Strike four: the evolution of baseball

Foreword / John Thorn.

Who makes the rules and why?

Premodern baseball

Strikeouts and the dropped third strike

Foul territory and dead balls

Three-out innings

Tagging runners, nine men, and force plays

Balks and stolen bases

Nine-inning games

The Diamond

The fly game

Tagging up

Swift pitching and the balk

Called strikes and the base on balls

Implementing balls and strikes

The early strike zone

The early umpire

The fielding revolution

The ball and bat

Overrunning first base

Extra innings, tie games, and suspended games

Fair-fouls and the foul pole

The batter's box

Curveballs and overhand pitching

The modern pitch delivery and balk

Hit by pitch

Gloves and mitts

Catchers' equipment and the catcher's box

Four balls and three strikes, foul tips, and the modern strike zone

The infield fly rule

The modern umpire

Player substitutions

The foul strike

The spitball

The pitcher's mound

The designated hitter

Video replay review

The future.