DEVOTED TO BASE BALL, TRAP SHOOTING AND GENERAL SPORTS Tills Registered in IT. S. Patent OBce. Copyright. 1914, by the Sporting Life PnblisMue Company. Vol. 54-No. 21 Philadelphia, January 29, 1910 Price 5 Cents E PLAYING RULES! Are Being Given B. Johnson With a Complete Over a View to Sub hauling by Two mission to the Experts at the In Joint Rules Com stance of Ban. mittee Next Month BY I. E. SANBORN. former guides the rules stated a bstrauni TOP entitled to first base -without being pa* oui HIOAGO, ILL., January 24. By r«- in such a case, and the omission, accidental quest of President Johnson, of the in itself, has been overlooked. Saci. imper American League, his secretary, fections are not freqxtent, but their discovery Robert McRoy and Assistant Sec is possible only by careful^ inspection, for retary A. J. Flanner are engaged which the members of the joint rules com in a thorough revision of the code mittee will not have time at the coming meat- ing. Any suggestions of radical changes will, of playing rules, primarily with a of course, be left to the committees. riew to correcting mistakes that have crept into them and avoiding apparent conflicts and AS TO "BATTERY ERRORS." misinterpretations through imperfect wording. One of minor importance which probably Incidentally changes not of a radical nature will be suggested by the American League, will be suggested, and their work will be put however, affects the scoring rules in that wild pitches and passed balls should ba in definite form to be presented to the credited as errors in all cases. At present a American League Rules Committee for con pitcher or catcher is credited only with a sideration at the joint meeting with the Na battery error in the summary for a wild tional League committee in Pittsburg next pitch or passed ball, except when the bats Monday. Two rules which have been the man reaches first on. a missed third strike. occasion of some trouble in the major leagues When a base runner comes home from third and of a great deal of misunderstanding with a winning run on a wild pitch or passed among the amateur and prairie teams are ball, the perpetrator is not charged with a those relating to a base runner overrunning fielding error. This is a more costly mistake first base and the substitution of players, than permitting a batsman to reach first particularly pitchers. only, and it is argued that all "battery er TO CLEAR MOOTED POINT. rors" should be included in the column of fielding errors. The present rule governing the player who overruns first base is not clear and is sub HELP FOR AMATEURS. jected to different interpretations even in the An effort >will be made by the base ball major leagues. The obscure sentence specifies writers© committee to amplify a few rules which puzzle th.e amateur and independent that a runner loses his exemption from being teams, but which are perfectly understood by put out after overrunning the base if "he players and umpires of experience. One of turns in the direction or attempts to run to these is that relating to a base runner©s being second base before returning to first base.© 1 forced off his base by a succeeding rnnner. This is interpreted in many quarters to mean It seems impossible to make the amateur un that after overrunning first a player must derstand that, unless first © base is occupied face about to the right or he can be put out and a fair hit is made by a batsman there is by being touched with the ball. National no way to force a base runner to vacate the League umpires generally follow the instruc base which he last touched. tions of the late Harry Pulliam, which were FLOYD KROH, that runners who merely face about to the Pitcher of the Chicago National League Club. OTHER CQNTEMPLATED CHANGES left do not "turn in the direction of second are as follows: A nile to prevent the "hide- base" in©the meaning of the rule. The word Floyd Kroh, the southpaw pitcher of the Chicago National League Club. Is a native of the-ball" trick. An error shall be given Jfew York State and is 28 years old. Despite his comparative youth he has had a varied ex "turn" is interpreted the same as in giving perience in base ball, having been on the payrolls of eight clubs in six different leagues, for each misplay which prolongs the time a stranger directions to "walk two blocks including the two major and four minor circuits, since 1904. In that year he first attracted at bat of the batsman or allows a base run east and turn to the left," which would not attention on the Coudersport team, in the Ohio-Pennsylvania