Rules

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SWEEPERS' RULES - 1860s STYLE  

The Hoover Sweepers are charter members of the Vintage Base Ball Association which was organized in 1996. Teams within the V.B.B.A. perform base ball reenactment with a time range from the 1840s - 1920s. The rules vary within the association according to the time period the "club nine" represents, and the V.B.B.A. provides an allowance for home rules for each team. Sweepers' home rules are represented with an asterisk (*).  

• Base ball is a gentleman's game.
• There is no bunting, sliding or spitting. Balls and strikes are not called.
• Foul ticks are not considered strikes.
• Stealing is allowed but the base runner may lead off the base with only ONE stride.
• *Base runners attempting to steal may not start toward a base until the ball has reached the plate.
• *A base runner returns safely to his previous base when a batted ball is caught on the fly.
• A base runner may advance at risk if a batted ball is caught fair on the bound.
• The hurler's primary responsibility is to deliver the ball as near as possible over the center of the home base and for the striker.
• The striker is to stand on a line drawn through the center of the home base. This line is to be no longer than three feet on either side of home base, parallel to the pitcher's line.
• A batted ball is determined by the umpire to be fair or foul by where it firsts hits the ground.
• The striker is dead (out) when: a batted ball is caught on the fly, fair or foul; a batted ball is caught on one bounce off the ground, fair or foul; three hurled balls are swung at and missed.
• A base runner is dead (out) when: forced at base; touched with a ball in the hand of an opponent; runs three feet or more outside of base path; interferes with fielder or base tender; does not return safely to the base following a foul ball or caught fly ball.
• An out is made when the ball is in the hands of the first base tender before the runner steps on the base.
• *Shortstop (rover) must play inside the baseline.
• Fielder cannot catch the ball in a hat or cap and cannot obstruct the base runners.
• On foul balls, ball must go to the pitcher (hurler) - then outs can be made by getting the ball to the base the runner is returning to before the runner arrives.
• *Bases may be less than 90 feet apart.
• An ace cannot be tallied on a caught foul ball or if the striker is put out at first for the third out of the inning.
• All disputes are arbitrated only by the team captains and the umpire.

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