THE FIRST BASE BALL RULES
1845
- 1st. Members must strictly observe the time agreed upon for exercise,
and be
punctual in their attendance.
- 2nd. When assembled for exercise, the President, or in his absence,
the Vice-
President, shall appoint an Umpire, who shall keep the game in a book
provided for that purpose, and note all violations of the By-laws and Rules
during the time of exercise.
- 3rd. The presiding officer shall designate two members as Captains,
who shall retire and make the match to be played, observing at the same
time that the players opposite to each other should be as nearly equal
as possible, the choice of sides to be then tossed for, and the first in
hand to
be decided in like manner.
- 4th. The bases shall be from "home" to second base, forty-two
paces; from first
to third base, forty-two paces, equidistant.
- 5th. No stump match shall be played on a regular day of exercise.
- 6th. If there should not be a sufficient number of members of the Club
present
at the time agreed upon to commence exercise, gentlemen not members
may be chosen in to make up the match, which shall not be broken up to
take in members that they may afterwards appear; but in all cases,
members shall have the preference, when present, at the making of a
match.
- 7th. If members appear after the game is commenced, they may be chosen
in
if mutually agreed upon.
- 8th. The game to consist of twenty-one counts, or aces; but at the
conclusion
an equal number of hands must be played.
- 9th. The ball must be pitched, not thrown, for the bat.
- 10th. A ball knocked out of the field, or outside the range of the
first or third
base, is foul.
- 11th. Three balls being struck at and missed and the last one caught,
is a hand
out; if not caught is considered fair, and the striker bound to run.
- 12th. If a ball be struck, or tipped, and caught, either flying or on
the first bound,
it is a hand out.
- 13th. A player running the bases shall be out, if the ball is in the
hands of an
adversary on the base, or the runner is touched with it before he makes
his
base; it being understood, however, that in no instance is a ball to
be
thrown at him.
- 14th. A player running who shall prevent an adversary from catching
or getting
the ball before making his base, is a hand out.
- 15th. Three hands out, all out.
- 16th. Players must take their strike in regular turn.
- 17th. All disputes and differences relative to the game, to be decided
by the
Umpire, from which there is no appeal.
- 18th. No ace or base can be made on a foul strike.
- 19th. A runner cannot be put out in making one base, when a baulk is
made by
the pitcher.
- 20th. But one base allowed when a ball bounds out of the field when
struck.
