BASEBALL, THE GREAT AMERICAN GAME. A FEW POINTERS THAT MAY HELP YOU
The best baseball field is level and smooth. It is best, if it can be
had, to start with the right kind of a layout.
The catcher, or back stop, as he is called by professionals, is
usually in front of the observation stand, or a board wall or other
obstruction. This is usually ninety feet from the home plate.
If you fasten a cord one hundred and twenty-seven feet four inches
long straight out in the field, the place for second base is found.
This done, take a rope or line one hundred and eighty feet long,
fasten one end to the home plate and the other to second base; then
draw the middle of the line at first to the right and then to the
left, till it is tight. This will mark the places of first and third
base.
The place of the pitcher's box is fixed by measuring a line of fifty
feet from home to second base. The pitcher's box should be five feet
six inches long by four feet wide. For batsman there are two
positions, one for the left and the other for the right handed. The
batsman's stand is two rectangular spaces, each six feet long and four
feet wide. The nearest line should be six inches from the home plate,
and should extend three feet in front and three feet behind the center
of the home plate.
Having thus laid out the field, we proceed to further mark the various
points. In doing this, if the field is to be a permanent one, it is
best to make use of the most improved apparatus; but if the field is
only a temporary one, there are various devices which save expense,
and which answer the purpose quite satisfactorily. The home plate is,
by the rules, a whitened piece of rubber a foot square, sunk flush
with the ground, its outer edges being within the lines to first and
third bases. An excellent substitute for rubber is a piece of board
painted white, or a bit of marble such as can be readily obtained at
any marble yard. The first, second and third bases are canvas bags, 15
inches square, stuffed with any soft material, and so fastened as to
have their centers at the corners of the diamond which we have already
marked out. They will thus extend several inches outside the diamond.
The customary method of fastening the bag is by means of a leather
strap passing through loops upon the bag and directly around the
center. This strap is slipped through an iron staple in the top of a
post driven firmly into the ground at the corner of the diamond, and
the strap is then buckled on the under side of the bag.
The wooden post and the iron staples can easily be had. It is better
to have them to keep the base fixed. A stone is apt to work injury.
The bags can be homemade, from old carpets, or old mattresses, or even
from shavings or hay, stuffed into little calico or canvas pillows. A
piece of stout clothes line will answer for more expensive straps.
The pitcher's box must be permanently marked. This is done by sinking
into the ground an iron plate, stone or a wooden post, four or six
inches square.
If there is thick grass in the infield it must be cut from the
pitcher's box to the back-stop, nine feet in width, or better still
remove the sod and fill in the space with hard-packed earth. The
players will soon make the batting-crease and base lines marked on the
field.
To make a fair division of labor in laying out a field, let three boys
agree to furnish the iron staples, and posts for the bases and
pitcher's position, seven in all. The four for the pitcher's box may
be anywhere from three to six inches square at the top, and two feet
long; those for the bases being three inches in diameter; and all of
these sharpened to drive in like stakes. The staples, three in number,
should be two inches wide. Let three others agree to furnish the
bases; one boy to provide the six pieces of stuff--about sixteen
inches square, another boy to furnish three two inch straps with
buckles, or else sufficient rope. The straps must not be less than a
yard long. The third boy can see that the bags are looped for the
straps, stuffed and properly sewn. Three other boys can agree to
furnish the home plate, and to bring to the ground implements for
marking and laying out, viz.: a tape line two hundred feet long, a
supply of cord, a sharp spade, a sledge hammer to drive stakes, a
small hammer to drive in staples, some lime to mark out the lines, and
a pail to wet it in. A tennis marker will save much work. The best
ball to purchase is the regular "league" ball. These balls are the
most uniform in manufacture and quality, and give the best
satisfaction in the long run. It is worth while to purchase more than
one, because it often happens that wet grass ruins the cover of the
ball. When a base ball has been used in wet weather it should be put
aside, and the next time the nine wish to practice on a wet day this
ball, which will be very hard, should be used. As soon as it is wet it
softens again, and it is just as useful as a new one would be after
wetting. Constant wetting rots the covers, but a harness-maker will
re-cover the balls, and they can be used for practice.
In bats there is more variety. A special bat is said to be made of
wagon-tongue, but the more commonly favored is of ash, second growth,
thoroughly seasoned. These can be bought for from twenty-five cents to
one dollar each, according to quality. Lighter bats are made of
willow; and the cheapest of basswood. These do not last so well as
ash, however.
The rules specify that the bat shall not be over two and a half inches
in diameter, nor more than forty-two inches in length. In selecting a
bat, individual taste is the best guide as to matters of weight and
balance, but the grain should be examined carefully. If a bat is
varnished, the handle should be scraped, so that it will not turn
easily in the hands.
The first baseman and catcher should each wear gloves to protect the
hands from the pounding which playing these positions involves.
You can make a pair of baseball gloves out of a stout pair of
buckskins. The fingers and thumbs should be cut off at the first joint
for the baseman, and if any extra padding is needed, pieces of felt
can be sewn on. The catcher's gloves can be made in a similar way,
except that the left-hand glove is kept whole and the ends of the
fingers reinforced by heavy leather tips. A shoemaker can put on these
tips which should be about an inch and a half long. Both gloves should
have padding in the palm and over the ball of the thumb. This padding
can be made of as many layers of felt as are desired, sewn in when the
glove is turned wrong side out. The pads should be so cut that they
run up into the finger a little way, and thus form a protection for
the base of the fingers. Every man who catches should wear a mask. A
body protector will also save many a bruise.
Individual uniforms should be considered where clubs are formed, and
let me say it is better to start with a club. Uniforms for boys need
not be expensive; shirts of one color will do with the addition of a
home cap. Pads on the knees and along the thighs, as well as rough
mitts are of use in sliding.
Any number of players may belong to a club, but only nine can play on
a side. Each side must have a captain, who must be a good leader as
well as a good player.
The umpire is chosen by both sides to decide questions in dispute.
There is no appeal from his decision, even where both sides think him
in error.
It would take a whole book properly to go into the details of
baseball, but no instructions can take the place of practice, and it
will be better if this can be done under the direction of an expert.
RULES
Here are a few baseball rules that it will be well to remember:
1. The infield must be thirty yards square.
2. The bases must be four in number.
3. The ball must weigh not less than five nor more than five and a
quarter ounces. It must be not less than nine nor more than nine and a
quarter inches in circumference.
4. The bat must be wholly of wood, except that the handle may be wound
with cord or wire. The length must not exceed forty-two inches nor the
diameter, at the thickest, more than two and a half inches.
5. The players on each side shall be nine. The captain assigns them
their places.
6. The pitcher must keep both feet on the ground, except when throwing
the ball.
7. Players' benches, out of the way, must be furnished by the home
club. 8. Each game must consist of nine innings. If the side first at
bat scores less in nine innings than the other did in eight, the game
is ended.
9. If after nine innings the score is a tie, the game shall continue
unless called off by the umpire.
10. The game shall be forfeited if a player comes too late, or does
not take the bat after five minutes when "game" is called.
11. Every club shall be required to have one or more substitutes, in
the event of an accident to a regular player.
12. Men on the bases cannot have substitutes run for them.
13. The choice of innings shall be given to the captain of the home
club.
14. A dead ball is one that strikes the bat without being struck at.
15. A score shall be counted every time a base run is made.
16. A ball that goes over the fence, outside the two hundred and
thirty feet line, wins two bases.
17. A foul strike is when the batsman hits, when he is not in
position.
18. The runner must touch each base in its order.
19. No umpire shall be changed during the game.
20. A coach is restricted to instructing the base runners only.
AUTUMN