Okla-homey
1/11/2008, 07:26 AM
January 11, 1973: American League adopts designated hitter rule
http://aycu25.webshots.com/image/41584/2004364061018674660_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004364061018674660)
Thirty-four years ago on this day in 1973, in the era before modern doping scandals and grossly overpaid players, the owners of America’s 24 major league baseball teams vote to allow teams in the American League (AL) to use a "designated pinch-hitter" that could bat for the pitcher, while still allowing the pitcher to stay in the game.
MLB Rule 6.10
6.10 Any League may elect to use the Designated Hitter Rule.
(a) In the event of inter league competition between clubs of Leagues using the Designated Hitter Rule and clubs of Leagues not using the Designated Hitter Rule, the rule will be used as follows:
1. In World Series or exhibition games, the rule will be used or not used as is the practice of the home team.
2. In All Star games, the rule will only be used if both teams and both Leagues so agree.
(b) The Rule provides as follows: A hitter may be designated to bat for the starting pitcher and all subsequent pitchers in any game without otherwise affecting the status of the pitcher(s) in the game. A Designated Hitter for the pitcher must be selected prior to the game and must be included in the lineup cards presented to the Umpire in Chief. The designated hitter named in the starting lineup must come to bat at least one time, unless the opposing club changes pitchers. It is not mandatory that a club designate a hitter for the pitcher, but failure to do so prior to the game precludes the use of a Designated Hitter for that game. Pinch hitters for a Designated Hitter may be used. Any substitute hitter for a Designated Hitter becomes the Designated Hitter. A replaced Designated Hitter shall not re enter the game in any capacity. The Designated Hitter may be used defensively, continuing to bat in the same position in the batting order, but the pitcher must then bat in the place of the substituted defensive player, unless more than one substitution is made, and the manager then must designate their spots in the batting order. A runner may be substituted for the Designated Hitter and the runner assumes the role of Designated Hitter. A Designated Hitter may not pinch run. A Designated Hitter is "locked" into the batting order. No multiple substitutions may be made that will alter the batting rotation of the Designated Hitter. Once the game pitcher is switched from the mound to a defensive position this move shall terminate the Designated Hitter role for the remainder of the game. Once a pinch hitter bats for any player in the batting order and then enters the game to pitch, this move shall terminate the Designated Hitter role for the remainder of the game. Once the game pitcher bats for the Designated Hitter this move shall terminate the Designated Hitter role for the remainder of the game. (The game pitcher may only pinch hit for the Designated Hitter). Once a Designated Hitter assumes a defensive position this move shall terminate the Designated Hitter role for the remainder of the game. A substitute for the Designated Hitter need not be announced until it is the Designated Hitter's turn to bat.
The controversial idea of adding a 10th man to the baseball lineup to bat for the pitcher had been suggested as early as 1906 by the revered player and manager Connie Mack.
http://aycu27.webshots.com/image/41106/2004350665563673582_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004350665563673582)
Connie Mack. Beloved baseball figure and early DH advocate
In 1928, John Heydler, then-president of the National League (NL), revived the issue, but ironically, the rule was rejected at that point by the AL management.
http://aycu23.webshots.com/image/41062/2004301938815438923_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004301938815438923)
John Heydler would end up serving 16 years as NL President a term that was longer 3 previous Presidents combined. In Heydler's final years as President he advocated the establishment of the Hall of Fame, and was heavily involved in laying the groundwork for it.
By the early 1970s, Charlie Finley, the colorful owner of the Oakland A’s, had become the designated hitter rule’s most outspoken advocate, arguing that a pinch-hitter to replace the pitcher--a player that usually batted poorly, exceptions like the legendary Babe Ruth notwithstanding--would add the extra offensive punch that baseball needed to draw more fans.
http://aycu10.webshots.com/image/40409/2004347879127929311_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004347879127929311)
At a joint meeting of the two major leagues in Chicago on January 11, 1973, presided over by baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn, the owners voted to allow the AL (which lagged behind the NL in both scoring and attendance) to put the designated hitter rule into practice.
http://aycu25.webshots.com/image/41584/2004398729900467552_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004398729900467552)
Bowie Kuhn
The NL resisted the change, and for the first time in history, the two leagues would play using different rules. In addition, the introduction of the designated hitter (Rule 6.10) marked the biggest rule change in major league baseball since 1903, when it was decided that foul balls would be considered strikes.
Though it initially began as a three-year experiment, it would be permanently adopted by the AL and later by most amateur and minor league teams.
From the beginning, baseball purists decried the designated hitter in bitter, moralistic terms, arguing that it took away from baseball’s integrity. The rift between pro- and anti-designated hitter fans has continued into the present day.
At first, the designated hitter rule did not apply to any games in the World Series, in which the AL and NL winners met for the world championship.
