Page:Spalding's Baseball Guide (1894).djvu/143

 An Unfair Ball is a ball delivered by the Pitcher, as in Rule 30, except that the ball does not pass over the Home Base, or does pass over the Home Base above the Batsman's shoulder or below the knee.

BALKING.

A Balk shall be

Any motion made by the Pitcher to deliver the ball to the bat without delivering it.

The holding of the ball by the pitcher so long as to delay the game unnecessarily.

Any motion in delivering the ball to the bat by the Pitcher while not in the position defined in Rule 29.

DEAD BALLS.

A Dead Ball is a ball delivered to the bat by the Pitcher that touches any part of the Batsman's person or clothing while standing in his position without being struck at; or any part of the Umpire's person or clothing, while on foul ground, without first passing the Catcher.

In case of a Foul Strike, Foul Hit ball not legally caught out, Dead Ball, or Base Runner put out for being struck by a fair hit ball, the ball shall not be considered in play until it is held by the pitcher standing in his position.

BLOCK BALLS.

A Block is a batted or thrown ball that is stopped or handled by any person not engaged in the game.

Whenever a Block occurs the Umpire shall declare it, and Base Runners may run the bases without being put out until the ball has been returned to and held by the pitcher standing in his position.

In the case of a Block, if the person not engaged in the game should retain possession of the ball, or throw or kick it beyond the reach of the Fielders, the Umpire should call "Time," and require each Base Runner to stop at the last base touched by him until the ball be returned to the pitcher standing in his position.

THE BATSMAN'S POSITION—ORDER OF BATTING.

The batsmen must take their positions within the Batsmen's Lines, as defined in Rule 10, in the order in which they are named in the batting order, which batting order must be submitted by the Captains of the opposing teams to the Umpire before the game, and when approved