Baseball is an exceptionally popular game played by millions of people across the United States and around the world. It has a long history going back at least to the 18th century in Europe but may have originally been introduced in the United States after the civil war. The popularity of baseball is attributed not only to its long lasting tradition but also to its easy-to-learn nature. As children we learn to catch the ball and run around on the field, whereas adults have to use their brains to drive the ball into the gaps in the outfield or to hit the baseball with the bat. Little leagues around the country are a great place for parents to introduce children to this delightful game of baseball.
Although the game is so well known, many people still do not know how to play. In a Little League game, there are usually more members than battering machines, so it is necessary for the coach to teach the basics of baseball such as the strike zone, how to field a fly ball, and the home run. Many people think that Little League is not playing baseball but batting practice for adults. Little Leaguers spend a lot of time learning skills that will help them someday be great baseball players. These fundamental baseball skills need to be taught first, so that when kids get to high school or college they will be prepared for the real game.
To start a Little League game, teams are arranged. At the head of the table are the managers and coaches, who assign positions for the players and the starting pitchers and relievers, etc. On the field at the beginning of the game are the players, who are given protective clothing, padded gloves, baseballs and bats. Then, the baseball field is formed with fifteen foul poles borrowed from the local track or yard, which are used for running, pitching, and catching the baseballs.
Each player will bat, then run to first base, then field in order to throw the baseball to a catcher, who then throws the ball to another player who is now in line to bat. When a baseball is thrown to a catcher, a hustler comes up, locates the baseball, and swings, but only strikes out. Thus, three outs are made, the team with three outs wins the game. If more than three outs are made, the game is declared a tie, and the team with the most runs scored wins.
The Little League baseball rules allow the use of two bats, but only one ball each player has to carry. Bats are used to catch the baseball and throw it to another player who is in position to catch. The players can run or field the ball as long as they do not touch the ball with their bats or any part of their body except the tip of their bat, except for their feet. As soon as a runner steps on a baseball, he is out, and he cannot be put back in the game. If a baseball player tries to catch the ball without his mask, he is in major penalty and will be forced out of the game.
Pitchers and batters are usually picked at random, and there is no way to determine what the starting pitcher or reliever will be. The game is normally started on offense, and once the pitching or catching mound begins to fill up, the umpire will stop the game for the rest of the players. After the team completes their activities on offense, the game will be stopped again, and the game re starts when the starting pitcher or reliever may have stepped to the plate again. Most baseball leagues have rules about what the running clock is for. The running clock is a stopwatch designed to keep the game under control using a standard set of time limits.