I actually like the game of Baseball on rare occasions, like during the World Series! I also will watch the Atlanta Braves from time to time. Now I am not a Baseball scholar and I don’t claim to be. But I do know a little bit about the sport.
The exact origins of baseball are really unclear, but some think it was developed over in England from the English game called “Rounders”, which was brought to America in the early 1600’s by the first English settlers.
In 1846 a fellow by the name of Alexander Cartwright wrote a set of rules for the sport that today are somewhat still used. And also in the same year the first game was played at the Elysian Fields in New Jersey. The Knickerbockers beat the New York Nines by a score of 23-1.
Now a man named Adrian “Cap” Anson was believed to be one of the most influential men of baseball during the 19th century because he played in the first professional league, the national Association and he was also the first man to reach 3000 hits!
And let’s don’t forget the woman. There was never a Major League baseball team of women, but they did play during WW1 as professional baseball players during 1943 to 1954.
Babe Ruth of course is one of the better-known baseball players of all time. He played for the New York Yankees and had a 22-year career of baseball. Hitting 714 home runs and not broken until 1974 by Hank Aaron who hit 715 and played for the Atlanta Braves. The record still stands today.
Baseball is also played in Little Leagues through out the world. The World Series has been played just about every year since 1905. There was the one-year the players went on strike so no trophy that year. And most games are televised and they have been included into the Olympics since 1992.
Enough history, lets talk about playing the game. A baseball field is made up of the infield, the outfield, and foul areas. Now there are two foul lines that run from the home plate to the first and third bases creating a 90-degree arc. And the infield is the inner part of that arc. There should be a base placed at each corner of the infield about 90 feet apart, which would form a diamond shape. For Little League this can be 50 ft, depending on the age of the players.
Now the outfield is the outer part of that arc and it should be formed by the two foul lines, and extend out to the fence, which should be at least 250 feet from the home plate. The area inside the foul line is fair territory and outside is fouled.
The field positions are: pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, left field, right field and center field. And each man is positioned on the field according to their play.
The object of the game is to score the most runs. And you score runs by coming into the home base, which you have to touch. In fact you have to touch each base as you go around. The game is generally 9 innings long and can some times last way into the night or early hours of the morning, depending on the game play.
The team that is batting is playing offense and the team in the field is defense. The batting order is according to how the coach feels he needs his men. This is always written down and given to an official before the game starts and it cannot be changed once the game starts. There are however substitutes that can be used, but once a player is removed from the game they cannot play again.
When batting, you must be in the “batter’s box”. Your batting stance and the strike zone will be the area from your chest to the bottom of your knees. You have a strike called on in this area, if you don’t swing. Outside that area is called a foul ball. Three strikes you’re out! 4 balls you walk to first base.
The pitcher is one of the most if not the most important player on any team. He is the one pitching the ball after all. He stands on the pitchers mound, which is about 10 in., above the home plate and a diameter of 18 ft. You should find some type of pitching rubber on the top of the pitchers mound and it should be 60.5 ft from home plate.
Throwing the ball is a really important factor in playing the sport. Without it you can’t play. It takes lots of practice to learn to throw correctly. Here are some types of throws. Sidearm throw to base used by the second baseman or shortstop to cover short distances or used in a double play.
The Basic throw is about 80 percent of fielders use. Your arm should be over the top of the throw to help create an efficient throw and to help relief stress on the shoulder. You should grip the ball across the seams with the middle and index fingers on top of the ball and the thumb should be directly beneath.
The first and third baseman are infielders and they have to stop the ball if at all possible from getting past them. Should the ball get past them then the outfielder has to try and stop it. Both the first and third basemen will play close if the hitter is going to bunt. They can use their bare hands to pick up the ball if the ball is slow enough or rolling, this will allow for a quicker through to the plate for an easy out.
Now the second baseball is also a busy man. He must be quick! He has a larger area to cover than most players. He must be able to field the ball quickly and throw great distances, straight and on target. He and the shortstop play hand in hand to make double plays and tagging runners. And speaking of shortstop, he too is a very busy man. The shortstop must be similar to the second baseman, but he also needs to be able to slide back and forth well.
The catcher, who is found at home plate, also has a very important job. He has to be able to get the incoming runner out! And he has to work with the pitcher, and they decided what kind of pitch the pitcher should pitch. He has to be able to move quickly in order to catch pop up balls, and he has to be able to throw as well as the other players. He has to be able to block the ball so it will not get a way from him. He also has to wear protective gear, which can sometimes get in the way, but protects his face, stomach, groin area, and knees. So he has to be able to manage all that gear, catch and throw. And everyone batting wears a helmet and batters gloves. Each player also has a glove to use while in the defense position.
And of course should you actually hit the ball you should start running and fast! You need to travel to each base, touch that base and make your way into the home plate for a score. Of course there are sometimes homeruns made and every runner on a base gets to come into home plate for a score.
You can hit a single, a double a triple play or homerun. You can also get a single, double or triple out. Triple outs are very rare but do happen. A triple out is three outs in succession.
Baseball and softball are played all over the world. It’s a fun sport to play and you should do some time with your family and/or friends. It’s a good reason to get together and have some fun! And should you be fortunate enough to go to a live game have lots of fun. Take lots of money with you though because it can get expensive. I believe, unless the statistics have change, the average family of four can easily spend 100.00 to 200.00 dollars per game! There is no air except a breeze once and a while from the wind. So go prepared for the heat. Take your sunscreen with you.
I hope that this has helped in some kind of way.
God Bless!
©LKD 2002