From 1976-1985, it applied only to Series held in even-numbered years, and in 1986 the current rule took effect, according to which the designated hitter rule is used or not used according to the practice of the home team.
http://aycu15.webshots.com/image/41214/2004325809816923419_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004325809816923419)
Yes, like anything else folks find controversial, there have been books written about the DH rule and its impact on the game.
http://aycu26.webshots.com/image/37785/2004315686145014263_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004315686145014263)
http://aycu25.webshots.com/image/41584/2004364061018674660_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004364061018674660)
Thirty-four years ago on this day in 1973, in the era before modern doping scandals and grossly overpaid players, the owners of America’s 24 major league baseball teams vote to allow teams in the American League (AL) to use a "designated pinch-hitter" that could bat for the pitcher, while still allowing the pitcher to stay in the game.
MLB Rule 6.10
6.10 Any League may elect to use the Designated Hitter Rule.
(a) In the event of inter league competition between clubs of Leagues using the Designated Hitter Rule and clubs of Leagues not using the Designated Hitter Rule, the rule will be used as follows:
1. In World Series or exhibition games, the rule will be used or not used as is the practice of the home team.
2. In All Star games, the rule will only be used if both teams and both Leagues so agree.
(b) The Rule provides as follows: A hitter may be designated to bat for the starting pitcher and all subsequent pitchers in any game without otherwise affecting the status of the pitcher(s) in the game. A Designated Hitter for the pitcher must be selected prior to the game and must be included in the lineup cards presented to the Umpire in Chief. The designated hitter named in the starting lineup must come to bat at least one time, unless the opposing club changes pitchers. It is not mandatory that a club designate a hitter for the pitcher, but failure to do so prior to the game precludes the use of a Designated Hitter for that game. Pinch hitters for a Designated Hitter may be used. Any substitute hitter for a Designated Hitter becomes the Designated Hitter. A replaced Designated Hitter shall not re enter the game in any capacity. The Designated Hitter may be used defensively, continuing to bat in the same position in the batting order, but the pitcher must then bat in the place of the substituted defensive player, unless more than one substitution is made, and the manager then must designate their spots in the batting order. A runner may be substituted for the Designated Hitter and the runner assumes the role of Designated Hitter. A Designated Hitter may not pinch run. A Designated Hitter is "locked" into the batting order. No multiple substitutions may be made that will alter the batting rotation of the Designated Hitter. Once the game pitcher is switched from the mound to a defensive position this move shall terminate the Designated Hitter role for the remainder of the game. Once a pinch hitter bats for any player in the batting order and then enters the game to pitch, this move shall terminate the Designated Hitter role for the remainder of the game. Once the game pitcher bats for the Designated Hitter this move shall terminate the Designated Hitter role for the remainder of the game. (The game pitcher may only pinch hit for the Designated Hitter). Once a Designated Hitter assumes a defensive position this move shall terminate the Designated Hitter role for the remainder of the game. A substitute for the Designated Hitter need not be announced until it is the Designated Hitter's turn to bat.
The controversial idea of adding a 10th man to the baseball lineup to bat for the pitcher had been suggested as early as 1906 by the revered player and manager Connie Mack.
http://aycu27.webshots.com/image/41106/2004350665563673582_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004350665563673582)
Connie Mack. Beloved baseball figure and early DH advocate
In 1928, John Heydler, then-president of the National League (NL), revived the issue, but ironically, the rule was rejected at that point by the AL management.
http://aycu23.webshots.com/image/41062/2004301938815438923_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004301938815438923)
John Heydler would end up serving 16 years as NL President a term that was longer 3 previous Presidents combined. In Heydler's final years as President he advocated the establishment of the Hall of Fame, and was heavily involved in laying the groundwork for it.
By the early 1970s, Charlie Finley, the colorful owner of the Oakland A’s, had become the designated hitter rule’s most outspoken advocate, arguing that a pinch-hitter to replace the pitcher--a player that usually batted poorly, exceptions like the legendary Babe Ruth notwithstanding--would add the extra offensive punch that baseball needed to draw more fans.
http://aycu10.webshots.com/image/40409/2004347879127929311_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004347879127929311)
At a joint meeting of the two major leagues in Chicago on January 11, 1973, presided over by baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn, the owners voted to allow the AL (which lagged behind the NL in both scoring and attendance) to put the designated hitter rule into practice.
http://aycu25.webshots.com/image/41584/2004398729900467552_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004398729900467552)
Bowie Kuhn
The NL resisted the change, and for the first time in history, the two leagues would play using different rules. In addition, the introduction of the designated hitter (Rule 6.10) marked the biggest rule change in major league baseball since 1903, when it was decided that foul balls would be considered strikes.
Though it initially began as a three-year experiment, it would be permanently adopted by the AL and later by most amateur and minor league teams.
From the beginning, baseball purists decried the designated hitter in bitter, moralistic terms, arguing that it took away from baseball’s integrity. The rift between pro- and anti-designated hitter fans has continued into the present day.
At first, the designated hitter rule did not apply to any games in the World Series, in which the AL and NL winners met for the world championship.
From 1976-1985, it applied only to Series held in even-numbered years, and in 1986 the current rule took effect, according to which the designated hitter rule is used or not used according to the practice of the home team.
http://aycu15.webshots.com/image/41214/2004325809816923419_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004325809816923419)
Yes, like anything else folks find controversial, there have been books written about the DH rule and its impact on the game.
http://aycu26.webshots.com/image/37785/2004315686145014263_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004315686145014263)