all league grounds was no longer permitted; and everything possible was done to remove all objectionable features from the game.

It was a hard fight, and there were many discouragements, for it was like pulling one's self by the boot straps out of deep mud. In the first year of the National League it became necessary to expel two of the most prominent clubs-New York and Philadelphia-for failing to fulfil their contractual obligations to the League, and there has never been occasion since to expel a club for a similar offence. Two years afterward four prominent players were accused and convicted of throwing games in the interest of themselves and certain gamblers, and they were promptly expelled and never reinstated, and from that day to this not a single player has been convicted of dishonesty.

In 1881, ten of the most prominent League players were expelled for dissipation and drunkenness, with the result that these vices have practically become a thing of the past among baseball players. These determined and drastic actions of the National League in the early years of its existence, have resulted in bringing baseball up to its present high standard of honesty and efficiency, and public sentiment will see to it that those in control of the game in the future must keep this great national sport up to the highest standard. I look upon baseball and kindred sports as one of the greatest educational factors of the times. We live in a strenuous age, and our American boys and youths should be educated and developed along lines that will enable them to meet and cope with these conditions.

What can better fit a boy for the rough and tumble business life of to-day than a thorough schooling in athletics properly directed? As the mental faculties grow and develop, let the physical body grow along with it, in order to make a combination that will be useful, and in our crowded cities how is it possible to thus develop our city boys except through a systematic and properly directed training in athletic sports? An American boy takes to athletic sports and games like a duck to water, but this natural inborn love needs proper direction, and that is what I understand the Public Schools Athletic League has undertaken to do for the boys of Greater New York.

Baseball not only develops the muscles and the whole physical body, but it is of still greater value in developing the mental faculties, for the ball player must be alert, must think quick and act with the thought, for there is no place on the team for the laggard.

It is also a great training for the temper, for a boy soon learns that losing his temper is equivalent to losing the game.

As a moral force nothing excels baseball, and athletic sports generally, for it is a healthy medium through which a boy's youthful vitality can work off naturally, and after a hard-fought game he has become so physically tired out that he has no inclination for anything except a good meal and bed.

The game of baseball affords splendid discipline for the mental and

moral natures. The intense excitement of the game plays havoc with the emotions, for a player can go to the very heights of glory in victory, down to the very depths of despair in defeat.

There are no half-way stations, the journey is complete; the score is 10 to 4; you win or you lose.

After the game the victorious player walks or runs off the field with a proud step, touching only the high places, or perhaps his admiring friends may carry him off on their shoulders; but alas, how different is the step of the defeated player: his muscles are weary and almost refuse to work, his feet weigh a ton, and there is no glad hand or admiring friend to accompany him to the dressing-room. He looks crushed, and probably feels an unpleasant swelling in his throat. I know the feeling, boys, for I have been there. I know of no remedy for this tired, defeated feeling, but my experience long since taught me that the swelling in the throat can be reduced and the step made lighter by going, immediately after the game was over, up to the player who had played a similar position on the opposition team, shaking him by the hand and congratulating him on his victory, and telling him that he won because his team outplayed yours. Don't lay it on the umpire-only "muckers" do that-for that is unmanly, unsportsmanlike, and invariably untrue.

The victor of to-day may be the vanquished of to-morrow, so if the boy can have a few years of this kind of training he will learn not to be unduly elated in victory nor too much cast down in defeat, all of which tends to that self-poise and equilibrium so necessary in the evenly developed boy and man.

This is becoming an athletic age. Americans are becoming famous as the most skilful athletes in the world. While we are here this afternoon our returning victorious athletes from the recent Olympian games at Athens are approaching New York harbor with their brows covered with the laurel wreaths of victory won at the Stadium in the ancient city of Athens in Greece, the birthplace of athletic sports.

At Washington there sits in the executive chair our first Athletic President, whose sportsmanlike qualities, energy, and "square deal" brand of integrity are an inspiration to the boys of this country.

