The game has its origins in English sports. It was first played around mid 19th century when they also first published the rules of the game (1845).
Baseball is also called the
hardball game. There are two teams involved, each having 9 players.
The primary equipments required are a bat, ball, gloves and protective gear. The
square field is called diamond formed by 4 bases, 3 cushions and
the home plate. The members of the fielding side are located at their
specific positions in the field. A member of a team, the pitcher,
located on the mound, throws the ball and the batter of the opposite
team hits it with the bat. The pitcher tries to get the hitter out by
attempting to throw the ball to the catcher - a member of his team - in a
way that the batter misses it or hits it wrongly. A catcher bends on the
opposite side of the home plate. The other players stand on the infield, facing
the home plate. During the process of running between the bases, the player can
halt in any base and wait for the next hit. And when a player crosses all four
bases a run is scored. Batting of any team is referred to as an inning
and a professional game contains 9 continuous innings. The team that scores
more runs is declared as the winning team.
The baseball field is bordered by the foul lines and
the area between them is the main field to play.
The fair territory is the area within the foul lines which forms an angle of 90 degrees. Infield
covers the area from the bases up to some yards distance.
There are 4 infielders: first baseman, second baseman, shortstop and fourth
baseman. The pitcher's mound is in the center of the infield and
made of rubber plates in a rectangular shape. Outfield is the area
externally to the infield and is separated by railings of variable heights. There
are 3 outfielders: left, right and center fielder.
The necessary equipments include protective helmets, a bat,
gloves and a ball. The size of a standard baseball is about 9 inches. The baseball
is made of a rubber or cork cloth, which is wound with threads and covered with
cowskin. The color of a baseball is typically white with red strips. Wood is
used for making the bat. The bat is a rounded stick of 1.25 inches radius
equipped with a handle and a knob on the top.
The length of the bat is variable in the range of 34 inches to 42 inches. The pair of gloves is useful for
protecting your hands from sweat. The mitt, a sort of glove created for the
purpose of catching the baseball, is made of cushioned leather and has webbing
where the fingers are. They may have different shapes according to the need of
specific fielding places.
Some of the countries where baseball is most popular are: England, Wales, Ireland, USA, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Iraq and Pakistan. Some of the best male club teams are:
There are two major tournaments organized for baseball players: World Baseball Classic (WBC) and Baseball World Cup, which take place every four years, as of 2009 decision. The first was won by the Japanese team in the only two editions of this tournament. The prize money for WBC tournament is $14 million split among the teams that compete.
In Europe, for the countries category, national teams play in European Baseball Championship, organized every two years. Netherlands and Italy are considered as the top two teams. On the league level, some of the best teams are Bologna, Rimini and Amsterdam. The teams at this level participate in European Cup competition and the disputes take place every year.
Although this sport is most popular among men, don't be surprised to find out that Justine Siegal is the first female who coaches a professional team of men: Brockton Rox.In Melbourne, Australia, there is a program called Doncaster for enrolling women to play baseball and is geared to all ages.
It is quite a challenge to play baseball. It's a game that you'll enjoy both watching and playing once you visit a baseball stadium.