Baseball game of rules. Baseball is a game of rules. The following is a history of the Rules of the Game of Baseball. In the early days baseball games were officiated by the players. Obviously arguments ensued. The catcher called balls and strikes and infielders argued safe and out calls. Imagine a catcher making a play on a runner sliding in home plate and deciding whether he is safe or out! As you have guessed that did not work out so baseball is and became a game of rules. Most games when baseball started ended up in fights and heated arguments. Umpires were appointed to make calls and were give absolute power of decision. That is the way it had to be. Baseball being a game of rules and those rules have had a remarkable evolution. In 1845 Alexander Cartwright wrote the fourteen original Knickerbocker Rules. In 1860 Henry Chadwick wrote and recorded in the very first edition of “Beale’s Dime Baseball Player” the thirty eight rules of baseball. Those thirty eight rules were accepted by the National Association of Baseball. The National Association adopted forty three total rules by 1866. This evolution of the baseball game of rules has continued until today. These rules will be expanded upon forever.
THE ORIGINAL KNICKERBOCKER RULES
1845
SECTION 1. The bases shall be from “home” to second base 42 paces; from first to third base 42 paces equidistant.
SECTION 2. The game to consist of 21 counts or aces, but at the conclusion on equal number of hands must be played.
SECTION 3. The ball must be pitched and not thrown for the bat.
SECTION 4. A ball knocked outside the range of the first or third base is foul.
SECTION 5. 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.
SECTION 6. A ball being struck or tipped, and caught either flying or on the first bound, is a hand out.
SECTION 7. A player, running the bases, shall be out, if the ball is in the hands of an adversary on the base, as the runner is touched by it before he makes his base, it being understood, however, that in no instance is a ball to be thrown to him.
SECTION 8. A player running, who shall prevent an adversary from catching or getting the ball before making his base, is a hand out.
SECTION 9. If two hand are already out, a player running home at the time a ball s struck, cannot make an ace if the striker is caught out.
SECTION 10. Three hand out, all out.
SECTION 11. Players must take their strike in regular turn.
SECTION 12. No ace or base can be made on a foul strike.
SECTION 13. A runner cannot be put out in making one base, when the pitcher makes a balk.
SECTION 14. But on base allowed when the ball bounds out of the field when struck.
BASEBALL A GAME OF RULES
FROM THE BEGINNING
