Baseball field facts for kids
A baseball field, also called a baseball diamond, is where the game of baseball is played. It has a special shape and different parts that are important for the game.
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What is a Baseball Field?
The game of baseball starts at home plate. This is a white rubber shape that looks like a pentagon. It is 17 inches by 8.5 by 12 by 12 by 8.5 inches. Next to home plate are two areas called the batter's boxes.
Home plate is one corner of a large square that is 90 feet on each side. The other three corners of this square are called first base, second base, and third base. These bases are marked by white canvas bags, each 15 inches (38 cm) square. These four spots – home plate and the three bases – form the four bases of the infield.
The lines that run from home plate to first base and third base are called foul lines. These lines go all the way to the outfield fence. The part of the field between (and including) these foul lines is called fair territory. Any area outside these lines is foul territory.
The area around the bases is called the infield. The grassy area beyond the infield is the outfield. Most baseball fields have a fence around the edge of the outfield. This fence is usually 300 to 410 feet (90 to 125 m) from home plate. Many professional fields also have foul poles at the ends of the outfield fence, right where the foul lines meet the fence.
Another common feature is the warning track. This is a narrow dirt path along the outfield fence. It helps outfielders know they are getting close to the wall when they are chasing a ball.
First Base
First baseman First base is the first of four bases a player must touch to score a run. After hitting the ball, a player runs to first base. Unlike second and third base, a runner can run past first base without being tagged out, as long as they don't try to go to second base. If a batter gets four balls or is hit by a pitch, they automatically get to go to first base.
The first baseman is the player who defends the area near first base. These players are often tall, so they can easily catch throws from other fielders. In baseball's numbering system for defensive players, the first baseman is number 3.
Second Base
Second baseman Second base, or 2B, is the second base a runner must touch to score a run. The second baseman and the shortstop usually defend this base. Second base is also known as the "keystone sack." A runner on second base is in "scoring position" because it's easy to reach home plate from there on most hits. Since second base is the farthest from home plate, it's a common place for players to try to steal a base.
Second basemen and shortstops need to be quick with their hands and feet. They also need to throw the ball fast and accurately. They work together to cover second base and make double plays. The second baseman is number 4, and the shortstop is number 6.
Third Base
Third baseman Third base is the third base a runner must touch to score a run. Many times, even if a batter gets out (like on a sacrifice fly), a runner on third base can still reach home plate and score. This is very important for the batting team, especially when there are fewer than two outs.
The third baseman, or 3B, defends the area near third base. A good third baseman reacts quickly to batted balls and has a strong arm to throw the ball all the way to first base. The third baseman is assigned the number 5.
Home Plate
In baseball, home plate is the final base a player must touch to score a run. It's different from the other bases because it's a hard, pentagon shape, not a bag. It sits almost flat with the ground.
Behind home plate, usually 50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 meters) away, is the backstop. This is a wall or fence that stops wild pitches, passed balls, and foul balls from going into the stands. In big stadiums, the backstop often has a net above a lower wall to protect fans.
The catcher, abbreviated C, is the player who crouches behind home plate. They catch pitches that the batter doesn't hit. The catcher also defends home plate when a runner tries to score. They must tag the runner with the ball before the runner touches home plate. Professional catchers are often big and strong to block the plate. The catcher is assigned the number 2.
Foul Poles
Foul poles help umpires decide if a fly ball hit over the fence is a home run (fair) or foul (out of play). These poles are like vertical extensions of the foul lines. Even though they are called "foul poles," they are actually within fair territory.
Before 1920, a home run had to land in fair territory. Now, if a ball hits a foul pole above the fence, it's a home run, no matter where it goes after that. If it clears the fence on the fair side of the pole, it's also a home run. Foul poles are usually much taller than the outfield fence. They often have a narrow screen on the fair side to help umpires make the call.
Pitcher's Mound
In the middle of the baseball square is a small hill called the pitcher's mound. On top of the mound is a white rubber slab, often called the rubber. It is six inches (15 cm) front-to-back and two feet (61 cm) across. The front of this rubber is exactly 60 feet 6 inches (18.4 m) from the back point of home plate. This specific distance was set in 1893.
