Annotated Ground Rules and Gentlemen's Agreement Options
For Vintage Base Ball
(With the applicable 1860 rules and additional comments in italics)
The purpose of ground rules will be to clarify issues not specifically covered by the
official rules. They also allow for gentlemen’s agreements to be made to allow for
special conditions or situations encountered by our modern players and teams.
The comments following many of the questions are not to be seen as arguments for
or against the specific items, but serve simply as reference points. In all cases, care
must be taken when considering these options as they might not reflect the game
as it was played in 1860.
1. Will we allow overrunning of first base?
This is permitted by some teams for safety reasons, but the 1860 rules did not
make allowances for it.
2. Balls bounding from building, tree or other object: Will this count as one
bound?
Sec 32 actually calls for special ground rules to be agreed upon regarding
obstacles in the field.
3. Balls struck out of bounds, upon rooftops, lodging in tree, etc: Will this count as
a home run or a ground rule single, double, etc.?
The rules do not address this. It seems that a ball hit where the defenders could
not reach it might have just been a piece of good luck for the striker.
4. Balls overthrown into inaccessible areas: What advance will runners be
allowed?
This isn't addressed in the rules. It seems that an overthrow might also have been
a piece of good luck for the runners.
5. Will runners be allowed any compensation (advance, score, etc.) if a backstop
(not commonly used until the 1870s) provides a defensive advantage in the case of
a passed ball?
This issue probably comes under the heading of Sec 32 regarding 'obstacles'.
6. Fly balls dropped by fielders and then recovered before bounding twice: Will this
count as a ‘one bound fly’ or viewed as a muff with the ball still in play?
Errors were not called in 1860 and Sec. 13 simply does not cover this scenario.
7. If a ball is knocked out of the hand of a defender by a base runner, will the tag
still be counted?
The need for control of the ball following the tag seems to be a more modern rule.
8. Leading off: How far is allowable?
9. Defenders distances from bases: How far is allowable?
These two items are not addressed by the rules. It seems that the customs of
runners and basemen staying on the bags might be holdovers from earlier
versions of the game.
10. Stealing: Is unlimited stealing allowed, or is advancing only to be allowed once
the ball is in hands of pitcher, after the ball is pitched, after ball passes home plate,
after a passed ball or error or only after the ball is struck?
There is no rule forbidding base stealing. In fact, Sec 37 says that the umpire may
begin calling strikes if he feels the batter is failing to swing "for the apparent
purpose... of giving advantage to a player" and it could be interpreted that such
"advantage" refers to leading off or stealing. However, the history of the game
indicates that the first officially recorded major league steal took place in 1863.
11. Deliberate sliding: Is this permitted, discouraged, fineable or will runner be
called out?
The rules do not prohibit this. This prohibition seems to be a carryover from the
days when ballists were ‘gentlemen’ and sliding was both undignified and
damaging to their suits or business clothes. The first officially recorded major
league slide took place in 1863. In any case, coming in "cleats high" is surely
unsportsmanlike.
12. After a no-bound fly ball is caught, must runners tag up (and then be allowed to
advance at risk) or will the ball be considered dead and runners allowed to return
to bases safely?
Sec 16 says that runners may not advance, and may be ‘put out in the same
manner as a striker running to first base’. That means that they must tag up and
if the ball is held at the base they are returning to, they will be out.
13. When a ball is struck foul, does it become live again once in the hands of the
pitcher (wherever he is), making base runners who have not returned subject to
put-out or will it simply be considered dead and runners allowed to return to bases
safely?
Sec 16 also addresses this issue and goes on to say that once the foul ball is
returned to the hands of the pitcher, it is live and the runner returning can be put
out in the same manner as ‘a striker running to first base’.
14. Will we play nine innings or might we agree to a shorter game if needed?
15. If home team is ahead in the bottom of the last inning, should an equal number
of innings still be played or should we allow a walk-off win?
Sec 26 calls for games to be nine innings long, though Sec 31 allows the umpire to
call a game for weather, darkness, etc. after five innings. In either case, despite the
score, the 1860 rules call for an equal number of at-bats.
16. Will we use a tally bell?
17. Will a runner crossing home plate be required to request that a run be tallied by
the scorekeeper?
Neither of these are called for in the 1860 rules. The request might have its origins
in earlier versions of the game and the bell might even be a modern addition to
vintage base ball.
18. If a team does not have enough players to replace one who is injured or has
trouble running, will a ‘pinch runner be allowed or might we even allow unlimited
substitutions?
Sec 35 calls for all players to be present or the game is to be forfeited.
19. Will we substitute the modern batting order for the 1860 rotation?
The 1860 rotation is addressed in Sec 17.
20. What shall be the policy on player-called time outs?
Since there are generally no called strikes (or balls), there would be no
consequences if a ball were pitched when the batter was not ready. However, if the
umpire felt that the batter called for a pause as or after the ball were pitched for
unsportsmanlike reasons, he should have the right to give warning and begin to
call strikes. As the umpire controls the game, he should be the only one to order a
delay, but with his permission, others might address him with reasonable
requests.
21. Is there an order in which runners can be put out when forced?
Sec 18 addresses the force but does not specify the order in which the runners may
be put out. It appears that many teams allowed the outs to be made in any order.
Later rules did specify that the "forcing" runners had to be put out first.
22. Shall we have the option of using a second ball to avoid delays while waiting for
the return of some foul or home run balls and will the replacement ball be swapped
when the original is returned?
Sec 1 refers to the ‘game ball’ but does not say anything about lost balls or
expediency.
23. Do we agree to forego or overlook portions of the following sections? :
Sec.27. In playing all matches, nine players from each club shall
constitute a full field, and they must have been regular members of the
club they represent, and of no other club, for thirty days prior to the
match. No change or substitution shall be made after the game has
been commenced, unless for reason of illness or injury. Position of
players and choice of innings shall be determined by captains
previously appointed for that purpose by the respective clubs.
Sec. 28. The umpire shall take care that the regulations respecting
balls, bats, bases, and the pitcher's and striker's positions, are strictly
observed. He shall keep record of the game, in a book prepared for the
purpose; he shall be the judge of fair and unfair play, and shall
determine all disputes and differences which may occur during the
game; he shall take especial care to declare all foul balls and baulks,
immediately upon their occurrence, unasked, and in a distinct and
audible manner.
Sec. 29. In all matches the umpire shall be selected by the captains of
the respective sides, and shall perform all the duties enumerated in
Section 28, except recording the game, which shall be done by two
scorers, one of whom shall be appointed by each of the contending
clubs.
Sec. 30. No person engaged in a match, either as umpire, scorer, or
player, shall be, either directly or indirectly, interested in any bet upon
the game. Neither umpire, scorer, nor player shall be changed during a
match, unless with the consent of both parties (except for a violation of
this law), except as provided in Section 27, and then the umpire may
dismiss any transgressor.
Sec. 34. No person shall be permitted to act as umpire or scorer in any
match, unless he shall be a member of a Base-Ball Club governed by
these rules.
Sec. 35. Whenever a match shall have been determined upon two clubs,
play shall be called at the exact hour appointed; and should either
party fail to produce their players within fifteen minutes thereafter, the
party so failing shall admit a defeat.
Sec. 36. No person who shall be in arrears to any other club, or who
shall at any time receive compensation for his services as player, shall
be competent to play in any match.
These sections are primarily administrative in nature and might not apply to
modern reenactments of the game. It would probably not benefit the sport if
someone were to call for a forfeit or cancellation of a match or tournament
because of a technicality.