[greymule]

As far as I can tell, my 2001 MLB rule book is identical to my 1996 book. I understand that there's no point in buying a new one, since nothing changes. (As for the interpretive books, however, it's good to keep up to date.)

Does anyone know when the last change to the official rules occurred? In other words, how far back can you go and still have the rule book of today?

I seem to remember that when I was a kid, one league required the fielder, when turning a double play, to hold onto the ball for an out. If he dropped it while preparing to throw it, it wasn't an out. The other league, the American, I think, called what is now the present rule. That would have been late 1950s or early 1960s.

I know that many changes were made around 1950, things like the home team has to bat last and you can't leave your glove on the field. And I know they kept adjusting the balk rules in the 1960s. But if we were to watch a game even from 100 years ago, it's unlikely that we would see a call we didn't understand.