SEC. 6. If, while the first base be occupied by a base-runner, three strikes be called on him by the umpire, except when two men are already out.

SEC. 7. If, after two strikes have been called, the batsman obviously attempts to make a foul hit, as in Rule 43, section 3.

SEC. 8. If, while attempting a third strike, the ball touches any part of the batsman's person, in which case base-runners occupying bases shall return as prescribed in Rule 49, section 5.

SEC. 9.

If he hits a fly ball that can be handled by an infielder while first and second bases are occupied, or first, second and third with only one out. In such case the umpire shall, as soon as the ball is hit, declare infield or outfield hit. SEC. 10. If the third strike is called in accordance with section 4, Rule 43.

SEC. 11. The moment a batsman is declared out by the umpire, he (the umpire) shall call for the batsman next in order to leave his seat on the bench and take his position at the bat, and such player of the batting side shall not leave his seat on the bench until so called to bat, except as provided by Rule 37, section 1, and Rule 52.

BASE-RUNNING RULES.

RULE 46.--WHEN THE BATSMAN BECOMES A BASE-RUNNER. The Batsman becomes a Base

runner:

SECTION 1. Instantly after he makes a fair hit.

SEC. 2. Instantly after four balls have been called by the umpire.

SEC. 3. Instantly after three strikes have been declared by the umpire.

SEC. 4. If, while he be batsman, without making any attempt to

SEC. 5. Instantly after an illegal delivery of a ball by the pitcher.

An illegal delivery of the ball is made if the pitcher's pivot foot be not in contact with the rubber plate at the time of the delivery of the ball, or if he takes more than one step in delivery, or if, after feigning to throw to a base, he fails to pause momentarily before delivering the ball to the bat.

BASES TO BE TOUCHED.

RULE 47.-The base-runner must touch each base in regular order, viz., first, second, third and home bases, and when obliged to return (except on a foul hit) must retouch the base or bases in reverse order. He shall only be considered as holding a base after touching it, and shall then be entitled to hold such base until he has legally touched the next base in order or has been legally forced to vacate it for a succeeding base-runner. However, no base-runner shall score a run to count in the game until the base-runner preceding him in the batting list (provided there has been such a base-runner who has not been put out in that inning) shall have first touched home base without being put out.

ENTITLED TO BASES.

RULE 48.-The base-runner shall be entitled, without being put out, to take the base in the following

cases:

SECTION 1. If, while he was batsman, the umpire called four balls.

SEC. 2. If the umpire awards a succeeding batsman a base on four balls, or for being hit with a pitched ball, or in case of an illegal delivery ---as in Rule 46, section 5-and the base-runner is thereby forced to vacate the base held by him.

contact with one or more of them, the umpire shall determine which fielder is entitled to the benefit of this rule, and shall not decide the base-runner out for coming in contact with any other fielder.

SEC. 9. If, at any time while the ball is in play, he be touched by the ball in the hands of a fielder, unless some part of his person is touching a base he is entitled to occupy; PROVIDED, the ball be held by the fielder after touching him.

SEC. 10. The base-runner in running to first base may overrun said base, without being put out for being off said base, after first touching it, provided he returns at once and retouches the base, after which he may be put out as at any other base. If, in overrunning first base, he also attempts to run to second base, or after passing the base he turns to his left from the foul line, he shall forfeit such exemption from being put out.

SEC. 11. If, when a fair or foul hit ball (other than a foul tip as referred to in Rule 39) is legally caught by a fielder, such ball is legally held by a fielder on the base occupied by the base-runner when such ball was struck (or the base-runner be touched with the ball in the hands of a fielder), before he retouches said base after such fair or foul hit call was so caught; PROVIDED, that the base-runner shall not be out, in such case, if, after the ball was legally caught as above, it be delivered to the bat by the pitcher before the fielder holds it on said base, or touches the baserunner with it; but if the base-runner, in attempting to reach a base, detaches it before being touched or forced out, he shall be declared safe.

entitled to hold it, until any following base-runner is put out, and may be put out at the next base, or by being touched by the ball in the hands of a fielder in the same manmer as in running to first base at any time before any following baserunner is put out.

SEC. 13. If a fair hit ball strike him before touching the fielder, and, in such case, no base shall be run unless forced by the batsman becoming a base-runner, and no run shall be scored or any other base-runner put out.

SEC. 14. If, when running to a base, or forced to return to a base, he fail to touch the intervening base, or bases, if any, in the order prescribed in Rule 47. he may be put out at the base he fails to touch, or being touched by the ball in the hands of a fielder in the same manner as in running to first base; PROVIDED, that the base-runner shall not be out in such case if the ball be delivered to the bat by the pitcher before the fielder holds it on said base, or touches the base-runner with it.

SEC. 15. If, when the umpire calls " Play," after any suspension of a game, he fails to return to and touch the base he occupied when "Time" was called before touching the next base; PROVIDED, the baserunner shall not be out, in such case, if the ball be delivered to the bat by the pitcher before the fielder holds it on said base or touches the baserunner with it.

WHEN BATSMAN OR BAse-runner

IS OUT.

RULE 51.--The umpire shall declare the batsman or base-runner out, without waiting for an appeal for such decision, in all cases where such player is put out in accordance with these rules, except as provided in Rule 50, sections 10 and 14.

