SPORTS. 



561 



document, which has become the fundamental law 

 of base-ball affairs, are now (1889) the National 

 League, composed of clubs representing the cities 

 of Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago, Wash- 

 ington, Pittsbnrg, Detroit, and Indianapolis ; and 

 the American Association, consisting of clubs repre- 

 senting the cities of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Brook- 

 lyn, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Louisville, Kansas City, 

 and St. Louis. Other prominent associations are 

 the International Association, formed of clubs in 

 Canada and New York State ; the Central League, 

 formed of clubs in New Jersey and adjacent States ; 

 and the Western Association, formed of clubs in 

 States on the Mississippi ; and the California Asso- 

 ciation. The laws 

 of the game and 

 rules governing 

 its play, as framed 

 under this agree- 

 ment, are adopted 

 by every base-ball 

 organisation in 

 the United States. 

 The rules may 

 be changed every 

 year to meet tho 

 exigencies of tho 

 times and to keep 

 pace with the im- 

 proving skill of 

 the players. 



The number of 

 clubs, profession- 

 al and amateur, 

 in the United 

 States, would run 

 far into the thou- 

 sands, every city 

 containing from 

 one to a hundred 

 of them, in the 

 supply of which 

 over 12,000 balls 

 are made daily. 

 The professional 

 clubs have well- 

 kept grounds, fit- 

 ted with every 

 convenience t o 

 make the game 

 attractive. T li o 

 Philadelphia 

 Club expended 

 8100,000 on its 

 grounds in im- 

 provements 

 alone, the seating 

 capacity of the 

 grand pavilion 

 being over 10,000 

 people. Other 



Right 



grounds seat as manv as 15,000, and there occur times 

 when 18,000 are in the grounds and thousands on the 

 outside unable to gain entrance. Base-ball playing 

 is now done on scientific principles, and adept play- 

 ers, with reputations, receive salaries of from $2000 to 

 84000 fora season of about six months. The players 

 are held to the different clubs by approved con- 

 tracts. As the success of a club depends largely 

 upon the skill ol its players, there is considerable 

 competition every year in securing brilliant men ; as 

 high as 820,000 is said to have been paid for the 

 transfer of a first-class pitcher from one club to 

 another. Considerable capital is invested in the 

 sport, and the dividends are generally large. 



Base-ball has not made much headway in other 

 countries. Unsuccessful efforts were made to intro- 



duce it in England, but there is an earnest endeavor 

 to popularize it in Australia. 



The following is a diagram of the ground, as it is 

 required under the existing regulations. 



The grounds are always diamond-shaped. At each 

 corner is a square, called a" base." The bases, num- 

 bered first, second, and third, are marked by canvas 

 bags, while home base is made of rubber. Home base 

 is the starting-point in the game, and is directly in 

 front of the catcher; first base is diagonally to his 

 riglit. Lines drawn from the outer corner of the 

 home base through the centre of the first and third 

 bases, to the boundaries of the ground, are called 

 " foul lines." The part of the field inside the dia- 

 mond is called the 



*< infield ; that out- 



side of it, but in- 

 side the " foul 

 lines," is called 

 the " outfield." 

 In a game nine 

 players are re- 

 quired on each 

 fiide ; these are a 

 catcher, pitcher, 

 first, second, and 

 third basemen, 

 short stop, left, 

 centre, and right 

 fielder. Each 

 club has a cap- 

 tain, who is al- 

 ways one of the 

 nine players. 

 Each has a tenth 

 man as a substi- 

 tute when a regu- 

 lar player is re- 

 called or disabled. 

 The positions of 

 these players are 

 indicated in the 

 diagram ; their 

 duties are pre- 

 scribed by rules. 

 As to their abili- 

 ties, each must be 

 a good fielder and 

 a good batsman, 

 and if he is also 

 a good base run- 

 ner so much the 

 better. He must 

 be a sure catcher 

 and swift, accu- 

 rate thrower. The 

 most responsible 

 position is that of 

 pitcher. His skill 

 and tact generally 

 decide the game, 

 and next, the short 



C.tchCT't fan* 



FlO. 1. Base-ball ground. 



A, A, Reserved for Umpire. Batsman, and Catcher ; B, B, Reserved for Cap- 

 tain and Assistant ; C, C, Players' Benches ; D, E, Bat Racks. 



Next to him is the catcher; 

 stop. The umpire is a judge regularly appointed to 

 decide all points of dispute that may arise during 

 the game. He also superintends the play, signifies 

 when the game is to begin, passes judgment on all 

 balls pitched by the pitcher, and decides whether 

 the players are " out " or not. In short, he is mas- 

 ter of the field from the commencement to the ter- 

 mination of the game, and must compel the players 

 to observe the provisions of all the "playing rales." 

 He generally stands behind the catcher, that he may 

 see and judge the balls thrown by the pitcher and 

 watch the players and plays. 



The materials for play are a ball and a bat, no 

 more than one ball and no more than one bat being 

 used at a time. But if a ball be lost or ripped, or a 



