Coaching Rules.

RULE 48. The Captains and Coachers are restricted in coaching to the Base Runner only, and are not allowed to address any remarks except to the base runner, and then only in words of necessary direction; and no player shall use language which will in any manner refer to or reflect upon a player of the opposing club or the audience. To call the attention of the Umpire to the offense, and upon a repetition of the same the club shall be debarred from further coaching during the game.

The Umpire.

RULE 49. There shall be two umpires at every championship game, and no Umpire shall be changed during the progress of a game unless he is injured or taken ill so as to be unable to perform his duties. One of such Umpires shall stand behind the bat and is designated for the purpose of these RULES as No. 1. The other Umpire shall stand in the field and for the purposes of these RULES is designated No. 2. The two Umpires at each game may, at the end of each even inning change places.

Umpire's Powers and Jurisdiction.

RULE 50. Sec. 1. The Umpires are maters of the Field from the commencement to the termination of the game, and are entitled to the respect of the spectators, and any person offering any insult or indignity to either of them must be promptly ejected from the grounds.

Sec. 2. They must compel the players to observe the provisions of all the playing rules, and are hereby invested with authority to order any player to do or omit to do any act as they may deem necessary, to give force and effect to any and all of such provisions.

Sec. 3. The duties of said umpires are hereby divided between No. 1 and No. 2 as follows: 1st. No. 1 shall decide upon and call all balls, strikes, blocks, dead balls, fair hits, foul hits, foul strikes intentional fouling of balls, all questions arising at home plate or as to delays by side at bat, or as to batsman striking out of time, and shall call play or time. 2nd. No. 2 shall decide all other questions arising between the contestants in any game, including balks and illegal deliveries.

Special Duties.

RULE 51. Sec. 1. Each Umpire is the sole and absolute judge of all questions of play coming within the scope of his duties as above defined and divided. The Umpires are the sole and absolute judges of play. In no instance shall any person be allowed to question the correctness of any decision made by them, except the Captains of the contending nines, and no other player shall at such time leave his position in the field, his place at the bat, on the bases or players' bench, to approach or address either Umpire in word or act upon such disputed decision. Neither shall any Manager or other officer of either club, except the captains as before mentioned, be permitted to go upon the field or address either Umpire in regard to such disputed decision, under a penalty of a forfeiture of the game to the opposing team. No Umpire shall, in any case, appeal to any spectator for information in regard to any case, and shall not reverse his decision on any point of play on the testimony of any player or bystander.

Sec. 2 Before the commencement of a Game the Umpires shall see that the rules governing all the materials of the game are strictly observed. They shall ask the Captain of the home team whether there are any special ground rules to be enforced, provided they do not conflict with any of these rules.

Sec. 3. The Umpires must keep the contesting nines playing constantly from the commencement of the game to its termination, allowing such delays only as are rendered unavoidable by accident, injury or rain. They must, until the completion of the game, require the players of each side to promptly take their positions in the field as soon as the third man is put out, and must require the first striker of the opposite side to be in his position at the bat as soon as the fielders are in their places.

Calling "Play" and "Time."

RULE 52. The Umpire, designated No. 1 must call "Play" promptly at the hour designated by the home club, and on the call of "Play" the game must immediately begin. When he calls "Time" play shall be suspended until he calls "Play" again, and during the interim no player shall be put out, base be run, or run be scored. The Umpire shall suspend play only for an accident to himself or a player (but in case of accident to a fielder, "Time" shall not be called until the ball be returned to, and held by the Pitcher, standing in his position), or in case rain falls so heavily that the spectators are compelled, by the severity of the storm, to seek shelter, in which case he shall note the time of suspension, and should such rain continue to fall thirty minutes thereafter, he shall terminate the game; or to enforce order in case of annoyance from spectators.

RULE 53. The Umpire is only allowed, by the rules, to call "Time" in case of an accident to himself or a player, a "Block," as referred to in Rule 33, Sec. 3, or in case of rain as defined by the Rules. The practice of players suspending the game to discuss or contest a decision with either umpire is a gross violation of the Rules, and the Umpire must promptly fine the player who interrupts the game in this manner.

Inflicting Fines.

RULE 54. The Umpire is empowered to inflict fines of not less than $5.00 nor more than $25.00 for the first offence on players during the progress of a game, as follows:

Sec.1. For indecent or improper language addressed to the audience, the Umpire or any player.

Sec.2. For the Captain or Coacher willfully failing to remain within the legal bounds of his position, except upon an appeal by the Captain from the umpire's decision upon a misinterpretation of the rules.

Sec. 3. For the disobedience by a player of any other of his orders, or for any other violation of these rules.

Sec. 4. In case the umpire imposes a fine on a player, he shall at once notify the Captain of the offending player's side, and shall transmit a written notice thereof to the Secretary of this League within 24 hours thereafter, under the penalty of having said fine taken from his own salary.

Sec. 5. A repetition of any of the above offences shall, at the discretion of the Umpire, subject the offender either to a repetition of the fine or to removal from the field and the immediate substitution of another player then in uniform.

Field Rules.

RULE 55. No person shall be allowed upon any part of the field during the progress of the game in addition to the players in uniform, the Manager on each side, and the Umpire; except such officers of the law as may be present in uniform, and such officials of the home club as may be necessary to preserve the peace.

RULE 56. No Umpire, Manager, Captain or Player shall address the audience during the progress of a game, except in case of necessary explanation.

RULE 57. Every club shall furnish sufficient police force upon its own grounds to preserve order, and in the event of a crowd entering the field during order, and in the event of a crowd entering the field during the progress of a game, and interfering with the play in any manner, the visiting club may refuse to play further until the field be cleared. If the ground be not cleared within 15 minutes thereafter, the visiting club may claim, and shall be entitled to, the game by a score of nine runs to none (no matter what number of innings have been played.).

The Rules: 1890 Players' National League of Base Ball Clubs Continued

The Rules of the Game: A Compilation of the Rules of Baseball 1845–1900