succeeds, but the batter jostles
the catcher as he is about to make the throw. In
this play the batter is called out for interference,
while the runner is sent back to first, since no
bases can be run on such an interference.
Play No. 2. — ^A runner is on third, one man is
out, the runner attempts to steal home. It is evi-
dent the play is going to be close. The batter
decides to pull a bit of wise stuff and interferes
with the catcher so that he is unable to put the ball
on the runner before he reaches the plate. The
interference was similar to that in Play No. i. In
this play the penalty is shifted from the batsman
to the runner, for the runner is declared out and
the batsman allowed to continue his time at bat.
Play No. 3. — A runner is on third, two are out,
the runner on third attempts to steal home. The
batsman creates an interference similar to Plays
I and 2. He so hinders the catcher that he is
unable to touch the runner. In this case, the pen-
alty is placed on the batsman, he being declared
out for interference.
While in some respects these plays are very definite,
and are specifically covered in a roundabout way, I seri-
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 95
ously doubt if any series of plays, in which the action is
similar, creates more confusion. Other than simply
quoting the rules which cover the plays, I shall attempt
to explain why the rule makers have shifted the penalty
in these three plays.
In Play No. i, it is the batsman who has grievously
erred. His interference has killed any chance the catcher
might have had of getting the runner. It is obvious he
should suffer the penalty by being called out. Since it
would be unfair to allow the runner to advance on a
play in which the fielder making the play had been inter-
fered with, the runner is sent back to his original base.
In the second case, there being one out at the time,
the runner on third attempts a steal of home. A similar
interference enables the runner to score. A good many
people figure the penalty should be to send the runner
back to third and declare out the batsman. Such a
penalty would enable a wise batter to nullify the play
any time he believed the runner was sure to be retired.
To do away with such methods the rule makers, with
one or none out, have made the penalty all the more
severe by ruling the runner out.
With two men down, a similar interference results
in the batter being called out. You ask why not con-
tinue the ruling as in Play No. 2 and still call the runner
out. With two down and such a play, some one must
be called out for the interference. Since no run can
score, regardless of who is called out, the penalty is
shifted back on the batter. It has been the purpose of
the rule makers in inflicting the penalty to make it as
severe as possible in each case.
SHOWING POSITION OF FIELD UMPIRE WITH NO ONE
ON BASES
With no one on bases, a good position for the umpire to stand is about
fifteen feet back of first and about three feet in foul territory. On balls
hit to the second baseman he need not change his position, for he is in an
excellent place to see whether or not the ball is dropped or juggled. On
balls hit to the shortstop or third baseman, it is best to move up about five
or six feet in front of first base, that is toward the plate and about two or
three feet in foul territory. This enables the umpire to always have the
ball in sight and the play in front of him.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 97
Knotty Problems
For the past several years Spalding's Official Base Ball
Guide has made a specialty of printing some of the ques-
tions that the editor had received by mail during the
season. These had been collected and answered and
published in Spalding's Athletic Library No. 231, but
will be hereafter incorporated instead in Mr. Evans'
book. In addition, Mr. Evans has contributed a number
of problems that have been submitted to him (which are
printed in larger type than those from the Guide). — Pub-
lishers.
Knotty Problems Relative to Batting
On stepping out of the batter's box.
How strictly do major league umpires enforce the rule
that the batsman shall not step out of the box while in
the act of hitting the ball? I refer to Rule 50, which
states that an illegally batted ball is a ball batted by the
batsman when either or both of his feet are upon the
ground outside the lines of the batsman's position. For
this offense, as I understand it, the batsman should be
declared out.
Major league umpires do not enforce the rule to the
letter. I have studied the batting positions closely and
know that nine out of every ten batters have one foot
or part of it outside of the lines when they connect with
the ball. The batter's stride invariably drives him over
the boundary lines. When it is merely a matter of
inches it is overlooked. When the batter advances so
98 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
far out of position that both feet overstep the limit, he
is always declared out. In the first case, the force of
the swing is the reason ; in the second case, it is invari-
ably done to gain an undue advantage.
Ball seems to be fair but is foul.
Batter hits ball back at the pitcher. It is a low liner
that strikes the pitcher's rubber and rebounds back over
the foul line midway between home and the plate, rolling
into the players' bench. Runners were on second and
third at the time and both scored, while the batsman
went to second. Was that the proper ruling?
Strange as it may seem to sorne, the drive whicli re-
bounded off the rubber and into the players' bench was
nothing more than an ordinary foul. The runners should
have been sent back to their respective bases and the
batter made to hit over. The definition of a fair hit ball
says it must settle in fair territory between home and
first, or home and third, or that is on fair ground when
bounding to the outfield past first or third base. This
particular ball settled on foul territory after bounding
over the foul line and out of fair territory midway
between home and first base.
Infield fly that strikes a runner.
Runners are on first and second, one out, when the
batter hits a high fly to the infield. The umpire ruled
it an infield fly, which retired the batsman. A high wind
was blowing, making it difficult to judge fly balls. In
its descent the ball hit the base-runner, who was standing
on second base. The umpire ruled him out for being
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 99
hit by a batted ball, which retired the side. Were the
two rulings on the same hit correct?
The umpire in rendering two such rulings brought
about conflicting situations. If he desired to call the
batter out on the infield fly, he was perfectly within his
rights. On such a play the base-runner, in order to
avoid being doubled up, had a right to hold his base.
If the umpire was of the opinion that the base-runner hit
by the batted ball should be declared out, then he should
not have enforced the infield fly rule, for when a base-
runner is declared out for being hit by a batted ball, the
batsman is entitled to first base. The umpire could have
advanced a good reason for declaring either of the two
out, but had no right to declare both out on the play.
Once again the catcher interferes.
With the bases filled and two out, the batsman swings
hard and sends up a pop foul fly to the third baseman
for what appeared to be the third out. It so happened
that the catcher tipped the bat of the batsman as he was
about to hit the ball. What is the proper ruling on
such a play?
Despite the fact that the batsman's effort was merely
a foul fly that was caught did not change the situation.
Since the catcher tipped the batter's bat, he created an
interference, and such an act permits the batter to go
to first, and allows all others to advance when forced.
Since the bases were filled at the time, the runner on
third scored and the other two runners moved up a
base on a foul fly that was caught.
100 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
The batsman and a base on balls.
In the last half of the ninth, with two men out, and
the score one to nothing against the home team, the
batter hits for three bases. With the count three to
two on the next batter, the pitcher uncorks a wild pitch
for the fourth ball, which gets away from the catcher.
The runner on third scores easily, while the batter scam-
pered to first on four balls. In going from the plate to
second, he failed to touch first in rounding that bag. The
first baseman noticed the error, called for the ball and
touched the bag. The umpire ruled the batter out, retir-
ing the side. Does the run count?
Common sense would allow the run. It should count.
It is impossible to make a force third out of the play at
first, because the base on balls really entitled the batsman
to first base. It is impossible to force a man at a base
to which the rules state he is legally entitled.
Failure to touch base spoils chances.
In the last half of the ninth with the home team one
run behind, things begin to happen. With two down the
home team managed to get runners on first and third.
The batsman hits safely to left. The runner on third
jogged home with what appeared to be the tieing run. In
going from first to third, the runner originally on first
failed to touch second. Both umpire and players had
noticed the mistake. The shortstop, after calling for the
ball, touched second, and the umpire ruled out the runner
standing on third. Does the run count?
The run does not count. The failure to touch second
made a force play at that base for the third out. The
runner who went to third never legally touched second,
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY loi
and the throwing of the ball to that base simply made a
force play out of the situation, the ball beating the
runner to the bag. Rule 59 states no run can be scored
in which the third out is a force play.
Bonehead work on the coacher's part.
Runner is on third, no one out, batter hits a ball to
the left of the shortstop, who is forced to go nearly to
second to get the grounder. Knowing proper base ball
called for the runner on third to hold his base, he gave
him little thought. He figured only on making a play
at first. Just as he fielded the ball the shouts of his
team mates caused him to look toward the plate, and he
saw a visiting player running from third at full speed.
He made a good throw to the plate, and the catcher
touched out the visitor as he slid into the plate, the
umpire rendering such a ruling. It then developed that
the runner who had been thrown out at the plate was
none other than the coacher from third. What about
such a play?
The umpire should have declared out the runner orig-
inally on third. The rule governing this play states:
if, while third base is occupied, the coacher stationed
near the base shall run in the direction of home base,
or near the base line, while the fielder is making or
trying to make a play on a batted ball not caught on the
fly, or a thrown ball, and thereby draws a throw to the
home base, the base- runner shall be declared out for the
coacher's interference,
Being hit by a slow pitched ball.
If the batsman is hit by a slow pitched ball, which he
plainly attempts to avoid, is he entitled to first base?
102 SPALDING'S A THLETIC LIBRAR Y
It is argued that on a slow pitched ball, the batsman
is not entitled to first, even though it is impossible for
him to get out of the way.
At one time failure of the batsman to get out of the
way of a slow pitched ball did not entitle him to first.
It was left to the umpire to determine whether or not
the ball was a fast one or slow one. Under the present
rules the batsman is entitled to first base if he is hit by
any pitched ball at which he did not strike, unless in
the opinion of the umpire he plainly made no effort to
get out of the way of the pitched ball.
To award first on fly that is caught.
Batsman strikes at a pitched ball, his effort being a
foul fly to the first baseman, which was caught by that
player. In striking at the ball the catcher's glove came
into contact with the player's bat, thereby interfering
with him in getting his proper swing at the ball. What
would have been the proper ruling?
The batsman is entitled to first base any time the
catcher interferes with him in, or preventing him from
striking at a pitched ball. The fact that the ball was a
foul, also that it was caught, had no bearing upon the
case. The batsman is entitled to first.
Where ball first hits makes no difference on this play.
Ball hits a yard foul about midway between first and
home, and then slowly rolls onto fair territory, and is
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 103
picked up by the pitcher on fair territory about ten
feet from the first base. Is the ball fair or foul ?
The ball is f^ir. It makes no difference where the
ball first strikes. It depends on the final resting place
of the ball, provided it does not pass first or third base,
and if it does, it depends in what territory it happened
to be when it passed either base. Rule 44 clearly defines
the happening.
Coacher pulls a bad piece of work.
Two out, runner on first, last half of the ninth. Batter
hit a short fly to right, which looked like an easy chance.
Runner on first reached third and was rounding the bag
for home when the coacher informed him the ball had
fallen foul. The runner started to cut across the dia-
mond to go back to first. His team mates finally made
him understand the ball was fair. In the meantime the
ball had been thrown to the third baseman. The runner
originally on first realized there was no chance for him
to reach third in safety, neither could he get to first, as
the man who hit the ball was standing on that bag. He
made a wild dash for second and reached it before being
touched with the ball. He was later touched with the
ball in the hands of the shortstop, while he was standing
on the bag. Was the runner safe or out?
The runner was out, even though he was standing on
second base when touched with the ball. Under Rule 52,
the base-runner the moment he touched third base be-
came the occupant of that bag. Getting back to second
did not exempt him from being put out, third base alone
insured him safety. It was a prize *'bone'* on the part
of the coacher.
104 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Four interesting queries and the answers.
Here are four queries from one fan, and as they are
often asked, I will answer them all under one head.
1. With man on first and no one out, the batter strikes
out, but ball gets away from the catcher. Catcher re-
covers ball and throws to second ahead of runner, who
advances from first to second on the play. Fielder re-
ceiving ball touches base in advance of runner and then
throws to first ahead of the batter who had struck out
and run to first. How many are out?
2. Runner on first, batter hits ball to first baseman,
who fields it and touches first, retiring the runner. He
then throws the ball to the second baseman, who touches
the base ahead of the runner. Is that sufficient, or must
the runner be touched out on such a play ?
3. Runner on third. Umpire calls a balk on pitcher.
Can runner score from third ?
4. Why does not the infield fly rule apply with a
runner on first base only?
In Query i, the runner is safe at second. It is not a
force play. The batter is the only man out. Under the
rules the batter is automatically out when he strikes out
with first base occupied, and less than two out, whether
the catcher holds the third strike or not.
