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Vintage Base Ball Rules and Customs
The Rules of 1845, as adopted by the Knickerbocker Club, New York.
SOURCE: Beadle's Dime Base-ball Player (1860)
Section 1. The bases shall be from "home" to second base 42 paces; from first to third base 42 paces equidistant.
Section 2. The game to consist of 21 counts or aces, but at the conclusion an equal number of hands must be played.
Section 3. The ball must be pitched and not thrown for the bat.
Section 4. A ball knocked outside the range of the first or third base is foul.
Section 5. Three balls being struck at and missed, and the last one caught, is a hand out; if not caught, is considered fair, and the striker bound to run.
Section 6. A ball being struck or tipped, and caught either flying or on the first bound, is a hand out.
Section 7. A player, running the bases, shall be out, if the ball is in the hands of an adversary on the base, as the runner is touched by it before he makes his base-it being under-stood, however, that in no instance is a ball to be thrown at him.
Section 8. A player running, who shall prevent an adversary from catching or getting the ball before making his base, is a hand out.
Section 9. If two hands are already out, a player running home at the time a ball is struck, can not make an ace if the striker is caught out.
Section 10. Three hands out, all out.
Section 11. Players must take their strike in regular turn.
Section 12. No ace or base can be made on a foul strike.
Section 13. A runner can not be put out in making one base, when a balk is made by the pitcher.
Section 14. But one base allowed when the ball bounds out of the field when struck.
Interpretation Notes.
The transcript from the 1860 Beadle's differs from another set found on Baseball-almanac. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/rule11.shtml It appears Henry Chadwick edited out sections that applied to the club and retained only rules for the play on the field.
Those who have played the 1845 game found it to be rather exhausting. Skilled modern players tend to take a long time to score 21 aces.
Places where these are the home rules.
Typically vintage base ball clubs will play 1845 rules for special occasions. There are no regularly-scheduled games of this type.