COACHING RULES.

to address any remarks except to the base-runner, and then only in words of necessary direction; and shall not use language which will in any manner refer to, or reflect upon a player of the opposing club, the umpire or the spectators, and not more than one coacher, who may be a player participating in the game, or any other player under contract to it, in the uniform of either club, shall be allowed at any one time, except, that if base-runners are occuping two or more of the bases, then the captain and one player, or two players in the uniform of either club, may Occupy the space between the players' lines and the captains' lines to coach base-runners. To enforce the above the captain of the opposite side may call the attention of the umpire to the offense, and, upon a repetition of the same, the offending player shall be debarred from further participation in the game, and shall leave the playing field forthwith.

THE SCORing of RUNS.

RULE 53.-One run shall be scored every time a base-runner, after having legally touched the first three bases, shall touch the home base before three men are put out. (Exception)-If the third man is forced out, or is put out before reaching first base, à run shall not be scored.

GENERAL DEFINITIONS.

Play" is the order of the umpire to begin the game, or to resume play after its suspension.

"Time" is the order of the umpire to suspend play. Such suspension must not extend beyond the day of the game.

"Game" is the announcement by the umpire that the game is terminated.

An "Inning" is the term at bat of the nine players representing a club in a game, and is completed when three of such players have been put out, as provided in these rules.

A "Time at Bat" is the term at bat of a batsman. It begins when

he takes his position and continues until he is put out or becomes a baserunner; except when, because of being hit by a pitched ball, or in case of an illegal delivery by the pitcher, or in case of a sacrifice hit purposely made to the infield which, not being a base-hit, advances a base-runner without resulting in a put-out, except to the batsman, as in Rule 45. "Legal" or "Legally" signifies as required by these rules.

SCORING RULES.

BATTING.

No time at bat shall be scored if the batsman be hit by a pitched ball while standing in his position, and after trying to avoid being so hit, or in case of the pitcher's illegal delivery of the ball to the bat which gives the batsman his base, or when he intentionally hits the ball to the field, purposely to be put out, or if he is given first base on called balls.

A base-hit should be scored in the following cases:

When the ball from the bat strikes the ground within the foul lines and out of reach of the fielders.

When a hit ball is partially or wholly stopped by a fielder in motion, but such player cannot recover himself in time to handle the ball before the striker reaches first base.

When a ball is hit with such force to an infielder that he cannot handle it in time to put out the batsman. (In case of doubt over this class of hits, score a base-hit and exempt the fielder from the charge of an error.)

When a ball is hit so slowly toward a fielder that he cannot handle it in time to put out the batsman.

That in all cases where a baserunner is retired by being hit by a batted ball, the batsman should be credited with a base-hit.

When a batted ball hits the person or clothing of the umpire. In no case shall a base-hit be scored when a base-runner has been forced out by the play.

FIELDING.

Where a batsman is given out by the umpire for a foul strike, or where the batsman fails to bat in proper order, the put-out shall be scored to the catcher. In all cases of "out" for interference, running out of line, or infield fly dropped, the "out" should be credited to the player who would have made the play but for the action of the baserunner or batsman.

An assist should be given to each player who handles the ball in assist ing a put-out or other play of the kind.

And generally an assist should be given to each player who handles or assists in any manner in handling the ball from the time it leaves the bat until it reaches the player who makes the put-out, or in case of a thrown ball, to each player who throws or handles it cleanly and in such a way that a put-out results, or would result if no error were made by the receiver.

ERRORS.

An error shall be given for each misplay which allows the striker or base-runner to make one or more bases when perfect play would have insured his being put out, except that "wild pitches," "bases on balls," bases on the batsman being struck by a "pitched ball," or in cases of illegal pitched balls, balks and passed balls, all of which comprise battery errors, shall not be included in said column.

One Old Cat, a kind of base ball played by any number of persons. The Home base is the only base, and the positions of the players are Batsman, Catcher, Pitcher, and any number of fielders, called First Field, Second Field, and so on. The striker keeps his place till he is put out. He is out if a fair fly or a foul bound is caught, all balls being fair that strike in front of the base, or if the Catcher catch, the ball after his third strike. If the ball is not caught at the third strike he has three more,

and no strikes are counted except those actually made. When the striker is put out he takes the place of the lowest fielder. Each fielder then rises one step in rank, and First Field becomes Pitcher, while Pitcher takes the Catcher's place, and Catcher goes to the bat. Sometimes, when a fair ball is caught, the fielder who makes the catch is allowed to go to the bat at once. The Batsman takes the lowest place as before, but only those lower than the successful fielder rise in rank.

One Old Cat is sometimes varied by having two bases, Home and First Base, and making the Batsman run to the latter and back when he strikes a fair ball. If he does so without being put out at Home, he scores a run. There is no First Baseman.

Two Old Cat. This differs from One Old Cat only in having two Batsmen, to whom the ball is pitched alternately, the Catcher for one acting as Pitcher for the other. The fielders are partly behind one Batsman and partly behind the other.

Single-Handed Base, a kind of Base Ball resembling One Old Cat, with a First Base, except that there is a First Baseman, who can put the striker out as in the regular game. No count is kept of runs; but if the Batsman reaches his base safely the Baseman goes to the bat, and the two thus alternate till one of them is put out. When there is an out, the players change positions as in One Old Cat, except the Baseman, who continues at his post, and alternates with the new Batsman.

History. Games of ball in which a feature is running from one base or goal to another have probably been played for a long time, and games of some sort in which a bat is used are still older (see CRICKET). The illustration, from an old manuscript, shows a game of “club ball" in the 14th century. In 1748 the family of the Prince of Wales are said to have played "Base Ball," and in 1798