In Query 2, the runner is also safe at second. The
moment the first baseman touched first and retired the
batter, he removed the force at second, making it neces-
sary to touch out the runner.
In Query 3, the runner on third has a right to score.
On a balk all base-runners are entitled to advance.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 105
In Query 4, I would say no infield fly is declared with
a runner on first for the reason that there is never a
chance for a double play, if the batsman runs out his hit.
Batting out of turn.
When it came time for the sixth batter in the list to go to the plate
the seventh man went to bat in his place and made a hit; then No. 6
discovered the mistake and went to bat, whereupon the umpire called him
out for batting out of turn. Should not No. 7 come back to bat, since
No. 6 was out, or should he stay on first as a result of his hit?
Batsman No. 6 was out for not batting in his turn. If this is the third
man out the proper batsman in the next inning is the player who would have
come to bat had the players been put out by ordinary play in the preceding
inning; No. 7 would thus come up again, to bat in his regular turn. If
not the third man out, the game stands as it is being played, with No. 6
out and No. 7 is the next batter.
Another version of alleged force-out.
Runner on first base when batter hits ioT three bases; batter being
faster than the other man, he reaches third base before man ahead gets
home; ball is thrown to catcher, who touches home base before runner gets
there and umpire calls runner out, claiming a force; this decision was dis-
puted and broke up the game; give correct decision.
The umpire's ruling was absurd. Very frequently a slow runner is ahead
of two speedy ones. There is no reason why a force can exist because one
man can run faster than another. As repeatedly stated, there is no force
play in Base Ball except it begins by the batter pushing the next rimner,
the next two runners or the next three runners ahead of him.
This rule seems to vex almost all young players.
A base-runner running from second to home on a two-base hit goes more
than three feet outside of the base line between third base and home.
Should he not be called out?
The runner is never out on such a play for running out of line unless he
rims out of line to avoid a fielder who stands on the baseline waiting to
touch him with the ball. When a man is going at top speed from second
base to home it is simply impossible for him to remain within a three-foot
line. What seems to mislead almost all in regard to this rule (Rule 56,
Section 7) is that they overlook this clause: "He runs more than three feet
from a direct line between a base and the next one in regular or reverse
order to avoid being touched by a ball in the hands of a fielder," If it is
not done to avoid a fielder, the runner can gallop as hard as he likes in a
■wide circle to try to get his run over the plate. As a matter of fact — and
it is a point young base-runners should bear in mind— the greater the detour
the runner makes, the more he is handicapping himself. The closer he can
adhere to the circuit of the bases, the less ground he has to cover.
io6 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
When the infield fly rule is applied.
One out; man on first base and man on third base; batter hits infield fly
which by ordinary playing could be caught. Is it compulsory for the batter
to run to first base and the man on first to try for second?
The infield fly rule does not apply under the conditions outlined. First
and second, or first, second and third must be occupied before the rule can
apply. In case the batsman did not run out the hit, or the runner on
first held that base, the fielder had the opportunity to drop the ball, throw
it to second and so to first for a double play.
Foul strike or foul ball
Batsman in dodging pitched ball, accidently lets it hit his bat, and ball
falls on foul territory. Is it a foul strike or a ball?
Foul strike, if first or secoad strike; foul otherwise.
The infield fly.
If the bases are full and the batter hits an infield fly, is the batter
forced out, or can the runners advance if the infielder drops the fly?
The batter is not "forced" out, but is out automatically, if the umpire
calls an infield fly. The situation as regards the runners differs according
to whether the American or National rule is being observed. In the
American the runners must hold bases until the ball is either caught or
dropped — until the play on the ball is completed — then they can advance.
In the National they can advance and, if the ball is dropped, keep going,
but if caught must return to bases and then advance if they can, same as
on any fly catch.
Rule 53, section 4, covers what should be done.
Batter has two strikes and three balls. The next pitched ball strikes
batsman on the arm. Umpire called it "dead ball" and brought the bats-
man to bat over, calling it neither ball nor strike, on the grounds that he
tried purposely to get hit. Was umpire right or wrong in his ruling, and
is there any specific rule in the book covering this particular play?
See Rule 30 and Rule 31. For every fairly delivered ball the umpire
must call a strike; if unfairly delivered he must call a ball. If the ball
was fairly delivered and the player purposely got in the way of it, the
umpire should have called him out on three strikes. If it was unfairly
delivered, he must have his base on balls. All balls that hit batsman are
dead balls.
If he had hit the ball he would have been out, because he
was not within the lines of his position.
Batter runs toward the pitcher out of the batter's box and strikes at the
ball but misses it. Is he out?
He is not, if he failed to bat the ball.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 107
Note the words in italic.
If a batsman in his box hits a ball, which struck fair, and the ball
bounces up and hits him while he is still in his box, is the batsman out?
No; foul ball.
Catcher should remain in his position.
Three on bases and two out; two strikes and three balls on the batter;
man on third starts home with the pitch and batter steps back out of the
box; catcher steps ahead of the plate and tags runner out. Does not the
catcher have a right to step ahead of the plate and catch the ball after the
batter steps out of the box? Would the runner be out or safe?
The pitch was a legal delivery and as such the catcher must take it
within his lines; technically he has interfered with the batter, whatever
the latter may have done. In the American League the batter would go
to first and the runner would have to score oh the grounds of catcher's
interference with batter; in the National they would call it a "catcher's
balk" and move everybody up, presumably sending the batter to first also
because of interference. While the National League's interpretation does
not strictly conform with the rules, it is the best solution based on fair play.
Batter can be removed any time.
Sixth inning; batter has taken two strikes, when team ^ captain halts
game, takes batter out and sends in substitute, who takes third strike and
is out. Is this in accordance with rules?
Yes, batter can be removed at any time.
It is not too late.
If, when a batter has two strikes and two balls charged against him, it
is found that he is batting out of turn, is he out, or does the rule mean
that the right batter shall be substituted immediately if the mistake is
discovered?
The rule aays the right batter shall be substituted at once.
Depends on where it stops before reaching first or third
bases.
Batter bunts the ball on fair ground; it rolls foul and then back inside the
diamond before reaching third base. He_ hits another ball to foul ground,
and it rolls on fair ground before reaching third base and remains there.
What are these two hits?
Both hits are fair.
Must show exactly where rule was violated.
After a baseman has called the attention of the umpire to the fact that
he should watch all of the bases when a batter seems to have made a
three-base hit or a home run, should the umpire call the batter out if he
fails, for instance, to touch second base?
Not unless the fielding side makes a play on second base showing that
someone knows the batter forgot to touch second on his way around the
bases.
io8 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Umpire certainly did not understand "infield fly" rule.
With men on first and second and one out, batsman hits a foul fly
between third and home and the shortstop tries to catch the ball but drops
it. The umpire rules the batsman out, under the infield fly rule. Was he
right?
Rule 51, Section 8, says: "The batsman is out if, before two hands are
out, while first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied^
he hit a fly ball, other than a line drive, that can be handled by an in-
fielder. In such case the umpire shall, as soon as the ball be hit, declare
it an infield or outfield fly." It is very evident that this rule is intended
to apply where there is a possibility of a double play. As there could be
no double play on a trapped foul fly, the umpire was wrong.
When batter can change from right to left, or vice versa.
Batter after having one strike called on him changed to opposite side of
plate, while pitcher had ball but was not in box ready to pitch. Was batter
out? Also, batter turned his back to pitcher and refused to swing at ball,
but did not leave batter's box; umpire called him out. Was umpire's deci-
sion correct? While batter is standing with his back to the plate, i)itcher
delivers ball which hits him, though he tried to get out of the way of it. Is
batter out or is he entitled to his base?
Batter can change to opposite side of plate if he does it before pitcher
is in position to pitch. Fact that batter turns his back to plate or pitcher
does not penalize him. Umpire should call ball or strike, as the case may
be, and if he attempted to get out of the way of a pitched ball and still
was hit he should be given his base, but it hardly seems reasonable that a
batter acting in such a manner made a real try to avoid being hit. It would
be for the umpire to say. In either case, however, the umpire has no
authority to call the batsman out
A play often misunderstood.
In running the last half of the distance from home plate to first base,
while the ball is being fielded to first base, can the runner step outside the
three-foot limit line?
Yes; as long as his doing so does not interfere with the play at first base.
Batter hitting ball intended to catch base-runner.
Pitcher standing in his box with ball in his possession; batter in pasition
and runner on third; runner on third starts for home, pitcher throws ball
to catcher to retire runner, but batters hits ball. Who is out, providing
batter makes safe hit? In order to call batter out for interference must
pitcher step out of hie box to throw home? Is it a balk to step into
pitcher's box without ball in possession, providing no motion is made to
pitch ?
No one out. Yes. No, but not good base ball. The balk rule is lax
on this point. When pitcher gets on rubber he is supposed to be ready
to pitch, yet he can't pitch without the ball, which is surely deception.
The rule should be changed.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 109
Batter cannot change while pitcher is in act of delivery.
With three balls and two strikes against the batter, the latter, who Is
hitting from the right side of the plate, goes over to the left as the pitcher
delivers the ball. The batter thinks it will be the fourth ball and keeps on
toward first base. Is he not out under the rule which forbids the batter
to go from one box to the other while the pitcher is in the act of deliver-
ing the ball?
He certainly is. He has no right to change his position on the theory
that the pitcher is delivering a bad ball. He must wait until the umpire
says it is a bad ball.
Steal is allowed on a foul tip.
If the batter makes a foul tip and the base-runner on first has stolen
second at the same time is the steal allowed?
It is. A foul tip caught by a catcher is the equivalent of a strike.
Batter must become a base-runner to start a force play.
A runner is on third base and a runner on second base. The runner on
second base leads too far off the base and the runner from third tries to
score. The second baseman throws the ball to the catcher, who stands on
home plate, but does not try to touch the runner from third, who succeeds
in returning to that base. Is not the runner from third base out, because
he is forced, and is it not true that the catcher does not have to touch
him?
The runner from third base is not forced, and if h« is to be put out
he must be touched by the ball in the hand of the catcher. If he succeeds
in returning to third base without being touched, and if the runner from
second base returns to that base without being touched, neither of them is
out. No force play can result in base ball except that it begins by the
batter becoming a base-runner.
The batter receives credit for a safe hit nevertheless.
If two hands are out and a runner from first base to second base is hit
by a batted ball, is the batter credited with a base hit, even though it is
the third out?
The batter always receives a base hit, no matter what the status of the
game may be, if a runner is hit by a batted ball.
Look out for the infield fly.
Three men on bases; one man out; the squeeze play is attempted, but
the batter hits a pop fly which is caught by the pitcher; the umpire rules
the batter out on an infield fly; the pitcher, after catching the ball, throws
it to third base before the runner who was formerly on that base could
return.
The ruling has always been that runners must retouch their bases on an
infield fly, same as on any other fly-ball catch. Therefore the runner
would be out if, after the catch, the ball be thrown to the base before
the runner tould return.
no SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Walking into a pitched ball.
Batter is hit by pitched ball; opposing side claims he intentionally walked
into ball and umpire calls it a strike. Should it be called a ball or should
batter be called out or allowed to take his base?
If batter swung at it or if it was over the plate and a fair pitch it
would be a strike; otherwise a ball. Batter is not out for allowing ball
to hit him, unless he does so in a manner to interfere with catcher making
a play.
Batter had already reached first safely, but was ambitious.
With two hands out and a runner on second base the batter hits safely
to right field. He is put out trying for a two-base hit, but the runner
scores. Does the run count?
It does, if the rui.ner crossed home before the runner from first base
to second base was put out.
Base runner is entitled to the next base.
If there should be a runner on first base who started to steal second as
the fourth ball was about to be pitched and who was touched by the
second baseman before he could touch second base after the umpire had
announced "ball four," would the base-runner be out?
No; when the fourth ball is announced it entitles the runner on first
to second base.
If there had been already two out the batter would get credit
for a base hit, but not for a home run.
If a runner is on second base and the batter hits for a home run, does
the runner on second score if the umpire decides that he failed to touch
third base on his way home?
He does not.
Runner must actually touch the plate.