League. He then went to Al ner to make one or more bases when per mean to face about and come back in the op bany, in the New York State League, and the Boston Americans purchased Kroh for $1,500. fect play would have insured his being put posite direction. That club, after giving him a trial, turned him over to Baltimore, in the Eastern League. out. In case of a foul ball not legally Kroh next returned to the New York State circuit, where he had trials with Troy and Bing- caught, dead ball, interference with or by a CONFLICTING INTERPRETATIONS. hamton in 1907. In 1908 Ed. Ashenback picked the erratic twirler up for his Johnstown fielder, batsman, base rwiner of coacher, As a rule, only when a player, by veering Club, when he pitched some nice games on the Tri-State circuit, and in the Fall of that year fair ball touching a base runner or umpire, on to fair ground or otherwise, indicates his was purchased by the Chicago National League Club, of whose team he has since been a or balk the ball shall not be considered in intention to attempt to advance if possible member. play until it has been held by the pitcher and ordered in play by the umpire. In the have National League umpires called runners event that out before retouching first after overrunning J THE UMPIRE it. American League umpires have differed somewhat in their rulings on this matter and while behind the bat ruling on balls and after an agreement is reached for uniform the substitute will be considered in the strikes interferes with the catcher in an at this has caused confusion and kicking. Presi interpretation of the point in question. game from the moment such notification is tempt to thro-W"< or the umpire while behind dent Johnson has inclined toward a more given. strict interpretation which would penalize PLAYER SUBSTITUTIONS. the bat be struck by a ball thrown by the players who do not face about to the right Better definition of the question when a TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. catcher, the ball shall be ruled out of play. to indicate they have no intention of© ad player is actually in the game will be sought. Comparison of the playing rules in the In the event the umpire is hit by a ball Official Guides of 1909 with those in the while on fair ground it shall remain in play. vancing to second. Absolutely conflicting de Disputes have arisen when, in tight situations A force out can be made only when a base cisions have been made on the same play, in a game, rapid substitutions of .batsmen previous years has disclosed the fact that runner legally loses the right to the base he when submitted to different authorities, and and pitchers have been made by rival mana omissions have been made typographically occupies and is thereby obliged to advance in consequence players and umpires outside gers. Games have been protested on this which have led to vagueness. For instance, as the result of a fair hit ball not caught of organized base ball have been at sea. Some point. A suggestion will be made that either there is nothing to indicate the decision when on the fly or a missed third strike when two method of making a hard and fast rule sus- the captain or player must notify the a batted ball hits an umpire while on fair eeptible of only one meaning will be sought umpire when a substitution is made and that ground, except in the scoring rales. In (Continued on the second page.) S. Hart aad W. B. Kay, from Chicago to engaged in business here, but never gave up Louisville; Paul Brown and Boy Keener, his keen interest in the game and for a num ber of years has been a weekly contributor FAKERS ANNOY from Chicago to Spokane; John Mitchell, to the St. Louis "Sporting News." He vis from Chicago to New Orleans; Ad F. Bren- ited Boston and Philadelphia each summer nan and Robert C. Ewing, from Cincinnati and with his wife enjoyed the games in to Philadelphia; Patrick Maloney, from Cin those cities. Mr. Merrill will go down in PRESIDENT DREYFUSS HAS A cinnati to Galveston; Harry Coveleskie and base ball history as one of the unselfish Frank J. Corridon, from Philadelphia to Cin men who did much for the game that he JUST GRIEVANCE cinnati; Charles W. Starr, from Philadelphia loved as a boy and man. to Buffalo, and A. K. Shelton and Robert Tarleton, from Pittsburg to Wheeling. A PLAYER©S MISFORTUNE. « With a View to Making Obscure Against Certain Pittsburg Scribes MURPHY©S LATEST. Phraseology Clear, and Adding Crippled for Life While Working as a Wfco Make a Business of Send The Chicago Chief Would Train League Railroad Switchman.