Rules of golf not one of the numbered rules, is found in the R&A rule book's inside front cover: "Play the ball as it lies, play the course as you find it, and if you cannot do either, do what is fair. But to do what is fair, you need to know the Rules of Golf." In addition to the rules, golf adheres to a code of conduct known as etiquette, which generally means playing the game with due respect for the golf course and other players. Etiquette is often seen as being as important to the sport as the rules themselves. Before
Play Ball: Stories of the Ball Field the Irish in Boston.": "His only literary work outside of his newspaper was the preparation of M. J. Kelly's book, 'Play Ball.'" King Kelly was a right fielder, catcher, and manager in various professional American baseball leagues from the late 1870s to the early 1890s. Kelly had played for the Chicago White Stockings for several seasons, but things grew more contentious as time passed there. Kelly drank heavily, occasionally requiring him to miss games or play drunk. In earlier seasons team owner Al Spalding had been willing to tolerate these events because of Kelly's skill and fan appeal. Spalding, following