SEC. 6. Should rain commence to fall during the progress of a match game, he umpire must note the time it began; and, should it continue for five minutes, he shall, at the request of either captain, suspend play. Should the rain continue to fall for thirty minutes after play has been suspended, the game shall terminate.

SEC. 7. When the umpire calls "play," the game must at once be proceeded with. Should either party fail to take their appointed positions in the game, or to commence play as requested, the umpire shall, at the expiration of five minutes, declare the game forfeited by the nine that refuses to play. When the umpire calls "time," play shall be suspended until he calls "play" again, and during the interim no player shall be put out, base be run, or run be scored. The umpire shall suspend play only for an accident or injury to himself or a player, or on account of rain.

SEC. 8. The umpire, in any match game, shall, in case of rain or darkness, determine when play shall be suspended, and, if the game cannot be fairly concluded, it shall be decided by the score of the last equal innings played, unless one nine shall have completed their innings, and the other nine shall have equalled or exceeded the score of their opponents in their incompleted innings, in which case the game shall be decided by the total score obtained, which score shall be recorded as the score of the game.

SEC. 9. When the umpire calls "game" it shall end; but when he merely suspends play for any stated period, it may be resumed at the point at which it was suspended, provided such suspension does not extend beyond the day of the match.

RULE THIRD.-Pitching.

SECTION 1. The pitcher's position shall be within a space of ground four feet wide by six feet long, the front or four-foot line of which shall be distant fortyfive feet from the centre of the home base, and the centre of the square shall be equidistant from the first and the third bases. Each corner of the square shall be marked by a flat iron plate or stone, six inches square, fixed in the ground even with the surface.

SEC. 2. The player who delivers the ball to the bat must do so while wholly within the lines of the pitcher's position. He must remain within them until the ball has left his hand, and he shall not make any motion to deliver the ball to the bat while any part of his person is outside the lines of the pitcher's position. The ball must be delivered to the bat with the arm swinging nearly perpendicular at the side of the body, and the hand in swinging forward must pass below the waist. The pitcher, when taking his position to deliver the ball, must face the batsman.

SEC. 3. Should the pitcher deliver the ball by an overhand throw, a "foul balk" shall be declared. Any outward swing of the arm, or any other swing save that of the perpendicular movement referred to in Section 2 of this rule, shall be considered an overhand throw.

SEC. 4. When a "foul balk" is called, the umpire shall warn the pitcher of the penalty incurred by such unfair delivery; and should such delivery be continued until three foul balks have been called in one inning, the umpire shall declare the game forfeited.

SEC. 5. Should the pitcher make any motion to deliver the ball to the bat, and fail so to deliver it-except the ball be accidentally dropped-or should he unnecessarily delay the game by not delivering the ball to the bat, or should he, when in the act of delivering the ball, have any part of his person outside the lines of his position, the umpire shall call a "balk," and players occupying the bases shall take one base each.

SEC. 6. Every ball fairly delivered and sent in to the bat over the home base and at the height called for by the batsman shall be considered a good ball.

not sent in over the home shall be considered unfair When "nine balls" have

SEC. 7. All balls delivered to the bat which are base and at the height called for by the batsman balls, and every ball so delivered must be called. been called, the striker shall take first base, and all players who are thereby forced to leave a base shall take one base. Neither a "ball" nor a "strike" shall be called until the ball has passed the home base.

SEC. 8. All balls delivered to the bat which shall touch the striker's bat without being struck at, or his (the batsman's) person while standing in his position, or which shall hit the person of the umpire-unless they be passed ballsshall be considered dead balls, and shall be so called by the umpire; and no players shall be put out, base be run, or run be scored on any such ball; but if a dead ball be also an unfair ball it shall be counted as one of the nine unfair balls which shall entitle the striker to a base. If the umpire shall be satisfied that the pitcher, in delivering the ball, shall have so delivered it as to have intentionally caused the same to strike the batter, the umpire shall fine the pitcher therefore in a sum not less than ten dollars nor more than fifty dollars.

