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General Rules

THERE are nine positions in a base-ball field, two less than in a field of cricketers in a match. The catcher plays behind the batsman to receive the ball from the pitcher. The pitcher stands near the centre of the in-field, forty-five feet from home base, and he is allowed only to "pitch" the ball to the bat, not to throw it, jerk it, or bowl it. The first base man attends to balls fielded to him on the base, his principal duty being to hold the ball, while having one foot on the base, before the batsman reaches it. The second and third basemen have not only to hold the ball, but also to touch players running to the bases before they can touch the bases. The short-stop attends to the duties of backing up the pitcher and basemen generally, and of stopping balls from the bat, and sending them to the bases, when the ball happens to come within reach. The principal duties of the three out-fielders are to catch long high balls, and to return in ground balls sent to their positions. But the following are special instructions to occupants of each position in the nine:--