Major League Baseball formulates the rules and proper etiquette of professional baseball in the United States. The MLB rules illustrate the legal playing procedures of baseball, as well as how players and coaches should conduct themselves throughout the game. The official umpires have the responsibility of enforcing the MLB rules to ensure that the game runs smoothly.
History
According to the 19th Century Baseball website, the first set of official baseball rules and regulations was drafted on September 20, 1845. Alexander Cartwright, a member of the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club, wrote this early version of the baseball rules, which became known as the Knickerbocker Rules. There were only 20 rules in the complete set of Knickerbocker baseball rules.
Significance
The rules and etiquette of baseball have changed dramatically as the sport evolved over the years. The vague nature of the early baseball rules allowed players and coaches to find loopholes, which caused unfair advantages. The early rules were also loosely enforced, so breaking a rule would often go unnoticed. Official umpires were added to the game of baseball to ensure that the regulations of game play and etiquette were followed.
Function
The rules of baseball allow a winner to be easily decided, as each player and coach abides by the same set of standardized rules. The rules regarding etiquette refer to the acceptable behavior of the players and coaches throughout the baseball game. The MLB rules state that, "Each umpire has authority to disqualify any player, coach, manager or substitute for objecting to decisions or for unsportsmanlike conduct or language, and to eject such disqualified person from the playing field."
Pitching
Several MLB regulations involve the actions of the pitcher, who must follow rules regarding the proper pitching stance and throwing procedures to ensure that the batter remains safe. According to MLB rules, the pitcher must face the batter while keeping his pivot foot on the plate throughout the motions of the pitch. A pitcher charged with applying a foreign substance onto the ball will be ejected from the game and automatically suspended from his team.
Features
The rules of baseball feature the exact dimensions of a regulation baseball diamond, including the distance between the bases. The etiquette procedures of baseball feature the proper technique that a coach should employ when attempting to protest the call of an official umpire. According to MLB rules, no player, coach or manager can protest an umpire's call regarding a hit ball being foul or fair or a pitch being a strike or a ball. One warning is given during the illegal protest. If the player, coach or manager continues to protest, the umpire will eject him from the game.
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