There is nothing more than a baseball game which can make a typical American sit up and take notice of. It is the ‘diamond’ which is most referred to, when it comes to a game of baseball. It simply means the area where baseball is played. The area of the pitching base and the other accompanying bases are made in such a way that the whole formation looks like a diamond.
The excitement in a baseball game begins with the home plate. It is a pentagon-shaped irregular white rubber. This rubber measures 17 inches by 8.5 by 12 by 12 by 8.5 inches. The batters box is adjacent to the two parallel 8.5-inch sides of the pentagon. One corner of the 90 foot square is the point at which the two 12-inch sides meet at right angles. The other three corners are the three bases when counted counter clockwise from the home plate. They are the first, second and third base. Four bases at the corners of the infield are formed by these three bases and the home plate.
The lay out of the Baseball diamond comprises –
First Base:
For the batting team to score a run, this is the first base that must be touched. A batter can reach the first base by walking, hitting by pitch, error, dropped third strike, catcher’s interference, umpire’s interference and a few other ways.
Second Base:
Commonly called 2B, this is the second base which has to be touched by the batting team to score a run. It is touched in succession to the first base by the base runner. It is also known as the keystone sack. A runner on the second base is supposed be in a scoring position as the chances of the runner reaching the home plate are high.
Third Base:
The next in line for the batting team to reach for scoring a run is the third base. The runner on the third base is very important in case there are 2 batsmen out.
Home Plate:
Reaching this point completes the run. It is designated as home base in the rules. The shape of the home plate is facilitated in such a way that it helps the umpire judge the balls and strikes.
Batter’s Box and Catcher’s Box:
The batter’s box is where the batter stands, to receive the pitch from the pitcher. There are two batters boxes – for the right handers and the left handers. The catcher is the person standing behind the batter. The place where the catcher stands is the catcher’s plate. Catcher receives the balls from the pitcher in case the ball is left alone by the batter. The catcher is usually crouching behind the batter and wears gloves and helmet.
Foul Poles:
These are the poles which help the umpire determine if a ball which is hit above the fence line is a foul or a home run.
Pitcher’s Mound:
It is a low, artificial hill situated roughly in the middle of the main square of the baseball field. The square is on an equal distance to the first and the third base. There is a rubber plate on the mound, called the pitcher’s plate. The pitcher stands on the pitcher’s mound while pitching to the batter.
Baseline:
It is the straight line between two adjacent bases. However, it is not marked or drawn with chalk or paint.
Outfield:
It is the area where the fielders apart from the basemen are positioned. It is either made of thick grass or artificial turf. There are right, center and left field positions for the fielders in the outfield.
There are a few other nuances related to the baseball diamond, which complete the baseball field. However, these mentioned are the most important aspects of the baseball field.