In Major League Baseball, a mound is 18 feet (5.5 m) wide. The center of the mound is 59 feet (18.0 m) from home plate. The front edge of the rubber is 18 inches (45.7 cm) behind the mound's center. The top of the rubber cannot be more than ten inches (25.4 cm) higher than home plate. From 1903 to 1968, this height limit was 15 inches.
A pitcher pushes off the rubber with their foot to gain speed when throwing the ball. A higher mound generally helps the pitcher because it gives them more leverage. This allows them to throw the ball with more downward force, making it harder for the batter to hit it well. In 1969, the mound was lowered to help batters hit more often, as pitching had become very strong in 1968.
For younger players, the distance from the mound to home plate is shorter. In Little League, it's 46 feet. On "Pony" fields, it's about 54 feet. These shorter distances help young players get ready for the full 60 feet 6 inches distance in high school and beyond.
Pitcher's mounds are hard for groundskeepers to keep perfect. On youth fields, the mound might look different from the rules because of wear and tear. Even in the major leagues, pitchers can kick away dirt to shape the mound a bit to their liking.
Baseline
A baseline is the straight line between two bases. It's not drawn on the field. The basepath is the area within three feet (0.9 meters) of this baseline. Runners don't have to run in this exact path unless a defensive player is trying to tag them out. When a player tries to tag a runner, the runner's running baseline becomes a direct line from where they are to the base they are going to. If the runner runs more than three feet away from this line to avoid a tag, they are automatically out.
Grass Line
The grass line is where the dirt of the infield meets the grass of the outfield. This line doesn't have a special rule in the game, but it can affect how the game plays out. Dirt paths between the bases have been around since the game started. They help players run and also give a visual guide for players, umpires, and fans to judge distances. Sometimes, a ball can bounce strangely off the dirt or the edge of the grass, which can change the game. In stadiums with artificial turf, the "grass line" is often just a white line, as dirt is only around the bases and pitching/batting areas.
History of the Field
The basic design of the baseball diamond hasn't changed much since the first Knickerbocker Rules in the 1840s. The 90-foot distance between bases was set early on and is still used today. This distance was found to be the best balance between the defense and the offense. If it were 100 feet, the defense would have too much advantage. If it were 80 feet, the offense would have too much. Even as players have become more athletic, 90 feet still creates exciting plays between a runner's speed and a fielder's throwing arm.
The pitching distance and other parts of the pitcher's mound have been changed over the years. This was done to keep a good balance between pitching and hitting.
The specific pitching distance of 60 feet 6 inches seems odd, but it has a history:
- Early rules didn't clearly state the pitching distance.
- By the 1870s, pitchers threw from a "box" 45 feet from home plate. They had to throw underhand.
- To help batters, the front of the pitcher's box was moved back 5 feet in 1881, to 50 feet from home plate.
- In 1884, pitchers were allowed to throw overhand, which made pitching stronger again.
- In 1893, the pitcher's box was replaced by the pitcher's plate (the rubber). Five more feet were added to where the pitcher had to stand. This resulted in the 60 feet 6 inches distance we have today. This change was also made to help batters and make the game more exciting.
- At first, pitchers threw from flat ground. But over time, the mound was created, which helped pitchers again.
- There used to be a dirt path between the pitcher and the catcher, like in cricket. This path was removed by the late 1940s, but some teams have brought it back in new ballparks for old times' sake.
Images for kids
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Kevin Pillar of the Toronto Blue Jays reaches first base safely as Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles attempts to scoop a bouncing ball thrown by one of the other infielders during a game in May 2017
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Brian Dozier of the Minnesota Twins leaps over a sliding Jonathan Schoop of the Baltimore Orioles attempting to turn a double play
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David Ortiz (in gray) of the Boston Red Sox stands in the left-handed hitters' batter's box at U.S. Cellular Field against the Chicago White Sox on July 7, 2006.
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Kansas City Royals pitcher Gil Meche moves forward off the rubber as the pitch is released
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The warning track next to the outfield fence of Husky Field, used by the Houston Baptist Huskies baseball team
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Boston's Fenway Park's left-field wall, the Green Monster, in 2006, showing the manual scoreboard, and Green Monster seating, and the additions of charity advertisements along the top, billboards above the seating, and the American League East standings.
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One of two foul poles at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
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Pitchers warming up in the bullpen
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See also
In Spanish: Campo de béisbol para niños
