Unit 4 BaseBall Basics

When it was first played/created

Evidence showed that as early as the 1600s, people in England played a game called rounders.

Despite this evidence, many people believe that Abner Doubleday invented baseball. This legend has Doubleday’s game first being played in 1839 in Cooperstown, New York—now home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Alexander Cartwright

In 1845, Alexander Cartwright organized the Knickerbocker Baseball Club in New York and wrote a set of standard rules.

Major League

By the 1950s, there was an American and National League—also known today as the big leagues or major leagues.

All Star Game

The All-Star Game is a special game played halfway through the season that matches the best players in the American League against the best players in the National League. The baseball fans choose the starting lineups—except for the pitchers—for the two teams. The players select the pitchers and one backup player for each position. The managers and the commissioner’s office fill the roster up to 31 players.

Forced Out

A force situation occurs when a base runner must move to the next base because a teammate is advancing to the runner’s base

Running with pitch

Running with the pitch means that the runner races toward the next base as soon as the pitcher throws the next pitch.

stolen base

When the runner reaches the next base, it is called a stolen base

The Strike Zone

The strike zone passes over home plate between the middle of the batter’s torso and his knees. A ball is called when the thrown ball does not pass over the strike zone and the batter does not swing.

Foul Ball

A foul ball hit by the batter is called a foul strike if the batter has less than two strikes. Foul balls are balls that:

1. settle in foul territory between home plate and first base

2. settle in foul territory between home and third base

3. bounce or roll outside first or third

4. land in foul territory behind first and third base.

Outs

A batter that gets three strikes is called out. There are other ways a batter can get out as well.

If the batter bunts (taps) the ball after he has two strikes and the ball goes foul, strike three will be called.

Foul tips occur when the batter tips the ball into the catcher’s mitt. A foul tip is counted as a strike. If it is a third strike, the batter is out.

A ground out occurs when a batter fails to reach first base after hitting a fair ball on the ground.

A fly out occurs when the batter hits a ball on a fly and a fielder catches it. A player may be called out in a number of different ways. You may need to read through a rule book to learn the various ways that a batter can be called out.

Base Hits

A hit that allows a batter to reach first base is a single. If the batter reaches second base with a hit, it is called a double; third, a triple; and if he reaches home plate, it a home run.

hitter/batter

a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher and try to get on base, drive runners home or advance runners.

balls (pitche)

if four then batter gets a free first base

Inning

The game is divided into nine innings. Many games last only eight and one-half innings, since there is no need to play the second half of the last inning if the team that would bat last is already winning. Other games last longer than nine innings because in the case of a tie, extra innings are played until one team has more runs than the other at the end of a complete inning. A game can be officially over after five innings.

Seasons

The season lasts from mid-spring into autumn. During the baseball season, every team plays 162 games. League championships are determined by a two-round playoff. The first round is decided by a 3 of 5 game series between the three division winners and a wild-card team (a team with the best record of those that did not win a division). The second, the League Championship Series, is a 4 out of 7 game series between the two winners of the first round. The winning team takes the league pennant for that year. The American League pennant winner and the National League pennant winner play each other in the World Series. The first team to win four out of seven games is the World Series Champion

Pitcher Plate

24 inches long, is 6 inches wide, and is placed on a 10-inch high and 18" wide mound. It is located 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate.

Home Plate

made of a flexible hard plastic and has five sides. The widest portion of home plate is 17 inches wide and faces the field. The plate tapers to a point at the back.

Bases

first, second third, home (all 90 ft apart)

Playing ground

made of grass, dirt, or sand. Many fields have artificial grass on the field called AstroTurf. Major league teams generally play their games in covered domes.

In modern parks, the distance from the outfield fence usually ranges from at around 290 feet along the foul lines to over 400 feet to center field.

Bat

The bat must be no more than 42 inches long and 23⁄4 inches in diameter. Most bats weigh between 32 and 36 ounces. It must be made of one piece of solid, round wood. A bat handle may be covered with a material such as tape or pine tar to improve the gripping surface, but the material may not extend any more than 18 inches from the end of the bat.

Ball

The baseball measures from 9 to 9 1⁄2 inches in circumference and weighs between 5 and 51⁄4 ounces.

Mitt/glove

The catcher and the player at first base are the only players permitted to wear mitts rather than gloves. Mitts are more padded and mitten-like, with no separations between the fingers, while gloves have separations and are lighter, less padded, and more flexible. The catcher and first baseman catch more fast, hard-thrown balls than other players, so they need the extra protection. The size and shape of regulation gloves are covered in each league’s rules.

Shoes

All the players wear shoes with spikes so they can stop and start quickly. Most players wear shoes with metal spikes. On AstroTurf, synthetic or rubber spikes are used.

Uniforms

Players must wear identically styled uniforms with numbers at least six inches long on their backs. The home team usually wears white.

helmet

The batter must wear a special single ear flap plastic helmet to avoid injuries from being hit in the head with the ball. A batter has the option to wear a double ear flap helmet if he/she chooses. The batter must also wear the helmet while running the bases.

Catcher Equipment

A catcher wears special equipment for protection. A mask protects the catcher’s face. A chest protector of padded cloth covers the catcher’s chest and stomach. Plastic shin guards protect the catcher’s legs.

Shutout

A _________ is when the opposing team doesn't score a run.