Rules ChangeAlthough
Cartwright’s rules and today’s rules are alike in many ways, there are
also many differences between the two.Including
the length of the game.Cartwright
provided that the first team to 21 points at the end of an inning won the
game.The present rule in which the
team with the most runs after nine innings wins was adopted in 1857.
The pitching
rules also changed.At first the
pitcher stood 45 feet from home plate and had to throw the ball underhand.The
pitching distance was increased to 50 feet in 1881 and to the present 60
feet 6 inches in 1893.The rule
allows the pitcher to throw overhand was adopted in 1884.
Originally,
a batter was out if a fielder caught the ball either on the fly or on the
first bounce.An1864 rule change
provided that fair balls caught on the bounce were not outs.An
1883 rule change said that foul balls caught on the bounce were not out.
Strike three
your out!In early baseball, batters
only made strikes by swinging and missing. Called
strikes became part of the game in 1868.The
National League adopted the foul strike rule in 1901, and the American
League in 1903.There was no such
thing as a walk in early baseball.An
1879 rule change provided that a batter walked after nine balls.The
present four-ball rule was introduced in 1889 after several changes.
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