Base OF A SYSTEM OF NUMBERS

Unit of the first order. Base-Ball. The national game of U. S. Its origin was undoubtedly the same as that of cricket, rounders, and other games played with a bat or mallet and a round ball. The Knickerbocker Club of N. Y. was the first organized, 1845. It IMG:content-0439.png:[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small] must stand, the former when delivering the ball and the latter when endeavoring to hit it. The members of the side in the field endeavor under certain rules to accomplish the putting out of the side at the bat, and when they have put out three they in turn become batsmen. The game consists of nine turns at the bat by each side, called nine even innings. The men of the batting side who are actively engaged in the play are the batsman and base-runners. The batsman becomes a base-runner under the following conditions: as soon as he has made a fair hit, i.e. , knocked the ball so that it will fall in front of the foul lines, or when he has had three strikes or fair opportunities of hitting the ball, or when the pitcher has delivered "four balls," i.e. , pitched the ball four times without its being struck at by the batsman or pa ing over the plate at the proper height. In this last event he is entitled to first base without being put out, but in the other cases he takes his chances against his antagonists, who endeavor to put him out. He is safe only when on one of the bases, and these he must touch in regular order, first, second, third, and home. If he does this without being put out, he scores a run for his side, and the total number of runs scored in nine innings decides the match. A batsman is put out if he hits the ball and it is caught by an opponent before touching the ground. A base-attracted much attention.