Early Rules
- Pitchers were restricted to underhand pitching until 1884. They delivered the ball from inside a "box", whose front line was 50 feet from home plate.
- Between 1879 and 1889, the number of balls required to walk a batter went from 9 to 8 to 6 to 7 to 5 and then to 4 balls.
- Batters were allowed to call for a high- or low-pitched ball between 1871 and 1887.
- It was four strikes to put out a batter in 1887, a rule that lasted only 1 year.
- Catching a foul ball is an out - but before 1883, it could bounce once.
- Spitballs were allowed until 1920.
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Famous quotes containing the words early and/or rules:
“[In early adolescence] she becomes acutely aware of herself as a being perceived by others, judged by others, though she herself is the harshest judge, quick to list her physical flaws, quick to undervalue and under-rate herself not only in terms of physical appearance but across a wide range of talents, capacities and even social status, whereas boys of the same age will cite their abilities, their talents and their social status pretty accurately.”
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