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Baseball Umpires: Refusing To Enforce The Rules Since 1894

The Sporting Life (from the Cleveland Leader), July 14, 1894:

A Rule Which is Never Enforced by the League Umpires

There is a rule in base ball that reads very plainly. It refers to players who are hit by a pitched ball. It declares that if a player makes no effort to get out of the way of a pitched ball, or tries to get in the way of it, he shall not be sent to first base. That rule was violated three times yesterday afternoon by the Baltimores. Twice [Hughie] Jennings was the offender and the third time it was [Willie] Keeler.