RULE FOURTH.-Batting Department.

SECTION 1. The batsman's or striker's position shall be within a space of ground located on either side of the home base, six feet long by three feet wide, extending three feet in front of and three feet behind the line of the home base, and with its nearest line distant one foot from the home base.

SEC. 2. The batsmen must take their positions in the order in which they are directed by the captain of their club; and after each player has had one time "at bat," the striking order thus established shall not be changed during the game. After the first inning the first striker in each inning shall be the batsman whose name follows that of the last man who has completed his turn (time) at bat in the preceding inning.

SEC. 3. Any batsman failing to take his position at the bat in his order of striking unless by reason of illness or injury, or by consent of the captains of

the contesting nines-shall be declared out, unless the error be discovered before a fair ball has been struck or the striker put out.

SEC. 4. Any batsman failing to take his position at the bat within one minute after the umpire has called for the striker shall be declared out.

SEC. 5. The batsman on taking his position must call for either a “high ball, ́ a "low ball," or a "fair ball," and the umpire shall notify the pitcher to deliver the ball as required; such call shall not be changed after the first ball delivered.

SEC. 6. A "high ball" shall be one sent in above the belt of the batsman, but not higher than his shoulder. A "low ball" shall be one sent in at the height of the belt, or between that height and the knee, but not higher than his belt. A "fair ball" shall be one between the range of shoulder-high and the knee of the striker. All the above must be over the home base, and, when fairly delivered, shall be considered fair balls to the bat.

SEC. 7. Should the batsman fail to strike at the ball he calls for, or should he strike at and fail to hit the ball, the umpire shall cail "one strike," and "two strikes" should he again fail. When two strikes have been called, should the batsman not strike at the next "good ball," the umpire shall warn him by calling "good ball." But should he strike and fail to hit the ball, or should he fail to strike at or to hit the next good ball, "three strikes" must be called, and the batsman must run toward the first base, as in the case of hitting a fair ball.

SEC. 8. The batsman when in the act of striking at the ball must stand wholly within the lines of his position.

SEC. 9. Should the batsman step outside the lines of his position and strike the ball, the umpire shall call "foul strike and out," and base-runners shall return to the bases they occupied when the ball was hit.

SEC. 10. The foul lines shall be unlimited in length, and shall run from the right and left hand corners of the home base through the centre of first and third bases to the foul posts, which shall be located at the boundary of the field, and within the range of home and first base, and home and third base. Said lines shall be marked, and on the inside, from base to base, with chalk, or some other white substance, so as to be plainly seen by the umpire.

SEC. 11. If the ball from a fair stroke of the bat first touches the ground, the person of a player, or any other object, either in front of or on the foul-ball lines, or the first or third base, it shall be considered fair.

If the ball from a fair stroke of the bat first touches the ground, the person of a player, or any other object behind the foul-ball lines, it shall be declared foul, and the ball so hit shall be called foul by the umpire, even before touching the ground, if it be seen falling foul.

The following are exceptions to the foregoing section: All balls batted directly to the ground that bound or roll within the foul lines between home and first or home and third bases, without first touching the person of a player,

shall be considered fair. All balls batted directly to the ground that bound or roll outside the foul lines between home and first, or home and third bases, without first touching the person of a player, shall be considered foul. In either of these cases the first point of contact between the batted ball and the ground shall not be regarded.

SEC. 12. When the batsman has fairly struck a fair ball he shall vacate his position, and he shall then be considered a base-runner until he is put out or scores his run.

SEC. 13. The batsman shall be declared out by the umpire, as follows:

If a fair or foul ball be caught before touching the ground or any object other than the player, provided it be not caught in the player's hat or cap.

If a foul ball be similarly held, before touching the ground.

If a fair ball be securely held by a fielder while touching first base with any part of his person, before the base-runner touches said base.