If in sliding to home plate the base-runner should not be touched out by
the_ catcher and at the same time should roll over the catcher's body,
which is over home plate, is the runner out if the catcher can tag him
before ne can get his foot or some part of his body on home plate?
He is.
Carelessness of base-runner robs batter of credit for a hit.
Runner on first base, batter triples, man on first scores, but is called
out for cutting second. Does batter get credit for a hit?
If there were two out when batter tripled, he cannot be credited with
the hit. Base-runner's failure to touch second was same as though he had
been forced out at that base. In case no one, or but one, was out, then
credit would be given for the hit, as only a man who was on base could
be declared out for his failure to touch second.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY iii
When a foul tip is not a foul tip.
Batter had two strikes and two balls, the next ball delivered was fouled
off, going on a direct line to the catcher, who could not get his hands up
in time to stop it. Ball went down between the breast protector and the
catcher's body. Umpire said batter was entitled to another strike, as the
ball was not legally caught. Was he right?
Batsman was not out and was entitled to another chance to hit the ball.
It was not a foul tip as defined by Rule 46, because it was not "legally
caught." Section 3 of Rule 51, defining "When Batsman is Out," spe-
cifically states under what conditions a batsman is out on a foul, but also
makes the following exception: "Provided it be not caught in a fielder's
cap, protector, pocket or other part of his uniform," etc.
The umpire had read his rule book.
Runner on third; man at bat tries to squeeze the runner home; he
strikes at the ball and misses it; the ball hits the batsman and the runner
on the way home is touched by the catcher. The umpire sends the runner
back to third and calls a strike on the batter. Is this right?
Sure.
Catch finished it, as far as play from batter was concerned.
Runners on first and third; with one out, batsman hits outfield fly,
which is caught; man on third scores after catch, but man on first is
caught before he gets back, making third out on the play. Does run count?
Run certainly counts if man from third crosses plate before play at
first retiring the side is completed.
Penalty goes, if there was contact between glove and ball.
Infielder threw glove at batted ball; umpire gave runner three bases;
game protested, claiming Section 6, Rule 54, does not apply, as glove did
not stop ball.
Rule is in force if glove touched the ball, regardless of whether it stopped
ball or not.
A strike is a strike, even if it is a foul tip.
Can a base-runner steal second base when a foul tip is made which is
also the second strike?
He can, if the ball is caught, as a foul tip is a strike undfsr the ruling
laid down by the Rules Committee.
The rule is not interpreted literally under these circum-
stances.
With two strikes against him the batter strikes at the next ball. Think-
ing it is caught, he takes two steps toward the bench; then discovering
that the catcher missed the ball, runs in safety to first base. Can he be
called out for running out of the line?
No; he was safe.
112 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Where the umpire was in error; batter was out.
Batter hits line drive to pitcher, who stops the ball with one hand and
it rolls a short distance and touches the umpire. The pitcher picks up the
ball and throws the batter out at first, but the umpire calls the runner
safe. Is that ruling correct?
No. Read Rule 54, 'Section 1, as follows: "The base-runner shall be
entitled without liability to be put out to advance a base if a fair hit ball
strike the person or clothing of the umpire or a base-runner on fair ground
before touching, a fielder." The ball first touched a fielder and was at once
in play and could be fielded upon recovery to any portion of the diamond.
This rule has often been incorrectly interpreted.
Plays hinging on the infield fly.
Runners were on first, second and third bases, with one out; batter
knocked infield fly, which umpire called while the ball was in the air; second
baseman caught fly and tagged the runner at second, who was off the
bag. Should this runner be called out, or was the play completed when
umpire called "infield fly, batter out"? With a runner on first and second
bases, the batter missed the last strike, which the catcher dropped, umpire
calling batter out. Can a double play be made in such a case, that is,
catcher to third to first, after missing last strike?
Runner was out at second, the play being the same as on any other fly
ball, except that batter is automatically out. Batsman is out (see Rule 51,
Section 6) ; if the man on second base attempted to steal third on third
strike and was touched out a double play could not be made on the theory
that the runner on second is forced at third. The batsman is automatical!)
out, removing the force.
Umpire was not up on the rules.
With runner on third, batter swings at ball but the catcher's glove was
in the way of the bat and the bat hit the ball and the glove together, the
ball rolling foul. The umpire allowed the runner to score from third. Was
he right?
No. If the catcher interfered, the batter was allowed to take first base,
but unless a force play followed, because runners were on third, second
and first, the runner on third could not be allowed to advance.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 113
Knotty Problems Relative to the
Base-Runner
Failure to touch first causes trouble.
The score is five to four against the home team, it is
the last half of the ninth and a runner is on second and
two men out. With three balls and two strikes on the
batter, the pitcher threw a low spit ball at which the
batter swung and missed. The ball got away from the
catcher and rolled a considerable distance. The coacher
at first noticed this and urged the batter to try for sec-
ond. On recovering the ball the catcher threw badly to
second. During the mixup, the runner originally on sec-
ond scored, while the batsman continued on to third and
eventually scored, when a bad peg was made to that base.
At this stage the first baseman, who had been frantically
yelling for the ball, made it known that the batsman
who had struck out had missed first base in making the
circuit. Getting the ball he touched first base. The
umpire declared the batter out. Does the run scored by
the man originally on second stand?
The run does not score. The failure of the batsman
who had struck out to touch first base made the play
at that base a force third out, and on such plays no
runs can score.
Man apparently scored but didn't.
Two are out in the last half of the ninth, and the score
is 9 to I against the home team. The batter singles. He
steals second and third unmolested on the first two balls
pitched. Since his run had no direct bearing on the
114 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
result, no attention was paid to his efforts. Some wag
in the bleachers suggested he steal home. Acting on
the suggestion he dashed for the plate as the pitcher
started his windup. The pitcher decided to let him com-
plete the theft and purposely continued to wind up, until
the runner slid across the plate in safety. Before he
actually delivered the ball to the batter, the runner who
had stolen home was half way to the bench. The bats-
man hit the ball when it was finally delivered and went
out on a fly to left field, which retired the side and
ended the game. Does the run count?
The run does not count. The play is based on Rule
59, which relates to the scoring of runs. A clause in
this rule states, a run shall not be scored, if after touch-
ing the first three bases, the runner comes home from
third on a play in which the third man is forced out, or
is put out before reaching first. The start of the play
was when the pitcher started the windup, the completion
was the fly to the outfield, which was caught, thus making
the batter out before he reached first base.
Advancing bases on fly that is juggled.
Runners are on second and third, one man is out, batter
hits fly to deep left field. Runner on third beHeves fly will
be caught and holds his base, runner on second does not
think ball will be caught and starts for third as soon as
it is hit. The moment the ball strikes the fielder's hands,
the runner on third starts for home. The ball bounds
out of the fielder's hands, but he recovers it before it
falls to the ground. By a swift accurate throw he man-
ages to get the ball to second before the original
occupant of that bag can get back, thereby retiring him
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 115
for the second out. The ball was then thrown to the third
baseman and a triple play claimed, since the runner orig-
inally on that base had left the bag before the ball was
actually caught. Was a triple play made, or did the run
scored from third count?
It was not a triple play, and the run scored from third
counted. The moment a fly ball strikes the hands of a
fielder, the base-runner has a right to advance, if he has
held his base. Otherwise a fielder could juggle a ball as
long as he desired, and all the time be rushing in to the
infield.
This play was not a force third out.
The bases are filled, two are out, batter hits a short fly
to left field on which each runner advances a base. The
runner who advanced from first to second on the hit was
in an excellent position to see the catch. Evidently he
thought the left fielder had made a legal catch that made
the third out, for he left second and started for first base,
his position on the team. In the meantime the batsman
had reached first, the runner on second had gone to third,
while the man on third had gone home. The umpire
ruled that the fielder had trapped the ball, not caught it.
The players on the team at bat finally made the runner
who had left second, realize the decision, but before he
could get back he was tagged out. Did the run count ?
The run counted. The third out made at second base
was not a force out, as the team in the field contended.
The runner having once touched second base became the
occupant of that base, thereby eliminating any possibility
of a force play. He left the base at his own peril after
having become the possessor of it.
ii6 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Runner was entitled to score.
In the ninth inning, with the score a tie, two men out
and a runner on second, the batsman singled sharply to
left field. The runner on second, away to a good start,
decided to try and score on the hit. The left fielder
made a perfect throw to the plate, which had the runner
beaten a considerable distance. The runner slid into the
plate at full speed. It so happened that the ball took a
last bad bound and hopped over the catcher's head. The
pitcher of the team in the field was backing up the play.
The catcher decided the one thing to do was to keep the
runner from touching the plate. He set himself squarely
in front of the plate to carry out that idea. Runner and
catcher became tangled up and due to the rough actions
of the catcher, the runner was tagged out by the pitcher
before he was able to touch the plate. Was the runner
out or should the score have been allowed?
The runner should have been allowed to score. Under
Section 5 of Rule 54, the runner is entitled to advance
a base when the obstruction of a fielder prevents him
from making a base, unless latter has ball in his hand
ready to touch runner.
The run certainly did count.
With the score a tie, team at bat fills bases with two
down. With the count three balls and two strikes on
the batter, the runners very properly started to advance
at top speed, as the pitcher began his windup. The pitch
was wide, making the fourth ball. The runner coming
home from third seeing the pitch was a ball, slowed up
and merely walked toward the plate. The runner orig-
inally on second slightly overran third on reaching that
bag. A snap throw from the catcher retired him, making
the third out. The third out was made before the runner
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 117
from third had actually crossed the plate. Does the run
count ?
The run counts. The base on balls to the batter with
the bases filled, entitled the runner on third to score. It
made no difference whether he had actually crossed the
plate or not before the third out was made.
Once again runner must be touched.
One out, runners on first and second, batsman strikes
out, but ball gets away from catcher. Catcher recovers
ball and throws to third ahead of runner, who advanced
from second, but fielder does not touch runner with the
ball. Is the runner out, and are runners forced to advance
on such a play?
According to Section 6 of Rule 51, unless two men are
already out, the batsman is out if a third strike is called
on him when first base is occupied by a runner. Thus,
in the above case, the batsman was automatically out
when the third strike was called, regardless of the fact
that it was not held by the catcher. In such a case run-
ners are not forced to advance ; they did so at their own
peril. The fact that the ball arrived at third ahead of
the runner was not enough to retire him ; it was necessary
to touch him out.
Fielder had a chance to make play.
Runner is on second, batter hits a ball to the shortstop.
It is a hard hit ball. One is out at the time. The runner
on second starts for third, believing the fielder will not
get the ball. The ball gets away from the fielder after
he gets it squarely in his hands, and rolls about ten
Ii8 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
feet away. The shortstop starts after it and the runner
collides with him. The decision was that the runner was
out because of interference with the shortstop in fielding
the ball. Was that proper ?
Once the fielder had a chance to make a play on the
ball, it killed any chaxice for an interference play, when
the shortstop collided with him as he pursued the ball.
If such interference plays were allowed, infielders after
making an error on a ball would always purposely try
to collide with a runner in order to atone for the mis-
play.
Fielder always has right of way.
Batsman hits foul fly that comes down laear the bench
of his team mates. First baseman makes a play on the
ball. Just as the player is about to complete the catch,
one of the players tosses out a bat, which strikes the
feet of the first baseman with considerable force. He gets
the ball squarely in his hands, but drops it, due no doubt
to the action of one of the players, who hit him with the
bat. The umpire ruled the batsman out. Was he right?
The umpire was perfectly correct in his ruling. The
fielder always has the right of way. The action of a
player on the bench in striking the fielder with his bat
while about to make the catch, certainly constituted an
interference.
Fielder touched the wrong man.
With runners on second and third and one out, the
batsman hit to the shortstop, who threw home to head off
the runner from third. The runner from second went
to third and the batsman to second in the runup. It
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 119
so happened that the runner originally on third managed
to get back to that base in safety, which created the
familiar situation of two runners standing on the same
bag at the same time. The third baseman, last to handle
the ball, touched with the ball the original occupant of
the bag. He then tossed the ball to the pitcher. The
moment he did, the runner at third dashed for the plate.
He reached it in safety. Was he out or entitled to score?
