BASEBALL 



607 



BASEBALL 



To score a run the batter must pass around 

 the diamond to first, second and third bases 

 and again to the home base, which he must 

 reach without being put out. If the umpire 

 calls three strikes against him or if an oppo- 

 nent catches a foul before it touches the ground 

 he is out without becoming a baserunner. An 

 exception is made if there is no runner on first 

 base and the batter's third strike is not caught. 

 If the umpire calls four balls, the batter ad- 

 vances to first base, or he may do so if he is 

 hit by a ball thrown by the pitcher. 



If the batter hits the ball, unless he makes 

 a foul as defined above, he starts to run 

 around the bases. If an opponent catches the 

 ball before it touches the ground, or while 

 holding the ball touches first base before the 

 runner reaches it, the runner is out. On his 

 way to first base the runner must keep, inside 

 of the three-foot line shown on the diagram. 

 If he reaches first base before the ball, but is 

 running too fast to stop and does not wish to 

 continue to second, he must turn to the right 

 in returning to the base. If he continues on 

 his circuit, or after he has stopped and returned 

 to first base, he is out, if while not touching 

 the base he is touched with the ball by an 

 opponent. A batter who runs when his third 

 strike is not caught must be put out in the 

 same way as one who has hit the ball. 



As soon as there is a runner on the bases 

 the umpire usually moves to a position behind 

 the pitcher. In important games there is usually 

 a second umpire, who takes from ^the umpire- 

 in-ehief most of the responsibility of decisions 

 regarding base-run- 

 ners. The next batter 

 endeavors to help the 

 base-runner to ad- 

 If he makes a 

 single, a. safe hit bring- 

 ing liirn to first base, 

 the runner ahead is 

 able to advance 

 two bases. A two- 

 bagger, or hit whieh 



i)les the batter to ynrn; (oVVubberj' (o) 



reach second base, cork; (d) leather ver - 



onlm.mly gives the first ninncr a chance to 



score. A thr- . in winch 



tin MI,- himself, of course scores 



who was on the bases ahead t him 



Sometimes the hatter makes a sacrifice hit, one 



which give* the rnnn.-r an opportunity to 



I'lvance but does not enable the batt. 



reach first base. A common form of sacrifice 



HOW A BALL IS 



MAM: 



(a) Throo layers of 



is a bunt, in which the ball is hit so that it will 

 roll slowly and not far from the home plate. 

 If the runner advances without the help of the 

 batter, he is said to have stolen a base. Should 

 a ball hit by the batter be caught before falling 

 to the ground and be brought to the base which 

 was occupied by a runner before the latter can 

 return to it, both the batter and the runner 

 are out, and the fielders have made one form 

 of double play. With more than one runner 

 on the bases a triple play is sometimes made. 

 One member of the team at bat may stand in 

 each of the spaces marked Coach, to direct the 

 batter and the runners. 



As soon as three men of the side at bat are 

 declared out, the fielding and batting teams 

 change places. When each has had a turn at 

 bat, an inning has been played. Nine innings 

 constitute a normal game; if at the end of 

 them the score is a tie, the game continues 

 until one side or the other is ahead at the end 

 of an inning. The last half of the ninth inning 

 is not played if the side which would be at bat 

 is already ahead. By mutual agreement, or 

 because of darkness or storm, five innings may 

 be a full game. 



Scoring. In nearly all games, both profes- 

 sional and amateur, a detailed record is made 

 of the work of each player, called the box 

 score. In the third game of a world's series, 

 Boston's score was as follows: 



Boston 



AB. 



Hooper, rf 4 



Scott, ss 3 



Speaker, cf 3 



Hoblltzel, Ib 3 



Lewis, If 4 



Gardner. 3b 3 



Barry, 2b 3 



Carrlgran, c - 



Leonard, p 3 



Totals 28 2 6 27 10 1 



00010000 12 



-base hit Speaker. Earned runs 2. 



Seott Sacrifice fly Hoblltsel. 



Left on banes 4. First on balls Carrlgan, 



Speaker. Struck out By Leonard, 6. Umpires 



it j.i.it.-. O'LmiKhlln: on bases, i 

 11. l.l. KlRler; right field, Evans. Time 1.48. 

 Ait. .1 dance 42,300. 



This is the interpretation of the box score 

 printed above: 



A. B.. the number of tlm.-s .if lint, not JnHud- 

 IMK those \vli.-n the batter made a w< 

 hit i first bane by a base on ball, 



.: lilt by the ball or interfered with by 



l: . tho number of Runs, or scores. 

 B., 11." numb. -i- of Base Hits, or balls hit in 

 such direction or with such speed that per- 



