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Intentional walks could wear down a pitcher in baseball’s infancy

By Jim Kriek For The 6 min read

One surprising point recently has been the number of people who say they didn’t like history in high school, but how much they enjoy the sports history columns we have been penning here. We are thankful for the latter point for it’s a lot of fun digging around in the old files to find those notes. The names you find, the events, etc.

Ditto the couple of columns that have appeared here on the old baseball rules, many of them serious for the times they were enacted, but sometimes comical by today’s game standards.

So how about one more column on the pre-1900 rulebook. The last one left off with 1883.

There was a time when it took nine balls to get a walk. That was dropped down gradually, until reaching six in 1884, and when some thought that was still too many, the count was cut to five in 1886, and in 1889 the count was lowered to four, which is still in effect today. The number of strikes for an out was officially set at three in 1879.

Here’s another 1884 change that could have produced a lot of arguments.

Almost all restrictions on a pitcher’s motion were lifted, and it was decreed, “he may throw the ball with virtually any motion he chooses, provided that his delivery is not higher than his shoulders and he is facing the batter at the moment of wind-up. He is allowed one step before delivery.”

Can’t you hear the arguments that the pitch thrown was higher than the pitcher’s shoulders; he wasn’t looking at me when he threw, etc.?

In 1885 a pitcher was credited with an assist if he struck out a batter (discarded in 1889). That same year it was decreed that a bat may have one flattened side, but that didn’t go over too well in some circles (no reasons given), so the rule lasted just one season and was tossed out prior to the 1886 schedule. It would have been interesting to hear some of the reasons for its reversal, but none were listed.

In 1886, it was ruled that an umpire may introduce a new ball at any time. Prior to this year, when a ball was lost, the umpire gave the team five minutes to find it before he threw in a new one. It was also ruled then that an umpire must have two baseballs at his disposal at all times.

Also, until this year, a batter hit by a pitched ball was charged with a time at bat. That was changed then to the present no time at bat.

In 1887 it was ruled, “A pitcher must keep one foot on the rear line of the box and may not take more than one step in delivering the ball. Before delivery, he must hold the ball in front of him, so that it is visible to the umpire.”

At one time pitchers were charged with an error if they walked a batter, hit him with a pitch, made a wild pitch or committed a balk. That all was thrown out in 1887.

Also, a batter was once allowed to call for a high or low pitch, but that was wiped out this year, a strikeout was reduced to four strikes, a batter hit by a pitch was sent to first and not charged with a time at bat (still in effect), and a walk was counted as a time at bat and counted as a hit. That latter was tossed out after one season.

Also in 1887, the umpire was allowed to call a game if the spectators became disorderly, and the maximum fine for arguing with an umpire, or protesting a call, was increased to $10.

A couple of changes in1888 are still in effect today, such as a base on ball not being counted as a hit nor as a time at bat. Also, if a runner is hit by a batted ball he is out and the hitter not charged with a time at bat, and the strikeout count was officially set at three strikes.

In 1890, the umpire was officially called “Mr. Umpire” the first time. He has been unofficially called many things other than “Mister” since then.

Three rules changes came along that are still in effect today. In 1891, substitutions could be made at any time, but once a player was substituted for he could not return to the game.

In 1893, a batter hitting a sacrifice was not charged with a time at bat, and the pitching distance was increased to 60-feet, 6-inches. In 1894, a batter was charged with a strike on a foul bunt, and a year later a strike was charged for a foul tip.

Also in 1895, the infield fly rule was adopted, whereby the umpire can call an infield fly when there is one out and first and second, or first, second, and third bases are occupied.

The same year, it was decreed that if a crowd becomes so unruly the game is stopped for more than 15 minutes the umpire may declare a forfeit. If that happens, the visitors win 9-0.

(Now, what if the visiting team got way behind, what would stop visiting spectators from filtering over onto the home side, creating a great row, and having the game forfeited to their team?).

This one could produce some dollars for the league treasury – in 1896, a $25 fine was imposed on a coach or player who uses vulgar language. It cost players $5 to $10 for any other first offense, $25 and possibly ejection for the second offense. And it was mandatory ejection for a third such misdeed.

The first official balk rule was written in 1898, in that a pitcher is compelled to throw to a base if he makes a motion in that direction. A year later the rule was refined to read that a pickoff play may not be faked, and a pitcher must complete his motion.

Yes, some of those old rules were amusing, but they were necessary (as written) for the times in which the game was being played. And so effective that some are still on the books today.

Watch for future rules notes.

Jim Kriek is a Herald-Standard sports correspondent.

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