Because of the athletic spirit that is permeating the boys of our nation, future generations will see more honesty and less hypocrisy in high places, will hear more of square deal and less of graft, for the spirit underlying all athletic sports is fair play, honesty, and integrity.

RULES OF BASEBALL

As adopted by the National League and American Association of Professional Baseball Clubs. Many apply to match games between organized clubs, and therefore do not apply to cases where sides are chosen just before the game.

THE BALL-GROUND.

RULES 1-14.-Describe the proper manner of laying out the ball-ground, which it is hardly necessary to present here, since there is hardly a village or community of any kind to be found where one does not already exist.

THE BALL.

RULE 14. SECTION 1.-Must not weigh less than five nor more than five and one-quarter ounces avoirdupois, and it must measure not less than nine nor more than nine and one-quarter inches in circumference.

SEC. 2. For each championship game two regulation balls shall be furnished by the home club to the umpire for use. When the ball in play is batted to foul ground and out of sight of the umpire, the other ball shall be immediately brought into play. As often as one of the two in use shall be lost a new one must be substituted.

THE BAT.

RULE 15.-Must be entirely of hard wood, except that the handle may be wound with twine or a granulated substance supplied, not to exceed eighteen Inches from the end.

It must be round, and it must not exceed two and three-quarters inches in diameter in the thickest part, nor exceed forty-two inches in length.

THE PLAYERS AND THEIR POSITIONS.

RULE 16.-The players of each club in a game shall be nine in number, one of whom shall act as captain, and in no case shall less than nine men be allowed to play on each side.

RULE 17. The players' positions shall be such as may be assigned them by their captain, except that the pitcher, while in the act of delivering the ball to the bat, must take the position as defined in Rules 8 and 29.

RULE 18.-Players in uniform shall not be permitted to occupy seats on the stands, or to stand among the spectators.

RULE 19. SECTION 1. No player shall attach anything to the sole or heel of his shoes other than the ordinary baseball shoe plate.

SEC. 2. The catcher and first baseman are permitted to wear a glove or mitt of any size, shape or weight. All other players are restricted to the use of a glove or mitt weighing not over ten ounces, and measuring in circumference, around the palm of the hand, not over fourteen inches.

PLAYERS' BENCHES.

RULE 20. The players' benches must be furnished by the home club and placed upon a portion of the ground outside of and not nearer than 25 feet to the players' lines. One such bench must be for the exclusive use of the visiting club, and one for the exclusive use of the home club.

THE GAME.

RULE 21. SECTION 1.-Every championship game must be commenced not later than two hours before sunset. SEC. 2. A game shall consist of nine innings to each contesting nine, except that (a.) If the side first at bat scores less runs in nine innings than the other side has scored in eight innings, the game shall then terminate.

(b.) If the side last at bat in the ninth inning scores the winning run before the third man is out, the game shall terminate.

A TIE GAME.

RULE 22. If the score be a tie at the end of the nine innings, play shall be con tinued until one side has scored more runs than the other in an equal number of Innings, provided, that the side last at bat scores the winning run before the third man is out, the game shall terminate.

A DRAWN GAME.

RULE 23.-A drawn game shall be declared by the umpire when he terminates a game on account of darkness or rain, after five equal innings have been played, If the score at the time is equal on the last even innings played; except when the side that went second to bat is then at the bat, and has scored the same number of runs as the other side, in which case the umpire shall declare the game drawn without regard to the score of the last equal innings.

A CALLED GAME.

RULE 24. If the umpire calls "Game" on account of darkness or rain at any time after five innings have been completed, the score shall be that of the last equal innings played, except, that the side second at bat shall have scored one or more runs than the side first at bat, in which case the score of the game shall be the total number of runs made.

A FORFEITED GAME.

RULE 25.-A forfeited game shall be declared by the umpire in favor of the club not in fault, at the request of such club, in the following cases:

SECTION 1. If the nine of a club fail to appear upon the field, or being upon the field, fail to begin the game within five minutes after the umpire has called "Play" at the hour appointed for the beginning of the game, unless such delay in appearing, or in commencing the game, be unavoidable.