A Few Beginning Days Rules and Changes - Base on balls = 9, 1880 to 8, 1882 to 7, 1884 to 6; 1887 to 5, 1889 to 4; Pitcher's Box distance from home plate - 45 ft, 1881 increased to 50 feet. Pitcher's delivery motion must have hand pass below his hip, 1884 - pitcher's motion limited to shoulder high delivery; Pitcher's box is 6 ft. x 6 ft, 1886 to 4 ft. x 7 ft: Batter allowed to call for high or low pitch, 1887 batter not allowed to call pitch. Strike zone defined as between top of shoulders and bottom of knees, 1893 - Pitching distance is 60 ft. 6 inches; 1895 Pitching rubber is 24 x 6 inches, bat must be round and diameter limit 2 _ inches. 1900 - Home Plate changed from 12 inches to 17 inches wide. 1920 - The spitball pitch abolished.
State Baseball Tournaments Through the Years - Iowa State College/University at Ames, Iowa began the State High School spring baseball tournament in 1921. They sponsored and held tournaments through 1927. For the first four years (1921-24) invitations were sent all high schools to participate in the State Baseball Tournament held in mid-May (no fall baseball season) on Iowa State College/University campus in Ames, Iowa. Beginning 1925 sixteen high school baseball teams across the state were selected by "Committee-in-Charge" for the State Tourney in Ames.
The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) assumed sponsorship and control of the state tourney in Spring 1928. Spring state baseball tournaments continued through 1972 when the spring season ended and was merged into Summer baseball that began in 1946. Very few small (Class B) schools participated in summer baseball until after spring season ended in 1972. The Fall baseball tournament began in 1938, and continued through 1985 when it was also merged into the summer season for one baseball season and state tournament.
Collins School: May 4, 1908 Collins high school at Colo baseball game coming Friday afternoon. (Insert: 2003 - this is the first mention of Collins high school baseball. No outcome of game found.)
May 6, 1909 The Opening Ball Game - Collins H. S. boys played a game of ball at Maxwell Friday. Collins won 16-4. Raymond Crosby and Harvey Westcott - battery. Crosby pitched 7 innings, Fred Jackson 2. Westcott caught all the time. (Insert 2003 - first news article providing outcome of game and the names of any players.) May 22 and 29, 1919, Collins and Nevada played for unofficial Story County Championship. (Refer to May 22 and 29, 1919 entries for narrative of games.) Collins has participated in 5 State tournaments: 1923, 1924 State Championship. (Refer to April 10, and May 22, 1924 entries for narrative of season), 1927 (Refer to May 12, 1927 entry). Collins advanced through sectional, district and sub-state tourney for next trip to the State tournament in spring 1955 (losing first round game 5-4 in last inning), and spring 1956, advancing to semifinals. Collins had 2 near State tournament achievements in this same era; fall 1954 loss in finals of sub-state to Van Horne that advanced to State tourney finals, and fall 1955 1-0 sub-state loss to Tracy that went on to win State championship. The 1956 team had 6 senior regular players led by 4-year lettermen, John Vasey (Left-hand pitcher), Jerry Nichol (catcher), and Jim Dodd (shortstop).