In baseball, the pitcher’s mound is located 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 meters) away from home plate. This distance has been standardized by Major League Baseball (MLB) since the late 19th century and is used at all levels of professional and amateur baseball in the United States.
The distance of 60 feet 6 inches was established by the National League in 1893, after experimenting with different distances in previous years. The current distance has remained unchanged ever since, despite some discussions about potentially shortening or lengthening the distance over the years.
The distance between the pitcher’s mound and home plate is an important factor in the game of baseball, as it can impact the effectiveness of a pitcher’s pitches and the ability of a batter to make contact with the ball. The distance is also a key element in the strategy of the game, as teams may choose to adjust their defensive positioning based on the tendencies of the opposing pitcher and batter.