Every Boy's Book: A Complete Encyclopaedia of Sports and Amusements Part 124

It will be seen by the above rules, that among the most important are those requiring each player first, to be a member of a club belonging to the National a.s.sociation, or a State branch thereof. Secondly, that he is to be considered the sole judge of fair and unfair play, and one from whose decision there is no appeal, except in certain instances where the rules are grossly misinterpreted, in which case the injured parties can appeal for redress to the judiciary committee of their State a.s.sociation. Also, that from the time "play" is called until the period the umpire either suspends play by calling "time," or closes the game by "calling" it, the game must be proceeded with, or otherwise the party failing to play forfeits the ball. Also that the umpire is required to see that the ball played with is one having the maker's name stamped on it, and likewise the figures indicating the size and weight of the ball.

HINTS TO UMPIRES.

The umpire should invariably render his decision in accordance with the _first impressions_ of the point of play made on his mind. If he hesitates at all, the influence of any particular bias he may have will affect his judgment, and very likely make his decision a partial one. Be prompt, therefore, to decide according to the very first impression made. Promptness in deciding is strong testimony in favour of impartial judgment, and is always satisfactory to contestants. He should also see that the _foul ball posts_ are in position, and especially that the rule requiring _chalk lines_ from home to first base, and home to third, be complied with. He should keep silent when a fair ball is struck, but if asked if it be a fair ball, he can of course say so; but he is not required to call fair b.a.l.l.s.

The umpire, before calling "play," should see that the captains of the contesting sides are mutually agreed upon what the rules of the ground are for the match. Thus, for instance, that a ball going over a fence shall give but one base, or that a ball taken on the fly from a tree, or the roof of a house, or the side of a fence, shall be regarded as a bound catch, and only legitimate in the case of a foul ball; or that a ball pa.s.sing the catcher, and being stopped by a fence too close to the home base, shall give one base, &c.

One of his most difficult duties is that of calling b.a.l.l.s for unfair delivery in pitching, and also in calling strikes on the batsmen for not hitting at fair b.a.l.l.s.

The umpire should first instruct himself in regard to the definition of unfair b.a.l.l.s, and the following rules will give him the required information:--

_Firstly._ A ball that strikes the ground in front of the home base is not a fair ball; as, in the first place, by striking the ground before reaching the baseman, it becomes a "bowled" ball, and secondly, because it is not pitched "over the home base," and "fairly for the striker;"

for unless it goes over the home base before touching the ground, it is not "pitched," but "bowled" over, and unless so pitched, it cannot be "fairly for the striker."

_Secondly._ A ball that is pitched on the side opposite to that the batsman habitually strikes from is not a fair ball, because not pitched "for the striker."

_Thirdly._ A ball that is pitched so as to hit the striker--provided he is standing in his legitimate position, viz. astride the line of the home base, and one foot to the left of the base--is not a fair one, for the same reason. The striker should, however, stand far enough from the base to admit of the ball being pitched over it without its striking him.

_Fourthly._ b.a.l.l.s, too, which are pitched beyond the legitimate reach of the batsman, either in front of him or over his head, are, for the same reason, not fair b.a.l.l.s.

All of the above b.a.l.l.s are "unfair" b.a.l.l.s, and must be called when it is legitimate to call a ball at all, that is, first, after two unfair b.a.l.l.s have been pitched, and secondly, after the pitcher has _then_ been warned of the penalty--this warning being given in the form of the words, "ball to the bat," or some exclamation of similar purport.

Should the striker not stand in his position, as required by the rules, or should he hit at b.a.l.l.s at a different height to that he calls for, in such case the umpire is not required to call any of the above delivered b.a.l.l.s as unfair b.a.l.l.s except those out of the batsman's reach.

We now proceed to close our instructions in the game with a chapter on scoring, which is a part of base-ball requiring a considerable degree of statistical and a.n.a.lytical talent to do it well.

ON SCORING IN BASE-BALL.

