Popular Pastimes for Field and Fireside, or Amusements for young and old

by Caroline L. Smith

Sec. 4. The base from which the ball is struck shall be designated the home base, and must be directly opposite to the second base; the first base must always be that upon the right-hand, and the third base that upon the left-hand side of the striker, when occupying his position at the home base. And in all match games, a line connecting the home and first base and the home and third base, shall be marked by the use of chalk, or other suitable material, so as to be distinctly seen by the umpire.

Many of our clubs have an iron quoit for the home base, that is in direct violation of the rule which states that the home base must be marked by “a flat circular iron plate.” Those we allude to rise in the center, and the consequence is, when a ball touches the base, it flies off at a tangent, instead of rebounding as if it had touched the ground, as it would do were it flat, as the rule prescribes.

Sec. 5. The pitcher’s position shall be designated by two lines, four yards in length, drawn at right angles to a line from home to second base, having their centers upon that line at two fixed iron plates, placed at points 15 and 16 1-3 yards distant from the home base. The pitcher must stand within the lines, and must deliver the ball as near as possible over the center of the home base, and for the striker.

[It will be seen that the rule requires the ball to be pitched as near as possible over the home base, and for the striker; the pitcher, therefore, has no right to pitch the ball to the catcher especially, as is often done when a player is on the first base, and umpires should see that the rule is enforced.

This important change was made by the Convention of 1863. The object being to do away with the unfair style of pitching that was in vogue during 1861, ’62, and ’63, during which period those pitchers who failed in achieving the success attained by the lamented Creighton, offset their want of skill by trying to intimidate the batsmen by pitching the ball at them instead of for them as the rules require.]

Sec. 6. Should the pitcher repeatedly fail to deliver to the striker fair balls for the apparent purpose of delaying the game, or for any cause, the umpire, after warning him, shall call one ball, and if the pitcher persists in such action, two and three balls; when three balls shall have been called, the striker shall take the first base; and should any base be occupied at that time, each player occupying it or them shall take one base without being put out.

[In warning the pitcher before calling balls on him, all that is necessary is to call “ball to the bat;” and if two balls are pitched unfairly after such warning, “one ball” should be called, and if one unfair ball be delivered after that call, then “two” and “three” balls should be promptly called. A pitcher “repeatedly” fails if he fails twice in succession; and he “persists” in his unfair delivery if he pitch one ball after the first penalty has been imposed. In the first innings of a game, a little more latitude is allowable, but afterwards the rule should be strictly enforced to the very letter of the law.]

Sec. 7. The ball must be pitched, not jerked or thrown to the bat; and whenever the pitcher moves with the apparent purpose or pretension to deliver the ball, he shall so deliver it, and must have neither foot in advance of the front line or off the ground at the time of delivering the ball; and if he fails in either of these particulars, then it shall be declared a baulk.

[The pitcher makes a baulk when he either jerks a ball to the bat, has either foot in advance of the line of his position, or off the ground at the time of delivering the ball, or moves with the apparent purpose of pitching, without delivering the ball. The sentence “time of delivering the ball” has been interpreted by the Committee on Rules and Regulations of the National Association to mean, the period when the last movement of the arm is made in delivering the ball; and consequently if either foot of the pitcher be off the ground when this movement is made—it being nearly simultaneous with the ball’s leaving the hand of the pitcher—umpires must declare a baulk without being appealed to.]