If, after three strikes have been called, he fails to touch first base before the ball is legally held there.

If, after three strikes have been called, the ball be caught before touching the ground.

If he plainly attempts to hinder the catcher from catching the ball, evidently without effort to make a fair strike, or makes a "foul strike."

RULE FIFTH.-Running the Bases.

SECTION 1. Players running bases must touch each base in regular order, viz. : first, second, third and home bases; and when obliged to return to bases they have occupied they must retouch them in reverse order, both when running on fair or foul balls. In the latter case the base-runner must return to the base where he belongs, on the run, and not at a walk. No base shall be considered

as having been occupied or held until it has been touched.

SEC. 2. No player running the bases shall be forced to vacate the base he occupies unless the batsman becomes a base-runner. Should the first base be occupied by a base-runner when a fair ball is struck, the base-runner shall cease to be entitled to hold said base until the player running to first base shall be put out. The same rule shall apply in the case of the occupancy of the other bases under similar circumstances. No base-runner shall be forced to vacate the base he occupies if the base-runner succeeding him is not thus obliged to vacate his base. SEC. 3. Players forced to vacate their bases may be put out by any fielders in the same manner as when running to first base.

SEC. 4. The player running to first base shall be at liberty to overrun said base without his being put out for being off the base, after first touching it, provided he returns at once and touches first base, after which he can be put out as it any other base. If, in so overrunning first base, he also attempts to run to econd base, he shall forfeit such exemption from being put out.

SBC. 5. Any player running a base who shall run beyond three feet from the

line from base to base, in order to avoid being touched by the ball in the handı of a fielder, shall be declared out by the umpire, with or without appeal; but in case a fielder be occupying the runner's proper path, attempting to field a batted ball, then the runner shall run out of the path and behind the said fielder, and shall not be declared out for so doing.

SEC. 6. One run shall be scored every time a base-runner, after having regularly touched the first three bases, shall touch the home base before three hinds are out. If the third hand out is forced out, or is put out before reaching first base, a run shall not be scored.

SEC. 7. When a "balk" is called by the umpire, every player running the bases shall take one base without being put out, and shall do so on the run.

SEC. 8. When "nine balls" have been called by the umpire, the batsman shall take one base, provided he do so on the run, without being put out; and should any base-runner be forced thereby to vacate his base, he also shall take one base. Each base-runner thus given a base shall be at liberty to run to other bases besides the base given, but only at the risk of being put out in so running. SEC. 9. A base-runner shall be considered as holding a base, viz.: entitled to occupy it, until he shall have regularly touched the next base in order.

SEC. 10. No base shall be run or run be scored when a fair or foul ball has been caught or momentarily held before touching the ground, unless the base held, when the ball was hit, is retouched by the base-runner after the ball has been so caught or held by the fielder.

SEC. 11. No run or base can be made upon a foul ball that shall touch the ground before being caught or held by a fielder, and any player running bases shall return, without being put out, to the base he occupied when the ball was struck, and remain on such base until the ball is held by the pitcher.

SEC. 12. Any player running the bases on fair or foul balls, caught before touching the ground, must return to the base he occupied when the ball was struck, and retouch such base before attempting to make another or score a run, and said player shall be liable to be put out in so returning, as in the case of running to first base when a fair ball is hit and not caught flying.

SEC. 13. If the player running the bases is prevented from making a base by the obstruction of an adversary, he shall be entitled to that base, and shall not be put out.

SEC. 14. No player shall be allowed a substitute in running the bases, except for illness or injury incurred in the game then being played; and such substitute shall take the ill or injured player's place only after the latter has reached first base. The opposing captain shall select the man to run as substitute.

SEC. 15. Any player running the bases shall be declared out if, at any time, while the ball is in play, he be touched by the ball in the hand of a fielder, without some part of his person is touching a base. The ball must be held by the fielder after touching the runner.