The present system of scoring was first introduced by the writer in 1867, and since then has been adopted by every competent scorer in the country. The scorer of a base-ball match has either a simple task to perform, or a duty requiring his close attention to every movement of the players in the field. To record the "outs" and "runs" in a match requires simply the use of the figures 1, 2, 3 for the score of outs in each innings, and dots for each run scored, and at the close of the game these are added up and the total of each placed opposite the name of the batsman making them; the score of runs made each innings being recorded at the foot of each column of the innings. To score a game properly, however, considerable work is necessary, as will be seen by the following.

INSTRUCTIONS TO SCORERS.

The following diagrams show the blank forms of the score-sheets used in recording the play, and also the total result, in a match game of base-ball; and we present these blanks before proceeding with our instructions in scoring:--

No. I.

_Diagram of Score Sheet used to record the Movements of the Players in a Match Game._

The Score of the ___________________ Club of ___________________

+-----+-----+-----+-----+--------+------------------------------+ |Base |Bases|Bases| | | | |run- | on | on |Total| Play | Played at .............. 186.| |ning.| er- |hits.|score. called.| | | |rors.| | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ |H.|L.|B.|M.|B.|T.|O.|R.|BATSMEN.|1.|2.|3.|4.|5.|6.|7.|8.|9.|10.| +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |1. | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |2. | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |3. | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |4. | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |5. | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |6. | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |7. | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |8. | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |9. | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |Total | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+ | | | | | | | | |Grand | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |total | | | | | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+

+---------+-----+-----------------+-----+-----+ | Game |Posi-| Good Plays in |Total|As- | | ended. |tion.| the Field. | put |sist-| | | | |out. |ing. | +---------+ +--+--+--+--+--+--+ | | |FIELDERS.| |B.|F.|L.|D.|K.|R.| | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ |1. | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ |2. | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ |3. | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ |4. | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ |5. | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ |6. | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ |7. | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ |8. | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ |9. | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ | | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +---------+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+-----+-----+

Winning Club .................... Scorers ......................

Umpire .......................... Duration of game .............

The letters on the left refer to the batting score, as follows:--R, for runs; O, for outs; T, for the number of times the first base is made on hits; B, for number of bases on hits; M, for first base on m.u.f.fs; B, for first base on called b.a.l.l.s; L, for left on bases after clean hits; and H, for home-runs. On the right, the letters refer to the fielding only: B, for outs on bases; F, for fair fly-catches; L, for foul fly-catches; D, for foul bound catches; K, for outs on strikes; R, for run out; the last two columns being for the record of the total number of players put out by each fielder, and the total number of times each a.s.sisted in putting out players.

The following diagram presents the blank form used to record the particulars of a match game at its close:--

No. II. _Batting Score._

_______________________ Club. _______________________ Club.

+-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | PLAYERS. |POS.| O. | R. | B. || PLAYERS. |POS.| O. | R. | B. | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | 1. | | | | || 1. | | | | | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | 2. | | | | || 2. | | | | | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | 3. | | | | || 3. | | | | | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | 4. | | | | || 4. | | | | | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | 5. | | | | || 5. | | | | | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | 6. | | | | || 6. | | | | | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | 7. | | | | || 7. | | | | | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | 8. | | | | || 8. | | | | | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | 9. | | | | || 9. | | | | | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+ | Totals | | | | || Totals | | | | | +-------------+----+----+----+----++-------------+----+----+----+----+

_Innings._

+----------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-------+ | CLUBS. | 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9. | |TOTALS.| +----------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-------+ | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-------+ | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-------+

Home runs ____________________________________________________________

No. of times first base on hits _____________ times ___________ times.

No. of times first base by errors ___________ times ___________ times.

No. of times first base on three b.a.l.l.s ______ times ___________ times.

Total bases on hits __________________________________________________

Times left on bases after clean hits _________________________________

_Fielding Score._

Base play--put out by ________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

Fly catches __________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

Foul bound catches ___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

Catches on strikes ___________________________________________________

Double plays _________________________________________________________

Outs on bases _____________________ times _____________________ times.

Outs on foul b.a.l.l.s ________________ times _____________________ times.

Total errors of play _________________________________________________

Umpire, Mr. ______________ of the ______________ Club, of ____________