With two men standing on third, at the same time, the
original occupant was the only one exempt from being
put out. The third baseman erred in touching the original
occupant, he should have touched the runner who ad-
vanced from second. No one was out, and the runner
who had been touched had a perfect right to score.
Scores on a freak squeeze play.
One out, runner on third, squeeze play is called for.
Runner dashes for plate on the pitch, while batter bunts
a pop fly in the direction of third. Almost before the
ball had met the bat, the runner from third slid safely
across the plate. The shortstop made the play on the
ball. The coacher beheved he would get it and double
up runner originally on third. The runner who had
crossed the plate, started back to third. The shortstop
failed to catch the ball, but got it on the first bound.
He tossed it to the third sacker, who touched out the
runner, who had once reached the plate, as he slid back
into third. What about the play?
It IS a peculiar case, yet, an exactly similar one came
up in the American League. It was held that the runner
who once reached the plate actually scored. The moment
he touched the plate he scored, and what happened later
had no bearing on the case. Rule 59 covers the play.
120 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Runner from third is out.
Runner is on third, one fflsn is out, squeeze play is
called for. The batsman fails to connect and the run-
ner from third would have easily been retired had not
the batsman interfered with the catcher in making the
play and prevented him from doing so. What would
have been the proper ruling, should the batsman or base-
runner be declared out, because of the interference?
In this case the runner from third should have been
declared out. Section 15 of Rule 56 specifically states,
the base-runner is out if with one or no one out and a
base-runner on third, the batsman interferes with the
play being made at the plate. The idea is to inflict the
penalty that will be the most severe, and the calling out
of the base-runner kills the chance of a possible score.
With two men out and the same play comes up, the
batter is made to suffer and he is the one declared out,
retiring the side.
Was necessary to touch the runner.
Runner on first, one out, three balls and two strikes
on the batter. On the next pitch the runner starts for
second. The batter swings and misses the third strike.
The catcher makes a perfect throw to second and retires
the runner trying to steal. The ball at which the batter
swung for the third strike was close and inside. It just
grazed his uniform as he struck out. What was the
proper ruling? The team in the field claimed a double
play.
The batsman is out, if, while attempting a third strike,
the ball touch any part of the batsman's person. In all
such cases base-runners cannot advance. The umpire
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 121
should have declared the batsman out and sent the run-
ner, who had apparently been retired, back to first, the
base he occupied when the play started.
On passing a preceding runner.
Runner on first, one out, batter hits a deep drive to
right field. Runner believes fly will be caught and stops
half way between first and second. Batsman feels cer-
tain the ball will go safe and tears around the bases at
full speed. He passes runner originally on first, while
running from first to second. Batsman who hit the ball
was able to complete the circuit on the drive, as the fielder
was unable to make the catch. What should have been
the ruling?
Even though the batsman apparently made a home run,
he was out the moment he passed a preceding runner
between first and second. This play is covered in Sec-
tion 16 of Rule 56.
Intent cannot be considered in interference plays.
The bases are filled, two men are out and the batsman
hits the ball to the shortstop. The base-runner very
properly runs behind the fielder, in order not to in any
way interfere. The shortstop gets set for the ball, just as
the runner is in the act of passing him from the rear.
The fielder at that very moment decides that if he takes
another step backward he will be in a better position to
handle the ball. The step is fatal, it results in a collision
between fielder and base-runner, both falling to the
ground. All three runners score and the batter reaches
second. What was the proper ruling on this play?
The umpire should have called the runner going to third
out for interference. The fielder always has the right of
122 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
way and while he may have directly been the cause of
the collision, it was the duty of the base-runner to avoid
him. In all plays of interference, the intent cannot be
considered.
More about the infield fly rule.
Runners on first and second; batted ball hits umpire and runner from
second scores and runner from first goes to third; umpire calls batter safe
and calls runners back to bases they started for. Runner on first; batter
hits infield fly to second baseman, and runner from first was touched on
second base; umpire calls this runner back to first base and batter out
under infield fly rule.
In the first instance umpire was right; there can be no advance further
than to make room for the batter. In the second question umpire misin-
terpreted infield fly rule, as is plain enough if rule is read. Batter was
out if fly ball was caught and runner from first would be out if he left
base before ball was caught.
Runner can turn in either direction.
Runner on third, two out; batter gets a hit and runner from third scores,
but batter after reaching first safely turns wrong way and ball is put on
him. Does run count?
There is no such thing as runner turning wrong way after overrunning
first. He can return to first no matter which way he turns, so long as he
does not attempt to advance. In any event, the run would count, presum-
ing it had crossed the plate before batter had been put out after reaching
first safely and he could only be put out under circumstances stated.
Runner should not be penalized if umpire is hit.
Runner attempted to steal second base; catcher's throw hits umpire and
umpire sends runner back to first. Was decision right ?_ Runner attempts
to steal third; catcher's throw hits bat of batter, who is in his box; umpire
sends runner back to second. Was this decision right?
Thrown ball that hits umpire is still in play and umpire who sent runner
back was wrong. If there was no interference on part of batter would
hold this a bad throw on part of catcher, just as if he had hit a runner.
If batter interfered and was at fault he would be out and runner would
be sent back.
What has third strike to do with third base?
With a base-runner on third base the batter strikes out and the team in
the field claims that the runner on third base is out and the batter safe
because the third strike is dropped by the catcher.
Nonsense. That is the vn-ong application of a rule which has nothing
to do with third base but with first base.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 123
Stupid base running causes a lot of trouble.
Runners on second and third when batter hits a home run. Runner from
second failed to touch third base, and when the ball was held on the base
the umpire called him out and also called out the player who hit the home
run for passing the preceding base-runner. Was umpire right?
No. The player who made the home run had no knowledge that the
runner from second had failed to touch third base. The decision at third
base could not have been except on appeal. Read Rule 57. The man
who failed to touch third base came within the "legally put out" clause
the moment that he failed to touch the base. In other words, he was
automatically legally put out when he did fail to touch the base Yet if
the opposing side did not claim the put out it could not be made, which
protects the man making the home run. Conversely, the side at bat could
score because a run could not be decided as not having scored when it
was uncertain that the neglect of the runner to touch third base had been
observed by either side.
A foul tip is not a "foul/'
Two strikes on batter and on the next pitch he is out on a foul tip, held
by the catcher; runner steals base on the ctrike-out, but umpire says he
cannot advance on foul and sends him back. Was decision correct?
Umpire was wrong; a foul tip is not a foul, but merely continuation of
strike, and ball is still in play and bases can be run on it the same as if
ball had not been tipped by bat.
This is a query that is often asked.
Can the runner turn either side of first base when running from home
plate?
Yes, unless he makes a direct turn toward second and gives indication
of trying to make that base. In that event he is subject to being put out.
Once more the force play commands attention.
Runner on first base and the batter bats the ball to the second baseman,
who attempted to touch the runner from first between first and second.
The runner stopped on the line, however, and the second baseman then
threw the ball to the first baseman, retiring the batter. The first baseman
then threw the ball to the shortstop at second base. The ball reached the
shortstop ahead of the runner, but the fielder failed to touch the runner.
Was the latter out and could he return to first under such a play?
He was not out. He could return to first. The moment that the batter
was put out at first there was no longer a force play and the runner who
had been at first was at liberty to go where he pleased, so lon^g as he was
not touched by some one who had the ball in his hand. There never can
be a force play on the field after the batter is first put out. This seems
to be the one question which bothers all young players and some old ones.
It is argued about constantly, yet it must be evident that when the batter
is retired base-runners can move at their will on the base lines.
124 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
When a runner is out while standing on his base.
With a runner on third, batter hits a slow bounding ball down third
base line. Runner returns to and stands squarely on bag. The third base-
man, realizing that he cannot retire the batter at first, allows the ball to
roll, thinking it may go foul. The ball rolls to the third-base bag, hits
it and, bounding up, strikes the runner, who is declared out under thq
rule of being hit by a batted ball.
Under the provisions of Section 12 of Rule 56 base-runner was out.
The fact that the runner is standing on the base does not alter the rule.
For instance, three men might be on bases and two out and the runner
standing on first or third might be hit with a fairly batted ball and prevent
the fielder from making a play, thus scoring a run, which would certainly
be wrong.
No possible reason for calling the runners out in this case.
Runners on first and second when batter hits foul; pitcher gets ball and
steps behind plate, then throws over first base; runners, thinking the ball
is in play with pitcher in position, advance one base each on his bad
throw; first baseman returns ball to pitcher, who steps into position and
then throws ball to first and second; one umpire calls runners out and the
other umpire sends them back to bases.
The umpire who sent runners back to bases originally held Is the one
who gave the only sensible decision. Ball was not in play until held by
pitcher in position and "play** called by umpire behind plate. Whatever
an erratic pitcher may have done with the ball before it is in play does not
matter unless the umpire wants to fine him for delaying the game.
Base-runner struck by thrown ball while running him down.
Base-runner is caught between first and second; in running him down,
as he nears second base, the ball is thrown to the second baseman, but it
strikes the runner on the back of the neck, stunning him, so that he falls
over second base, where he is touched by the second baseman, and called
out by the umpire; runner maintairrs he is not out, as time should have
been called by the umpire immediately upon his being knocked out.
If he was on the base he was safe; if not, he was omt.
Runner is out, but it is a base hit for batsman.
Three men on base, with two out. Batter hits the ball, which hits the
base-runner, off third, making three out- Is the batter to be credited with
a hit?
Rule Is plain on the point, and says: "In all cases where a base-runner
is retired by being hit by a batted ball, unless batted by himself, the
batsman should be credited with a base hit."
Can the coacher make believe to run from third base to
home plate?
No. See Rule 56, Sec. 19.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 125
Runner can take the chance.
Are runners permitted to advance under the following circumstances:
while first and second bases are occupied by runners before two men are
out, the batter hits an infield fly which is not caught?
In the National League the runners on first and second bases may
advance at their own risk. After a batsman has been declared out on
the infield fly, the play is just the same as on any other fly balU
The "forct rule'* explained once more.
One man out; runner on first base and runner on second base; pitcher
throws to shortstop at second base; base-runner at second sees he has no
chance to get back, so he starts for third. While he is being run up and
down the line the runner on first leaves that base and runs to second
base, on which he stands. Center fielder comes in and stands beside him to
take part in the play, if necessary. Base-runner who has been on second
Is returning to second, and ball is thrown to center fielder. As he catches
the ball the runner coming back to the base falls. Center fielder touches
the base-runner standing on second (the man who had come from first)
and then steps off the base and touches the base-runner who had been
on second originally, as the latter is picking himself up. Umpire decides
a double play. Is he correct?
Under Rule 56, Section 9, runner was not out. He was entitled to
second base until forced off by return of base-runner from third. This
man could not be called out while standing on the base. If both runneris
were occupying second base, the runner from first would be the one to be
declared out.
One runner cannot force the preceding runner off his base.
Runners on second and third; batter hits to shortstop and runner from
second goes to third, forcing runner off there; shortstop throws to plate
and catcher, thinking it forced run, does not tag runner, but throws to first
to catch batter; runner that had touched third goes back to second; umpire
calls runner going from third to home out. Was he correct? Runners on
second and third; runner on second forces runner off third base; this
runner stops on line on way to plate, and catcher, who gets ball, thinks he
has given up and throws ball to first base; runner then comes in and
touches plate; umpire calls him out. Was he correct?
To start with, get clear in/ your head that there has been no "force" of
runner off third base in either case. One runner cannot force another
Off hie base except to make room for the batter at first. In your first ques-
tion the runner from third has legally scored, if he was not tagged, and the
fact that he scores makes runner from second legal occupant of third base,
provided he held base when runner that left it sctored. In that case he
has no right to run bases in reverse order and return to second and could
be tagged out any place off third base. In the second case, there is no
such thing as "giving up" on bases, and if runner coming in from third
was not tagged his score counts. Umpire was wrong in both decisions.
126 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
If two were out, it was a force at first.
First and second bases occupied; batter strikes out and catcher lets third
strike get away; batter goes to first base, but neither of other runners left
their bases.
The rule is perfectly plain. If less than two were already out the batter
is out, whether the catcher held the ball or not.
