Strike zone facts for kids

A labelled drawing of the strike zone superimposed onto an image from a game, showing a batter, catcher and umpire. The batter attempts to hit a baseball pitched by the pitcher to the catcher; and the umpire decides whether pitches are balls or strikes.

The strike zone is a very important part of the game of Baseball. It's like an invisible box above home plate where a pitch must go to be called a "strike." If the baseball doesn't pass through this special area, it's usually called a "ball." Knowing the strike zone helps players and fans understand the game better.

What is the Strike Zone?

The strike zone is an area over home plate. It stretches from a batter's knees up to the middle of their chest. You can imagine it as a rectangle. The home plate is 17 inches wide. So, the strike zone is also 17 inches wide.

How Umpires Decide

A person called an umpire makes the final decision. The umpire stands behind the catcher. They watch each pitch very closely. It's their job to decide if the ball went through the strike zone. This decision is based on where the ball crosses the front edge of home plate. It doesn't matter where the catcher catches the ball.

Why the Zone Changes

The strike zone is not the same for every player. It changes depending on the batter's height and how they stand. For example, a tall player will have a bigger strike zone than a shorter player. This is because the zone is measured from their knees to their chest. So, what is a strike for one player might be a ball for another. This makes the umpire's job tricky!

Related pages

• At bat