As long as the sacrifice fly has been a part of the MLB rules
the batter has not been charged with a time at bat. However, the
rule has been discontinued and continued several times. MLB started
the sacrifice fly rule in the 1908 season. It was discontinued in
the 1931 season only to become a rule again in 1939. It was
discontinued again in 1940 and restarted in 1954.
So there was no sacrifice fly rule in MLB prior to 1908, between
1931-1938, and between 1940-1953.