Baseball is not meant to be a contact sport, but you can keep it classy by making as little physical contact as necessary. There are so many known and undocumented rules of the sport that every player should follow when they’re out there in the fields. While ignoring some rules won’t be considered bookable offenses, baseball is called ‘the gentleman’s sport’ for a reason - and players should respect this.

Baseball games are played on an open field, often on historic grounds. On the field, no vendors are charging $30 to park, $50 for seating, or multi-million-dollar ballplayers. It is what baseball used to be like when it was played for the love of the game rather than for the glory or the money. With each passing year, its success grows even more.

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Rule #1. No running across the pitcher’s mound.

Invading a pitcher’s mound amounts to disrespect. His mound is his personal space, and you can never be justified for running across.

It remains an undocumented rule that most modern players might not find fault with, but you must keep off the mound if possible. There is plenty of space around the mound, so do everything possible to stay on the grass.

Rule #2. Do NOT throw at the head… Intentionally.

If you thought running across the pitcher’s mound is the most uncool thing to do, it does not come anywhere close to headhunting. Again, there is no excuse for throwing at the head of an opponent. It is usually considered very unsporting.

Baseball players wear helmets for protection, but they cannot offer 100 percent on a fast pitch. The head remains untouchable and throwing the ball with the intention of hitting the head warrants punishment. The same applies to the bats used by players. It is the players' responsibility to ensure they use the best baseball bats from reputable stores to avoid unnecessary injuries and breakages.

Rule #3. Do NOT stare at the pitcher after a home run.

Showboating after a home run includes staring at him, watching your home run rise over the fence, and showing all manner of opponent intimidation after hitting the first base.

For instance, last season, after hitting a home run off of Jered Weaver, Carlos Guillen showboated by staring down directly at him and taking a slow roll to first base. It was not the Tigers team's first incident, as Magglio Ordonez had done the same thing when he completed his two-run homer just before Guillen.

Weaver was clearly incensed by the act and made his feelings known when he said he would never showboat to anybody.

Making eye contact with a pitcher is bad, and like rubbing it in, which shows you are not professional. Instead, let the scoreline speak for you.

Rule #4. Avoid sliding with your spikes up.

This is a dangerous act, from whatever angle you look at it. Players often slide when they want to break up a double-play, but they will usually not realize that by sliding with their spikes up, they could endanger others' safety. Players have been severely injured before, and there is a need for players to practice caution whenever they take to the baseball field.

Rule #5. Avoid chastising your fielders.

As with other sports, discipline is a core principle in baseball. Throwing tantrums at teammates for committing errors is not as common as other professional game mistakes, but we can always see a few cases. Teammates often make errors, ruining all the build-up work by colleagues in tight spots.

It can be devastating when an infielder errs in the eighth inning, but it is not a criminal offense that should see them crucified by teammates. It is never intentional, and anyone can make such mistakes. Showing anger or open frustration is terrible behavior that can cause disharmony among teammates.

Avoid yelling at teammates in public and find a way to encourage them. Individual players react differently to criticism, and you never know the effect of chastising a fellow player during a game.

Final thoughts

Some of these rules are applicable across many other team sports. To be a gentleman in the field demands a show of respect to your opponents, your teammates, to the umpires, to fans, and to all officials. These are not rules written in the umpires’ books, but players are expected to conduct themselves with utmost dignity.