Runner certainly was entitled to return to first base.
Runner on first base and batter hits grounder to pitcher; runner on first
runs about two feet off first base. Pitcher throws the ball to first base-
man, who touches his base and throws to second. Runner, instead of going
to second, returns to first base. Was he entitled to do so?
As soon as the batsman was retired at first base, the force play was
lost and therefore the runner could return to first safely.
Everyone can run, at his own risk, of course.
Two men on base, second and third; one out. Batter receives four
balls, but catcher misses last ball. Is the man on third entitled to score
on passed ball or does he remain on third?
Man on third is entitled to score on the passed ball, provided he can do
so. If catcher misses fourth ball, runners on bases, as well as batsman
who was passed, can go as far as they can.
This is a puzzler to many, yet perfectly reasonable.
V/^'th a runner on second and one on third, and no one out, runner on
third tries to steal home and is caught between home and third, the runner
from second goes to third and is touched by the third baseman while
standing on the third base. Who is entitled to the base?
As soon as the preceding runner started to steal home, the runner from
second secured a tentative right to third base, which protected him until
the runner who had the legal right to that base returned to it. Hence,
if both runners while on third base were touched with the ball, the runner
from second would be out, for the reason that he had lost his tentative
right to that base on the return to it of the preceding runner.
Runner took all the risk.
With a man on third and second, the runner on second, who had taken
a lead toward third, was not given time enough to return to his base when
the batter failed to hit the ball fair. He contended that he was entitled to
go to third, which, of course, would have forced in a run. The rules
state very clearly that a runner shall be entitled to take the succeeding
base without being put out in case the pitcher does not give him time to
return to the base he had occupied.
This rule regarding runners has been clearly misunderstood in the above
instance. The pitcher was foolish not to see that the runner had not
returned to second, and if the runner continued to go to third he did so
at his own risk. See Sec. 13 of Rule 56.
127
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
There was no force-out at home plate.
B-ses full, no one out and the third strike is called on batter; catcher
drops ball and immediately picks up ball and touches home plate, then tags
batter and throws to first baseman, who tags first base-runner who is
returning to first base; umpire calls batter out (I suppose by Rule 51,
Section 6) and man tagged while not in contact with first base out;
players in the field claimed three men out, third base-runner also, asserting
that third base-runner was forced.
Umpire was right; batsman and man caught off first base are out.
The rule is inexorable, and it does seem unjust in this par-
ticular instance.
With a runner on second, the batter hits the ball to left field. The
coacher at third base touches the runner, but the ball bounds into the
bleachers for a home run. Should the umpire call the first runner out
because he has been touched by the coacher?
An ironclad decision was agreed upon by those in authority that any
runner touched at any time by a coacher at third base must be declared out,
but this was later modified 0916) by allowing a coacher at third base to
touch or hold a runner, as long as, in the opinion of the umpire, he does
not physically assist him in returning to or leaving third base and only
after all chance for a play on the runner ceased.
Umpire should read Rule 59.
With a runner on second and one on third and one out, a fly ball is
batted to the left fielder. Runner on second starts for third. The runner
on third holds the base until the ball is caught and runs home. The
coacher sends the runner back to second who had started for third. He is
caught out at second for the third out. Before this takes place the runner
from third has reached home. Does his run count? The umpire said not.
Yes.
128 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Knotty Problems Relative to Pitching
Majors differ on this happening.
One out, runner on third, pitcher starts to deliver ball,
but in winding up his arm strikes his leg and the ball j
falls to the ground and rolls a few feet away from the |
pitcher's box. What would be the proper ruling on such
a play?
Strictly interpreting the rules it would be a balk, as any
motion made by the pitcher while in a position to deliver
the ball to the bat without delivering it, is regarded as a
balk. The National League adheres to that interpreta-
tion. Such being the case the runner on third would
have been allowed to score. In the American League,
President Johnson has instructed to treat such a happen-
ing in the light of an accident, not to rule it a balk, but to
allow runners to advance at their peril.
A rule that unfortunately is never enforced.
Can a balk be called for holding the ball too long after
a pitcher gets on the rubber in position to deliver the ball
to the batter ?
The rules give the umpire the right to inflict such a
penalty, but I cannot recall an instance where the umpire
enforced the right. I have a number of times been on
the verge of making such a ruling, but usually just as I
made up my mind to so act, the pitcher would come
through. It would probably be helpful if the umpires
took more advantage of the clause, which gives him tb
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
129
right to call a balk any time in his belief such action on
the part of the pitcher unnecessarily delayed the game.
Calling of a balk suspends play.
Runner on first, pitcher makes a feint to throw to first,
but fails to do so, and umpire loudly calls balk. Pitcher
than hurriedly throws to plate and batter hits ball over
the fence. What should have been the proper ruling?
Such a happening as the above is a very unfortunate
one for the umpire. The moment he declared a balk,
play ceased. The declaring of the balk entitled the run-
ner on first to advance to second. The fact that the
pitcher delivered the ball and the batsman hit it over the
fence cannot be given any consideration. The ball was
not in play, hence the batsman must hit over again.
Here is "catcher's balk" explained.
Runner on third, pitcher pitches ball and runner starts for home; catcher
steps across the plate in front of batter, catches ball, and tags runner out.
A contends that the proper decision would be: Batter goes to first and
runner back to third. B contends that run is scored. The particular point
of the contention is as to whether the runner scores or goes back to third.
Batsman is sent to first base because of interference of the catcher in
preventing the batsman gtriking at the pitched ball and, in addition, the
runner from third scores because of the catcher being outside the lines
of his position, thus causing a balk according to the National League ruling
on this play.
In this case it was not a balk, but a catcher can make one
under certain circumstances.
Runner on third base, pitcher delivers ball to the batsman as the runner
starts to steal home. The catcher steps outside his box and receives the
ball. The batsman makes no attempt to strike at the ball but blocks the
catcher as the latter tries to touch the runner. The teatn at bat claims
that the runner scores because the catcher balked. What should the
decision be?
If the batsman clearly interfered with the catcher the runner is out
under Rule 56, Section IS, which reads: "The base-runner is out if with
one or no one out and a base-runner on third base, the batsman inter-
ijo SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
feres with a play being made at home plate." It has erroneously been
asserted that the catcher cannot make a balk. He can make a balk, but
not on this play. Rule 34, Section 9, reads: "Delivery of the ball to
the bat when the catcher is standing outside the lines of the catcher's posi-
tion as defined in Rule 3." This rule is meant to apply to an instance
where the catcher would stand outside of his position in order that a bats-
man might purposely be given first base on four called balls.
Pitcher finishing the game figures as the winner—or loser —
as the case may be.
If a pitcher is taken out of the game with the score a tie and another
pitcher finishes the game which is won by his team, does he get credit
for the victory?
He does, even if the game lasts but an inning longer. This point has
been incorrectly ruled upon, on the theory that because a pitcher is in
the game nine innings he should receive credit for the game because he
goes out when it is a tie. However, the pitcher who is compelled to take
his place is as likely to lose the game in one inning, perhaps, as he is to
win it, so that all things being equal he must receive credit for a victory
as he would be penalized for a defeat.
The most deliberate kind of a balk.
Runners on second and third; pitcher makes motion to throw to batter,
also to throw to third, but does not throw to either; umpire calls runner
in from third and scores him. Was he right?
It was a balk and runner scores from third and runner on second
advances to third.
Some pitchers get away with what clearly resembles a balk.
Is a pitcher compelled to stand perfectly still while in position to pitch
or else be charged with a balk? If not, what movements can he make? .
The only restriction is that he shall not make any motions that are part
of his delivery. It depends largely upon the peculiarities of each pitcher
in his delivery.
Plainly an error, and a stupid one.
With two batters out a grounder is batted to the shortstop. There are
runners on second and third bases. The shortstop, forgetting that there
is not a runner at first base, picks the ball up and throws it to the home
plate. The runner who was going in from third gets back to third safely.
The batter also reaches first in safety. Is this what is called a fielder's
choice.
"Fielder's choice" has to stand for a great deal, but it doesn't have to
stand for that. With two out the shortstop had but one play to make —
throw to first base. When he failed to do so he was to be charged with
an error, exactly as he would have been if he had thrown the ball over
the grand stand.
131
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It is up to the captain of the opposing team to decide.
Is it possible for a player to return to the game after another player
has run for him?
Yes, if it has been agreed upon by both captains. If the opposing cap-
tain will not permit a player to return to the game after a player has run
for him, it is impossible for the player again to resume his place on the
field.
A player may "revolve^* as long as he has not been out of
that particular game.
Can a player pitch four innings, play right field two innings and then
return to the box and pitch to the finish of the game?
Certainly, So long as the player does not leave the team and the field
he may play a different position every inning, if there is occasion for him
to do so.
Any motion to deceive a base runner is a balk.
If the pitcher should make a motion with his knee, which is similar to
that which he makes when he is about to pitch the ball, should the umpire
call a balk against him?
The umpire certainly should. Any motion which tends to deceive a base-
runner should be punished at once by the umpire.
Pitcher taken out with two balls on batter.
In fourth inning pitcher becomes wild and after filling bases on passes
has two balls on fourth batter, when manager orders him out; umpire
refuses to let him leave position, telling manager he must dispose of man
at bat before he can be relieved.
Umpire was wrong. Rule says pitcher must dispose of his first batter
upon going into game and this pitcher had disposed of three already in this
inning.
Where a pitcher makes a motion to throw to second base.
Can the pitcher turn toward second and make a motion to throw without
a balk being charged against him.
Yes.
Only the base-runners can advance on a balk.
Does the batter go to first when the umpire declares a balk?
No. Only the base-runners can advance on a balk.
The pitcher performed his part and should get credit.
When batsman reaches first base after catcher drops the third strike is
the pitcher credited with a strike out in his record, although the catcher
is charged with an error?
The pitcher is credited with a strike-out.
132 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Knotty Problems Relative to Umpire
Ball in play even though it hit the umpire.
One down, runner on first, batsman hits liner back
at pitcher, who merely throws up his gloved hand in self
protection. The ball struck the glove squarely and re-
bounded toward the shortstop. As it passed the umpire
it just grazed his trousers. The shortstop recovered the
ball, tossed to second, forcing the runner there, and the
throw to first beat the batsman. The manager of
team at bat argued against the double play, which the
umpire allowed, claiming since the batted ball struck the
umpire, it should give him the right to first and that the
runner on first should of course advance to second. What
was the proper ruling?
The umpire was right in allowing a double play. Once
a fielder has made a play on a ball and touches it, the
fact that it later hits the umpire has no bearing on the
case.
Umpire's duty in case of injury.
With the score a tie in the last half of the ninth, and
two out, the batsman hits a long line drive to right cen-
ter. Both the right and center fielders make a try for
the hit, and either might have made the catch, had it
not been for the interference of the other. The right
fielder got his hands on the ball, but the moment it
struck his hands, the center fielder colHded with him and
both players dropped to the ground unconscious. The
ball continued on its way towards the fence. At the
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
^22^
moment the ball struck the fielder's hands, the batsman
was midway between first and second. It was apparent
both players were badly hurt. The crowd, as well as the
players in the field, insisted that time be called. The
left fielder recovered the ball and relayed it to the plate,
but the batter made the circuit easily. Was it proper to
allow the run?
It did seem wrong to allow play to continue, but the
umpire under the rules could not do otherwise. Play
can only be suspended when all chance for action ceases.
If the umpires called time every time a player was
injured, it would only be a short while when all would be
feigning injury when it would be to their advantage.
Team should not suffer for umpire's mistake.
Runner on third, two men out, batter hits a ball which
travels down the first base line a yard foul. Runner on
third off at the pitch, crosses the plate while the ball is
still in foul territory. Umpire believes ball is sure to
remain foul and so calls it. The moment he does so, the
batsman who is nearing first, stops and hastens back to
the plate. The next instant the ball hits something and
rolls into fair territory and is a fair ball. First baseman
recovers ball, touches first and claims the out. What was
the proper ruling?
The umpire was in error, because he ruled too quickly.
