A Brief History
On January 11, 1973, the American League of Major League Baseball voted to accept a rule change allowing for the position of “designated hitter” (DH) so that pitchers would not have to bat, something which they, with a few exceptions such as Babe Ruth, were generally weak at. Before then, there was only the option of using a pinch hitter, but that meant that that particular pitcher would have had to be pulled from the game. H&H Notes: The National League still has their pitchers bat. When teams from the two leagues meet, such as in a World Series, the rules of the home team are followed.
Digging Deeper
Not surprisingly, the proponents (such as worn-out, old and heavyset players who can still hit) think the DH is the greatest rule in the world, while the naysayers are still bemoaning such a radical change in “The National Pastime.”
Perhaps those who thought baseball should not be tinkered with are forgetting that the pitcher’s mound used to be much higher than it is today, that spit balls were allowed and that the strike zone really was the strike zone and not the personal dimensions of every umpire. People who treat the rule book of baseball like the U.S. Constitution (which incidentally is changed with every amendment) think that aluminum and carbon bats should not be allowed, but surely they do not expect players to go back to miniscule gloves and for the game return to the “dead ball era” when you could lead the league in home runs with less than 10.
Indoor baseball and night games brought the same sort of protests from irate “purists” who must have thought the world was ending when these changes were introduced. When I was born, there were no teams west of St. Louis, and there was certainly no team in Canada. How about the color barrier? Do these “purists” think that rule should not have been changed either? Astroturf must also drive these people crazy!
Now that steroids are outlawed, big musclemen are no longer threatening the home run records on a regular basis. Even if you think steroids and other performance enhancing drugs are bad, you have to acknowledge the spike in interest and attendance the steroid era brought to baseball. (Note: We do not advocate these PEDs.)
Hey, do not get me started on American football! Quarterbacks are off limits nowadays, there is no bump-and-run pass defense, field goals are almost automatic and from long range at that. Jim Brown never ran out of bounds to avoid a hit, and he never missed a game in 9 years. Players did not wear gloves back then, and championship games would be played in a blizzard instead of indoors or in the balmy South. Even before World War II, the football itself was made more aerodynamic to encourage passing, and now there are radio receivers in the quarterbacks’ helmets!
Just like cars, televisions, and other technology, sports evolve as well. Perhaps you like the old ways, perhaps not, but there seems to be an inevitability about change. Question for students (and subscribers): Tell us what you think. Should sports rules be allowed to evolve or should they be left alone? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="7760 https://www.historyandheadlines.com/?p=7760">7 Comments
As a true baseball fan, I love the designated hitter rule. One reason is that it keeps both the national league and American league unique. When people see that a team has a designated hitter, they automatically conclude that certain team is in the American league. There have been many legendary hitters that were designated hitters in the past and the stride lives on with hitters today such as David Ortiz, Edwin Encarnacion, and Victor Martinez. In the national league, many pitchers can most definitely hit because they have to get used to coming up to the plate in the 9th spot in any situation. I hope the MLB does not change this at all because it has in baseball for many years.
My whole life I have loved baseball and always thought the designated hitter rule was a good one. A pitcher must focus on his main goal in the game which is defense. I also think this gives us a different aspect of the game in comparing the national league and american league. THe designated hitter position gives players well versed in hitting and not fielding the same opportunity a pitcher well versed in pitching but not hitting gets. Also I really enjoy when the American league teams pitchers are tested when playing at a National teams stadium. It is exciting to see what the pitcher can do in the batters box. One other topic I would like to address is the current changes in football. The new hitting rules are ridiculous. Players sign a contract to play the sport and know what the risk is in their profession. Every profession has risks! leave the game alone!
Dear Ben,
What profession do you think has the greatest risks?
Sincerely,
Dr. Zarzeczny
I don’t think it is right to only have designated hitting in the american league and not the national. There needs to be a change which either allows designated hitting in both divisions, or get rid of it all together.
Dear Patrick,
Do you see the Cleveland Indians playing in a World Series any time soon?
Sincerely,
Dr. Zarzeczny
Unfortunately I do not. I am from Chicago, and I do not see the cubs or white sox getting there as well in the next 5-7 years.
I love the DH rule…It allows the AL teams to be more flexible with their lineup. If you have 2 good hitters, two good first baseman, this allows one of them to still bat even if they aren’t on the field to contribute to their team. Also, for those like Matt Stairs, who used to be on the Kansas City Royals, he wasn’t much use in the field anymore but he still could rip the ball, so this gave him a way to contribute. As much as I love it, I wish their was consistency in the MLB (either way). I would prefer the DH though, as opposed to the pitcher hitting.