Page "Stolen base" Paragraph 16

In 1887, the stolen base was given its own individual statistical column in the box score, and was defined for purposes of scoring: "... every base made after first base has been reached by a base runner, except for those made by reason of or with the aid of a battery error ( wild pitch or passed ball ), or by batting, balks or by being forced off.

In short, shall include all bases made by a clean steal, or through a wild throw or muff of the ball by a fielder who is directly trying to put the base runner out while attempting to steal.

" The next year, it was clarified that any attempt to steal must be credited to the runner, and that fielders committing errors during this play must also be charged with an error.

This rule also clarified that advancement of another base ( s ) beyond the one being stolen is not credited as a stolen base on the same play, and that an error is charged to the fielder who permitted the extra advancement.

There was clarification that a runner is credited with a steal if the attempt began before a battery error.

Finally, batters were credited with a stolen base if they were tagged out after over running the base.