However, since he declared it a foul ball, he had no
recourse other than to stick to his decision. Had he not
ruled too quickly, the batsman would have probably
continued to first, beaten the play and the runner from
third would have scored. In all probability the first
134 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
baseman would have fielded the ball in foul territory, had
not the call of foul by the umpire caused him to cease
pursuit. To have changed from foul to fair, after hav-
ing caused the runners to stop at the call of foul, would
have been grossly unfair to the team at bat.
Umpire must use his judgment on this one.
Runner on second, the batsman hits the ball to the left
of the third baseman, which it seems he will have no
difficulty in handling. The shortstop, just as the pitcher
was delivering the ball, was in the act of driving the run-
ner on second back to that base by running toward it, as
if expecting a throw from the pitcher. The moment the
ball was pitched he started toward his own position so as
to keep the batter from hitting through the spot he
had just vacated. Not more than ten feet from second
base the runner collided with the shortstop and both fell
to the ground. In the meantime the third baseman had
allowed the ball hit right at him to trickle through his
hands and roll into left field. The runner regained his
feet and managed to reach third in safety. The team in
the field contended that the runner should have been de-
clared out, because he interfered with the shortstop, who
they insisted would probably have made the play. What
about the argument of the team in the field?
When two or more men attempt to field the ball and
the base-runner comes into contact with one of them, the
umpire shall declare the runner out for coming into con-
tact with a fielder other than the one the umpire deter-
mines to be entitled to make the play. From the descrip-
tion, it would seem that it was the third baseman's ball,
that the shortstop had no chance of making a play, hence
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2S
no attention should have been paid to the collision, and the
runner allowed to advance at his peril.
The umpire and a thrown ball.
When the umpire is hit by a thrown ball does it make
any difference whether he is on fair or foul territory?
Is there any way in which a thrown ball can be ruled
dead and no bases advanced by contact with the umpire ?
A thrown ball is always in play whether it strikes the
umpire on fair or foul territory. Base-runner, or run-
ners, shall be entitled to all the bases they can make.
When the umpire is stationed back of the bat, the ball
becomes dead and runners return to their original bases,
if the person or clothing of the umpire interfere with
the catcher in an attempt to throw.
Umpire "beaned," but ball was in play.
Score a tie in the ninth and two out, when batter hits to third baseman,
who makes perfect throw to first that would have retired batter, but umpire
gets in way of throw and is hit on the head; runner on third goes home
and umpire rules run counts, winning the game. Was umpire correct?
Yes, under the rules; if a thrown or pitched ball hits the umpire, it is in
play. This is a change from the previous rule and differs from the rule
regarding a batted ball hitting the umpire.
Umpire hit before or after another player had touched ball.
When is a b^ll that is fouled in play again? Does it go into play as soon
as the batter gets in his box and the pitcher is in position or does the
runner have to retouch the base he left before it is in play? Batter hits
through pitcher and the ball hits the umpire; pitcher recovers ball and
throws batter out at first; was not the batter entitled to first base?
Under the rules regarding the foul ball not caught, play is not resumed
until the umpire has ordered it and the umpire's duty is to see that all
players are back in position, the runner on the base he had left and the
pitcher in position with the ball. In brief, play is not resumed until the
umpire orders it. If ball did not touch pitcher before hitting umpire, then
batter is entitled to base; if it first touches pitcher or was touched by him,
then ball is in play and batter can be thrown out.
136 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY.
Miscellaneous Knotty Problems
Protector did not help the catcher.
With two strikes on batter, pitcher delivers ball, which
batter fouls. It strikes the catcher squarely on the pro-
tector and bounds into the air. The catcher managed to
regain possession of the ball before it touched the ground.
The umpire ruled the batter out. The manager of the
team at bat protested against the decision, claiming the
catcher had been aided in making the catch by the pro-
tector. Since the ball had struck the catcher's protector
squarely and then bounded directly off same into the air
and was recovered by the catcher before touching the
ground, the umpire ruled correctly. If the ball had
caught in the protector, and held momentarily, it would
have been different, as in such a case the protector would
have aided in making the catch and the batter would not
have been out. In all the cases the rebound must be
direct.
Hitting a batted ball with the glove.
Batter hits a long drive on a line to left center. Both
the left and center fielder started in pursuit of the ball.
Neither got within ten feet of the ball as it whizzed by
them. The left fielder threw his glove at the ball. It was
apparent that the glove had come in contact with the
ball. The center fielder recovered the ball, which rolled
to the fence. Although he made a fast play on it and
a speedy throw to the plate the batsman easily made the
SPALDING'S A THLETIC LIBRAE Y 137
circuit on the drive. The team in the field contended
that the batsman was only entitled to three bases. What
would have been the proper ruling ?
Section 6 of Rule 54 does say that the runner shall be
entitled to three bases if the fielder stops a batted ball
with his glove while detached from his person. It does
not, however, say that the base-runner is entitled to more
if he can make it. Several years ago I had an outfielder
throw his glove at the ball as it was about to pass over
the fence. The glove hit the ball, but the ball cleared
the fence. I allowed a home run, although the team in
the field contended the batter was entitled to three bases.
I have brought the above query up for discussion and the
leading umpires are a unit in the belief a home run should
be allowed.
Ground rules should always be definite.
An overflow crowd makes a ground rule necessary. A
badly thrown ball is apt to go into the crowd. It is
agreed that on such throws runners shall be entitled to
one base aside from the one to which they are going.
There is a runner on first, the pitcher catches him napping
off of first base but throws the ball into the crowd. The
team in the field contends that the runner was going back
to first to avoid being caught, and, as he was going back
to first, he was only entitled to one base, which would
send him to second. The team at bat contended the
moment the runner was caught he started for second and
was entitled to go to third. Is this a good rule?
The base to which you are going and one additional
base on an overthrow is always a bad rule. It always
138 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
causes a dispute as to which way the runner was actually
headed. A much better rule is simply two additional
bases from the one occupied at the start of the play.
Umpire rendered only decision possible.
Batsman hits ball to shortstop, who makes a bad throw
to first. The first baseman in an effort to make the catch
went far up the line, colliding with the base-runner. So
great was the force of the collision that runner and fielder
were rendered unconscious. The runner was thrown be-
yond and over first base, but, of course, failed to touch
it. The ball rolled into the infield and was recovered by
the pitcher, who touched first base. The crowd yelled
for the umpire to call time, the moment the players col-
lided. What ruling should have been made on the play?
There is nothing in the rules that gives the umpire the
right to call time before the completion of a play, conse-
quently when the pitcher recovered the ball and touched
first base, there was nothing for the umpire to do other
than to declare the batter out. It does seem almost
inhuman to let play go on while a player is helpless on
the ground. Yet if time was called for an accident, re-
gardless of the completion of a play, it would be greatly
to the benefit of a team for players to feign injury any
time it would work to their advantage.
Can a foul ball be an infield fly?
One out, runners on first and second, batter hits fly
ball, which it appears will be caught by the second base-
man. The umpires declares it an infield fly. When he
so calls it the ball is about thirty feet in fair territory.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 139
A high wind is blowing, which eventually carries the ball
foul. It is muffed by the second baseman in foul terri-
tory. Should the batsman be declared out under the
infield fly rule since the ball was in fair territory when
he made such a ruling?
The infield fly rule relates only to fair balls. Since the
wind carried the ball foul there was nothing for the
umpire to do, other than to reverse his original ruling,
which declared the batter out on an infield fly and let
him hit over again.
This play nearly came up in world series.
Overflow crowd in right and left field, while in left
field a number of fans sit on top of the fence to get a
better view of the game. Agreement is that a ball hit into
the crowd shall be good for two bases. Batter hits a
ball that would have cleared the left field fence. One
of the fans sitting on the fence sets himself and tries
to catch the ball. It strikes in his hands, but he fails to
hold it, and it falls into the overflow crowd. Team in
the field contends that the hit is only good for two bases,
while the team at bat claims it should be a home run.
The hit should have been allowed a home run, if in the
opinion of the umpire, it would have cleared the fence,
had it not been for the spectator's interference, and it
seems to me it surely would. Such a happening almost
came up in the 191 1 world series between New York
and Philadelphia at Shibe Park, Philadelphia. The wall
at Shibe Park was lined with spectators. One of them
almost caught the home run drive which Frank Baker
hit ofif "Rube" Marquard. That hit caused the umpires
I40 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
to at once confer and make a rule to cover the happen-
ing. It was agreed that a home run was the only fair
solution of the problem.
Fielding balls on restricted territory.
Overflow crowd causes ropes to be stretched, making
a ground rule necessary, that hits into the overflow should
go for two bases. At one end of the stretched rope
there were no fans. Batsman hits ball to right cen-
ter. The fielder backs up against the rope. When it
becomes apparent that he can make the catch, if he jumps
over the rope which is about two feet high, he does so
and makes the catch. What should have been the ruling?
Later in the game a batsman hits a ball to the right
fielder. Just as he gets the ball into his hands and makes
the catch, he crashes against the ropes and falls backward
into the overflow crowd. How about this play ?
In the first case, the umpire should not have allowed
the out, but granted the batsman two bases. The ropes
acted as the end of the playing field, and a catch made
outside the boundary limitations was not legal.
In the second case, the out should have been allowed,
as the completion of the catch was made on the playing
field. No consideration should be given to the fact that
he later fell over the ropes.
Relative to substitution of pinch hitters.
Pitcher suffers a broken finger in the third inning, but
same not being on his pitching hand, he finished out the
inning. In the fourth inning, with runners on second
and third, and one out, it was the pitcher's turn to bat.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 141
An extra catcher was sent in to bat for the pitcher. At
the close of the inning, the manager decided to use an
entirely new battery. He put in a pitcher to replace the
injured pitcher, for whom the extra catcher had acted
as a pinch hitter, and decided to substitute the extra
catcher in place of the regular backstop. In the original
lineup the catcher had batted seventh and the pitcher
ninth. How should the new battery have hit?
Since the extra catcher, who had acted as pinch hitter,
was pressed into the game as a regular, it became neces-
sary that during the rest of the game he continue to bat
in the same place as the original pitcher, ninth. That
of course made it necessary that the substituted pitcher
bat in the position of the original catcher, which was
seventh.
Spectator's interference makes trouble.
There is an overflow crowd, which makes a ground
rule necessary on thrown and batted balls. It was agreed
that a throw into the crowd should be good for two bases.
Late in the game, with the score a tie, first batter for
the home team hits for two bases. The next batter bunted
down the first base line. The first baseman rushed in,
got the ball, and made a hurried throw to third to get the
runner. A perfect throw would have turned the trick,
but it was high and got away from the third baseman.
It rolled perhaps thirty feet. The third baseman made
a rush for the ball, as did a fan sitting in the front row
of the overflow crowd. The ball was practically motion-
less when the fan picked it up and rushed back to cover
in the crowd. The runner dashed from second to the
plate, likewise the batter scored, while the third sacker
attempted to regain the ball. The manager of the team
142 SPALDING'S A THLETIC LIBRARY
at bat first contended both runners should score
because it was a blocked ball. Later he insisted the run-
ner should score and the batter go to second because the
ball went into the crowd. What should have been the
ruling ?
The umpire should have granted the batsman first and
allowed the runner on second to advance to third. Rule
37, Section 3, states if a person not engaged in the game
should retain possession of a blocked ball, or throw or
kick it beyond the reach of the fielders, the umpire shall
call time and require both runners to stop at the base
last touched by him.
When a ball hits stand, not the regulation distance.
Grandstand is less than ninety feet from the home
plate, as prescribed by the rules. It is agreed thfeit on a
wild pitch the runner shall be entitled to one base, if the
ball comes into contact with the stand. Such a thing hap-
pens, but the runner on first at the time tries to go to
third on a wild pitch that strikes the stand. The catcher
recovers the ball and throws the runner out at third
What is the decision?
The moment the ball strikes the stand, which is less
than ninety feet from the plate, it becomes dead. The
runner who tried to go from first to third on the play,
should not be declared out, but simply sent to second.
Such a play can come up at the Polo Grounds in New
York, and, strangely enough, the American and National
League — both teams play on the Polo Grounds — use a
different ruling. In the American League games the ball
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 143
is regarded out of play the moment it strikes the stand.
