Page "Stolen base" Paragraph 4

Ned Cuthbert, playing for the Philadelphia Keystones in either 1863 or 1865, is documented as the first baseball player to steal a base in a baseball game, although the term stolen base was not used until 1871.

For a time in the 19th century, stolen bases were credited when a baserunner reached an extra base on a base hit from another player.

For example if a runner on first base reached third base on a single, it would count as a steal.

In 1887, Hugh Nicol set a still-standing Major League record with 138 stolen bases, many of which would not have counted under modern rules.

Modern steal rules were fully implemented in 1898, and steals are now only credited when a runner successfully takes an extra base while the ball is being pitched, but not already hit.

If the ball is dead on the pitch run on, such as from a foul ball ( except caught fly-out ), the steal is not allowed and the runner returns to his time-of-pitch base.

In addition, if the situation of the game is such that the steal is of little use ( usually in the late innings when the runner would not change the game's outcome by scoring ), and the catcher does not attempt to throw out the runner, the runner is not credited with a steal, and the base is attributed to defensive indifference.