Clipping:The batter can be put out on a foul strike

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Date Sunday, May 17, 1874
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A decision was rendered in the Mutual and Boston match of May 2 which calls for special comment. The was this: Nelson, who was at the bat, had made one strike without hitting the ball; another strike had been called on him, when, in making a third strike–again missing the ball–he stepped outside his position–six feet by three, and one foot distant from the base–whereupon the umpire called “Foul strike,” in accordance with Section 3 of Rule V. A question was then raised as to whether Nelson was out on the third strike, as referred to in Section 14 of the same rule, the umpire deciding him out, and then not out.

The intention of the rule of “Foul Strikes” was to prohibit the batsman from either running in to meet the ball, and thereby gaining one advantage, or, by standing too far bak, to gain another. The penalty consists of his being decided out on three such foul strikes–that is, supposing he should not offer the fielders any other chance to put him out. Should he do so, however, he must be decided out, according. Thus, if the ball be hit on such a foul strike, and caught, fair or oful, he is out; also, if he strike at it, and fail to hit it on such “foul strike,” and it happens to be the third strike called–as in Nelson’s case–he should be decided out. That is the spirit of the rule, and its letter does not say to the contrary, though a correction in the wording is needed. At any rate, as it is, the case is one of those which the umpire is at liberty to decided by his right as sole judge of fair and unfair play; and fair play undoubtedly would decide the striker out on the third called strike. New York clipper May 16, 1874

the ideology of low scores and fielding

The chance of seeing a fine fielding game, marked by a small score, is the great incentive to the gathering of paying crowds at professional games this season, heavy batting games with large scores no longer being tolerated by the best judges of the game.

Source New York Sunday Mercury
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Submitted by Richard Hershberger
Origin Initial Hershberger Clippings

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