In the National League the runners are entitled to ad-
vance one base without liability to be put out, but the
ball is not declared dead, and if they try to advance any
further, they do so at their peril. That is purely a league
rule.
Can't play ball with only eight men.
Batter steps into the box and pitcher delivers the ball.
Batter hits same over left fielder's head for a clean home
run. Then it was discovered that the team in the field
had only eight men. The second baseman, who was hav-
ing an injury attended to, had not yet gone back to his
position. Should the home run have been allowed?
The only ruling left to the umpire was to make the
batsman hit over again. Rule 16 states no team shall
have more or less than nine men on a side.
Umpires have been known to ask scorer for the count.
Are the official balls and strikes, as called by the umpire, kept by the
official scorer?
No; unless he likes to do it for amusement.
This was a prize "bone" play on part of pitcher.
Batter hits ball to pitcher, runs towards first base and then stops. The
pitcher, forgetting to throw to first base, steps on the rubber, facing the
next batter. ^ The runner, seeing this, continues to first base after he has
stepped outside of the three-foot limit. Is he out if he reaches first base
before the ball is thrown there?
No. He is plainly within the rule and the pitcher is wholly at fault for
not making the play correctly.
It was a double play.
Runner on first; batter hits to shortstop, then goes to the bench; ball is
played to second and then to first, but runner on first never left that base.
Are both men out?
Yes; the man on first is forced to run and the fact that the latter did
not run to first would not change the situation.
144 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
But don't score a safe hit, too, for the batter.
If a fielder fumbles a sure sacrifice hit and the batter reaches first base,
IS he still credited with a sacrifice?
Yes. If the attempt to sacrifice is palpable, the batter must not be penal-
ized for the mistake of a fielder.
Tough on the Giants, but the decision was correct.
When a batted ball goes over the fence, on what ground does the umpire
give his decision?
The umpire must decide as to whether the hit is fair or foul accordingly
as the ball disappears from his sight. For example: In a game at Boston
several years ago a New York National League player batted a fly ball over
the fence for a home run. The ball went over fair territory, but the wind
carried it to one side, and when it disappeared from the vision of the
umpire it was foul. He so decided it and that decision cost New York
a game.
Player benched cannot again enter game.
If a player was in the game and was taken out and put on the bench,
could he run as a substitute runner?
Man taken out of game could not enter game again. See Rule 28, Sec-
tion 2.
Passed ball agreement when there is not a backstop.
In a game where there was no backstop it was agreed that only one
base should be allowed on a passed ball. With A on third and B on second,
catcher caught B off his base; at same time A started for home plate and
B started for thirdj wild throw made to home and both men scored. B
had not touched third base at the time the ball was thrown to home. Is
B entitled to a score on this play?
Supposing that second baseman threw wild to home plate, B is entitled
to score, as a wild throw is not a passed ball (see Rule 85, Section 10);
if one base only was agreed on as the limit on wild throws then B was not
entitled to score.
An intelligent fielder would not make an attempt to catch a
foul fly if there was a chance of the base-runner scoring.
Can a base-runner advance on a foul fly caught by an outfielder?
Yes, but an intelligent fielder would not make an attempt to catch a foul
fly if there was a chance of the base-runner scoring.
See diagram of field in Spalding Base Ball Guide.
A statement is made that the distance from the pitcher's box to home
plate is 60 feet 3 inches. The other side of the argument says it is 60 feet
5 inches. Which is right?
Neither; it is 60 feet 6 inches.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
H5
Catcher gets a passed ball, even though he catches runner.
Catcher misses third strike, but throws batter out at first; in meantime
runner from third scores on the play. Should catcher be charged with
passed ball?
Yes, for the advance of the mnner from third must be accounted for
and under the scoring rules the runner from third also would be credited
with a stolen base in case he had started home prior to the catcher letting
the ball get away.
A sacrifice is such, no matter where the advancement of base-
runner took place.
Is a batter entitled to a sacrifice if he purposely advances the runner
from second to third?
Yes. The play is exactly the same as when the runner is advanced from
first to second.
Returning to base under ground rules agreement.
In the third inning with one out, A walked and, on the next pitch, A
started for second (with the intention of stealing). B hit this pitch for a
clean single to right, on which A kept going to third, and also scored,
B going to second on the throw-in. Owing to the ground rule, which
was "One base on anything hit into right; you had to make it" (no stipu-
lation about over-running and being put out) A was sent back to third, and
on his way back was touched out, umpire ruling plajr O. K., also putting
B back on first. Was the umpire correct in h's decision?
Clearly a wrong and unjust decision. It frequently occurs that players
go beyond the bases to which they are entitled under a ground rule agree-
ment. In such instances play is automatically suspended and the umpire
directs such a player or players to return to the base or bases to which they
are entitled under the ground rule agreement, and in returning they run
no risk or liability of being put out,
Shortstop took a losing chance.
With two out and runners on second and third base, the batter raps the
ball to the shortstop. The latter tries to tag the runner between second
and third base, but before he succeeds in doing so, the runner on third
crosses the plate. Does the run count?
Yes.
Position of fielder does not make hit fair or foul.
A ball fairly hit in the direction of first base passes about a foot inside,
but curved until it was a foot outside after passing first base. The right
fielder in trying to field the ball touched same with his gloved hand, but
did not hold it. ^ The ball fell on foul territory and the umpire declared
it a fair ball, claiming that as the fielder was on fair ground at the time,
that the fact of him touching the ball made it a fair ball irrespective of
where it fell.
The hit was a "foul ball," if the outfielder touched it first in foul ter-
ritory, regardless of the fact that his body was in fair territory. The
position of the fielder had nothing whatever to do with this case.
146
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SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
It was "love's labor lost"; some players never read the rules.
With the bases filled and no one out, the catcher drops the ball and tries
to throw the runner out at second base, but fails to do so, and the second
baseman then tries to get the batter at first, but the umpire calls the batter
out before leaving home plate. Is the umpire right?
Most assuredly. The rule states explicitly that the batter is out if the
catcher drops the ball unless there are two hands out. The catcher was
foolish to throw the ball, evincing a lack of knowledge as to the rules,
and the second baseman was equally at fault when he tried to retire the
batter at first base. The latter was out the moment that he made the
third strike, and the umpire was perfectly correct in his ruling.
This was a tie game.
In the last half of the ninth inning, after two men were out, the umpire
called the game on account of darkness. Before the ninth inning was
played the Grays were leading, 8 to 3. During their first half of the ninth
they did not score, but during the Blues' half, or until two men were
retired, they score 5 runs, tieing the game. At this moment the umpire
called the game. The Blues claimed that as there were two-thirds of the
last half of the ninth played before game was called score remains a tie.
The game in question ended a tie (see Rule 24).
How records are counted in a forfeited game.
In the event of a forfeited game that goes beyond five innings, is it the
practice to credit the players with what they actually did, in case the for-
feit comes in any inning, the first or ninth?
The custom Is to treat the forfeited game records the same as any other
game — that is, the records are credited only if a legal game (5 or 4J4
innings, as the case may be) has been played.
This is very plain; see Rule 51, Section 1.
Smith bats in place of Jones and the umnire calls Smith out for batting
out of turn and then allows Jones to bat. Is that right?
No. Jones is out for not batting in proper turn. The proper batsman
is always the one declared out in a batting-out-of-order play.
This raised quite a controversy.
In the first game of double header, when Chicago went to bat in the
ninth inning Philadelphia was leading, 3 to 2. Mayer struck out one
Chicago player in the ninth, then Schulte singled and Zimmerman doubled.
Schulte stopped at third. Alexander was then substituted for Mayer.
Under orders, Alexander walked Saier purposely, filling the bases. Then
Williams hits to Luderus, who threw to the plate, forcing Schulte. Killifer
tried for a double play, but Williams beat his throw to first. Then
Luderus threw to third in an attempt to catch Zimmerman off base. The
throw was wild and Zimmerman and Saier both scored, winning the game
for the Cubs. Phelan fiied to Paskert. Who is charged with the defeat?
The loss of the game is charged against Alexander. It was while Alex-
ander was pitching that Saier reached first and eventually scored. The
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 147
custom is that when a pitcher retires, leaving runners on bases, and these
runners later score off the relieving pitcher, they must be charged up
against the first pitcher. It would be manifestly unfair to ask the second
pitcher to go in at a trying time and prevent the scoring of runners
already on bases. While this was not exactly the position of play pre-
sented in this game, nevertheless Alexander's responsibility began with
the first batsman he pitched to and it was this batsman that did score the
winning run.
When an umpire must use his judgment.
Man on first and one on second, nobody out. The batter bunted a foul
fly, just over his head, about two feet at the most, and the catcher caught
the ball. Is the batter out and can a double play be made on the ball?
Batsman was out on the foul bunted fly, and the runner or runners
could have been also retired on the same play. An umpire must use his
judgment when a ball is bunted high with runners on first and second.
If it is an easy fly catch for an infielder, it should be called an infield fly,
but not a ball that is bunted low and diffcult to handle, any play that
follows should go.
Strikes out six batters in One inning.
A pitcher can strike out six batters in one inning without allowing a run
to score. The simplest way is strike out the first two and the catcher
holds each third strike. The next three churn the breeze, but catcher
fails to hold each third strike, and they all reach first safely. The sixth
batter strikes out and catcher holds the last strike out for the third out,
leaving the bases full with base-runners. Result: Six strike-outs for the
pitcher, three put-outs and three errors for the catcher. In the sixth
inning of the Qeveland-Athletics game of June 11, 1916, Morton of Cleve-
land fanned four batters — Witt, Pick, Lajoie and Mclnnis — the first named
reaching first by reason of his third strike being a wild pitch.
An important decision.
President Johnson of the American League sustained a decision of Umpire
Chill in the Boston-Cleveland game of June 3, 1916, which it is said estab-
lished a precedent for plays in which an umpire interferes with a base-
runnef. The decision of Chill, against which Boston protested, was that
the runner return to his base. So far as known no similar case has occurred
in major league base ball and is not covered by the rules. Turner, after
making a hit, rounded first base and collided with Chill twice. He then
stopped and walked to second base, where he was touched by the Boston
second baseman. He was called out at first by the umpire, but, after a
conference with Umpire Dineen, the deoision was reversed and Turner was
allowed to return to first.
148 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Umpire's Equipment Very Important
The position of an umpire is a hazardous one from
any angle you consider it. Therefore it is a mark of
wisdom for the umpire to afford himself every protection
possible in going about his work. The judges of play
cannot exercise too much care in selecting satisfactory
equipment.
A good mask is a most essential thing. It is hard
to advise what style of mask is best, each umpire must
be his own judge as to that part of his equipment. The
stock of masks carried by Spalding is so varied that
usually you can get a mask to suit by simply having
the clerk in charge show the various styles and, by try-
ing them on, you can reach a decision as to which style
fits your face best, and conforms to your vision.
Contrary to most umpires I like a very tight-fitting
mask, that is heavily padded, and has a special rein-
forced padding at the chin. I also like ear protection,
but wear stationary pads which are fastened tight to
the side of the mask and do not swing. Since I am often
in Chicago during the American League season, I simply
go out to the Spalding factory and have them make
such a mask to suit me. It is possible for anyone to
get a similar mask, at only a slight additional expense,
Spalding's base ball catalogue, issued annually, contains pictures, descrip-
tions and prices of everything needed for the game. Mailed free to any
address. Write to Spalding store nearest to you (see list on inside front
cover).
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 149
or to have worked out any stunt they care to have put
on the mask.
A good protector is always a wise investment. There
are two kinds, the rubber inflated and a papier mache
and bamboo arrangement. The inflated protector is
worn outside, while the other is worn under the coat.
I prefer the rubber protector, simply because I think it
affords the better protection. However, that is merely a
matter of opinion. The other style has to be made to order.
Great care should be used in the selection of shoes.
No umpire should be without a pair of the special um-
pire shoes now being made by Spalding. I wouldn't
care to work back of the bat without a pair of these
wonderful shoes. When I think of the injuries I used
to suffer because of being hit on the instep or toes by
a foul tip, I can hardly understand why no one thought
of the present shoe sooner. With its strong box toe
and padded tongue, it is absolutely impossible to suffer
a foot injury. The shoe is so made that one can run at
top speed without any inconvenience. Major league um-
pires use two pairs, wearing the ordinary shoe on the
bases, the special one when working balls and strikes.
A pair of shin guards, which also have a special knee
protection, an aluminum protector which fastens around
the waist, and an indicator, are a few of the other neces-
sities. Of course, no athlete would think of going on
the ball field without wearing a **Bike'' suspensory.
With the above equipment, a good pair of eyes and
plenty of nerve, umpiring is a nice job, and, as the
late Tim Hurst always said, "You can't beat the hours,
3 to 5.**
150 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY^
Index to "Knotty Problems
9f
Page
(Backstop agfeement, runner enti-
tled to one base on wild pitch;
variations on this ruling in Na-
tional and American Leagues.. 142
wild throw not counted as 144
Balk, all runners entitled to ad-
vance a base 104
any motion to deceive base-runner 131
ball dropped accidentally by pitcher
in delivery the rule in National
League; not in American 128
can be called when pitcher is dila-
tory in delivering the ball 128
catcher outside lines causes 129
not a, pitcher's motion to throw
to second ' 131
only base-runners advance on... 131
pitcher's movements 130
umpire calling, suspends play. . . . 129
when catcher can make one 129
Ball, accidentally striking batsman's
bat, falling on foul ground, foul
strike, unless two strikes have
been called, then a foul...... 106
after a foul, not in play until
pitcher is in position and chief
umpire calls play" 124
batted, hitting fielder's glove and
striking umpire, in play 132
batted, hitting umpire, batsman
gets first and base-runners ad-
vance one base 122
batted, hitting runner, making
third out, batter gets base-hit. . 109
bunted foul, double play made... 147
dropped by catcher on third
strike, with no one out 146
dropping on foul ground, touched
by fielder on fair ground, foul. 145
fair or foul, batted over fence. . 144
hitting batsman's person, on third
strike, latter is out, runner
going to second sent back 120
hitting batter, entitles latter to
first base, except, in opinion of
umpire, he did not attempt to
get out of way 101
hitting runner, making third out,
is scored a hit 124
striking fair, rebounding and hit-
ting batsman, while in his box,
foul 107
BalI-;-Continued. P^«
striking ^ pitcher's rubber and
bounding to foul territory, foul 98
thrown by catcher, hitting bats-
man's bat, remains in play. ... 122
thrown, hitting umpire, in play. 122
when foul or fair 102
Base-runner, advancing on a triple,
with two out, neglects to touch
second, deprives batter of a hit 110
can advance on foul fly 144
cannot go back to second after
once legally holding third base. 103
can return to game after having
another run for him, if oppos-
ing captain agrees 131
crossing plate on a squeeze play,
scored, although he returned to
third, for safety, as he thought. 119
entitled to start instant fly ball
touches fielder's hands 114
failing to touch third base on
what would have been a home
run hit by following batsman,
is out, and batter gets credit
for a base-hit only, if third out 110
from third, starting to steal home
as pitcher winds up and not
touched before crossing plate
run does not count when batter
hits the ball for final out 113
hitting home run, not affected by
negligence of preceding runner
to touch base, except third out. 123
must advance as soon as batsman
hits ball fair, whether batter
elects to run to first or not. . . 143
must touch home plate to score,
even though catcher's body may
be covering it 110
not out for running outside of
base-line unless when trying to
avoid being touched by ball in
hands of fielder 105, 108
on base, with two out, scores if
he reaches^ home before batter
who is trjang to stretch a sin-
gle into two-bagger is put out.. 110
out while standing on base, when 124
over-running first, can turn in
either direction 122, 123
pitcher must give time to, to re- \
^, turn on foul • 126.
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
151
Base-runner — Continued. Page
reaching first on dropped third
strike, two out, neglecting to
touch base in trying for second
nullified two runs which had
tallied 113
starting home with pitch, catcher
must take ball in his position;
"interference" is penalized dif-
ferently in National and Ameri-
can Leagues 107
starting steal as fourth "ball" is
pitched, IS safe, even if touched
Dy ball in hands of fielder.... 110
stunned by thrown ball in run-
down, out if touched by ball
before reaching base 124
to first may run outside three-
foot line, provided he does not
do it to avoid a play 108
when two on one base, original
holder has a right 126
•who had stopped on way to first,
and then resumed, safe if ball
not fielded to base Ill
Batsman, batting out of turn 107
can be removed at any time 107
cannot change from orie side of
box to the other while pitcher
is in act of delivery 109
gets credit for sacrifice hit fum-
bled 144
hit by pitched ball but not al-
lowed to take his base, ball is
called "ball" or "strike," as it
might have been had he not
been hit 110
hitting _ ball thrown by_ pitcher
standing in his box to intercept
player stealing home, no one out 108
hitting catcher s glove and ball
simultaneously, was sent to first
for catcher's "interference,"
but, unless bases are full, run-
ner from third cannot score... 112
interfering with catcher, runner
on third is out; if two are out,
batsman is out 94, 120
may change from one side of box
to other, when 108
missing strike, which hits him,
runner trying to "squeeze"
home is touched by catcher,
runner not out but sent back to
third and strike called on batter 111
purposely — in the opinion of the
umpire — getting hit, "strike" or
*'bair' called, as might have been
case had he not been hit... 106, 110
running out of his position to
' strike a ball, is not out unless
he hits it 106
Batsman — Continued. ^^g^
stepping out of box, distinction
between natural stride and
undue advantage 97
striking out — as he thought — and
taking several steps toward
bench but starting to run again
as catcher drops ball, is not out 111
Batting order, order substitutes in. 140
Batting out of turn, batsman out if 105
when batter is out and not out. . 105
Coacher, cannot run along base-line 124
touching runner, when not out.. 127^
Collision, players injured in, play
must be completed 132
runner colliding with infielder,
when former is out 134
of base-runner with fielder pur-
suing ball, after latter had had
a chance to make play, not out. 117
Fielder's choice, when not 130
Force-out, at first, if base occupied
and catcher drops third strike
with two out 126
base-runners must be touched
when not a 117
not, ^ when _ catcher drops third
strike with runner on first,
with less than two out 117
effect lost when play is made first
on batter running 126
no run can be scored in which
i the third out is a 100
not a, when runner from first on
a fly touched second and Vacated
'it by mistake, being put out.. 115
not possible by catcher dropping
ball, with one or two out, and
throwing to a base to catch
runner '. 104
not possible on a base on balls,
and run scored on play at first
based on failure to touch the
base _ counts 100
not, with two on one base, orig-
inal holder of base was touched
instead of the runner behind.. 118
occasion when not a 127
once batter is retired runners can
move at will 123
one runner cannot force another
except to make room occasioned
by batter going to first. 105, 125, 126
proper sequence of play to make a 104
runner must be touched and is
not "forced" off his base, ex-
cept through event of a batter
becoming a base-runner 104
third strike dropped, catcher miss-
ing, and throwing ball to third
to catch runner, not a 112
when there is none 112
152
SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY
Page
Foul fly, base-runner can advance on H4
Foul tip, base-runner can steal on. Ill
with two strikes on batter, land-
ing in catcher's protector, is
not counted Ill
Glove, thrown, gives 3 bases... Ill, 136
Ground rule agreement, player
passing stipulated point must
return, but cannot be put out. . 145
Home run, does not count if oppo-
nents play with less than nine 143
Infield fly, base-runner already on
base out if ball is thrown to
base before runner can get back 109
base-runner on first out if he
leaves base before ball caught. 122
caught by second baseman, who
touched adjacent runner, latter
is out 112
does not apply with a runner on
first and another on third base. 106
not declared with runner only on
first 104
runner standing on base and hit
by, not out 98
variation as to status of runner
in National and American
Leagues 106, 125
Interference, of base-runners, even
though unintentional, penalized 121
of catcher, puts runner on first.. 129
of players on bench with player
attempting to catch foul fly.... 118
of catcner with runners sliding
home when catcher has not the
ball, penalized 116
pitcher throwing home to inter-
cept base-runner, must step out
of bis box, otherwise batter
may strike at ball 1 08
Juggling, fly, base-runner entitled
to st,'irt instant ball touches
fielder's hands 114
Loss of game, pitcher substituted is
responsible for 130
Passed ball, runners can advance at
own risk 126
runner scoring on, catcher is
charged with, though recovering
and throwing batsman out 145
wild throw not counted in back-
stop agreement 144
Overflow crowd, ball caught inside
ropes to restrain, although out-
fielder falls over latter, out.... 140
ball hit into..,,,,,,,,, 141
Overflow crowd — Continued. Pagt
ball caught outside ropes to re-
strain, safe 140
pitcher throws into, to catch run-
ner napping, how manv bases. . 137
Pitcher, credited with strike-out al-
though catcher drops ball 131
finishing game, gets credit, or loss 130
standing in his position but with-
out ball 108
taking out, with two balls on
batter, legal 131
box, distance of from home plate. 144
Player taken out of game cannot
re-enter 144
Positions, player can play any num-
ber of, so long as he does not
leave game 131
Protector, ball striking, and caught,
batter out 13d
Run, counts, where player moved
up from third on base on balls
(bases filled), although a quick
throw had caught his successor,
who had overrun third, making
third out 116
counts, when runner scores after
fly caught, although another
runner third out on continua-
tion of same play 127
counts, where player scores after
long fly, though throwMin catches
another runner trying to re-
turn Ill
scored before shortstop tags an-
other runner on base path, for
final out, counts 145
Records, individual, of players in
forfeited game, how counted.. 146
Sacrifice hit, counts on any advance 145
Striking out six batters in one in-
ning, how possible 147
Tie game, when game called, where
score is a tie, when both sides
have had equal number of times
at bat, although inning not com-
pleted 146
Umpire, calling foul too quickly... 133
fair ball hitting, batter entitled to
base; if hitting player first,
batter can be thrown out.. 112, 135
hit by thrown ball, ball in play;
if back of catcher, ball dead if
interfering with catcher 135
interfering with base-runner 147
not obliged to call attention of
teams to errors of omission.... 107
No. 5SD
No. UO
A swift foul tip
hurts just as much
in the minors as it
does in the big
leagues —
Umpire is the one position on the ball
field that requires "big league" equipment
all the time. The umpire cannot afford to
risk the use of doubtful equipment. He,
of all participating in the game, requires
substantial protection. Spalding umpires'
paraphernalia is made not only along the
most approved lines but also with the con-
tinual thought of its ultimate use.
SPALDING UMPIRES' MASKS
No. 5SD. "League." Strongest and most practical umpires'
mask built. No umpire should be without one. Each, $9.00
No. UO. "Super-Protected." Wires in this mask support each
other and are arranged according to an entirely new principle
of mask construction. Eye opening is straight across wth
"Diamond" point wired protection. Fitted with extra padded
chin protection and folding padded ear pieces. Each, $6.00
SPALDING UMPIRES' BODY PROTECTORS
Give length and width required when ordering Umpires' Body Protectors
No. L. Inflated. Large size, best quality. Same as supplied to
most experienced major league umpires. . . Each, $10.00
No. LS. Inflated. Special light weight; soft rubber tube; sup-
plied on special orders only Each. $10.00
No. R. Inflated. Correct model. Cover of good material. 5.00
SPALDING SPECIAL UMPIRES' SHOES
No. 3 1 UP. Solid box toe and outside padded tongue. Uppers
of selected leather; white oak leather soles, fitted with best
quality base ball cleats. Made to order only ; not carried in
stock. (Patent applied for.) Pair, $9.00
SPALDING UMPIRES* LEG GUARDS
No. RB. Plain, fiber leg piece, not ribbed. Leather padded at
ankle and knee Pair, $6.00
SPALDING UMPIRE INDICATOR
No. O. Made of celluloid; exact size 3 x I K inches. Endorsed
and used by all league umpires Each, 50c.
ATHI/BTIC JLIBRARY
A separate book covers every Athletic Sport
and is Official and Standard i
ms^tM
3ors,,904 Spalding pa^s
ATHLETIC GOODS
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