A sport played mainly in the US by two teams of nine players who use a bat and ball to hit it into play on a field. Each team attempts to score runs by touching each of four bases in order (first base, second base, third base and home plate) before the other team can do so. The game is split into ‘innings’ and the team with the highest number of runs at the end of nine innings is declared the winner. The opposing teams alternate between batting and fielding in an inning, and each inning is completed when the fielding team records three outs.
The bat is made from either wood or aluminium and has a round handle that extends down to the end. The balls used in baseball are typically white with red stitching and are about 3 inches in diameter. Players on the batting team wear mitts (a glove with extra padding in the palm area) while those on the fielding team wear helmets and other protective equipment. The catcher, who stands behind the batter to catch any balls missed by other fielders, is also required to wear leg guards, a chest protector and a padded face mask.
There are eight fielders on the defensive team, and they all have a key role to play in stopping the batters from scoring runs. The pitcher is located on a raised mound in the centre of the field, and pitches the ball to the batter. The other fielders are located in an area known as the infield, which is surrounded by first, second and third bases, and the area beyond the infield is called the outfield.
During the course of the game, the batter will get up to three chances to make contact with the ball, and each time this happens they are awarded one point or a’strike’. The strike count is reset when a new batter takes their turn to bat. A player who makes contact with the ball can then run around any or all of the bases before the batting team gets a chance to do so, but they must make sure that they touch each of the four bases before they are ‘tagged out’ by the other players.
The goal for the batting team is to get around all of the bases without being tagged out, but this can be difficult as the players on the other team work hard to prevent them from reaching each of the four bases. The umpire overseeing the game will call each play and determine whether a runner has touched a base successfully or not. There are no set rules for when a run will be considered safe, but the umpire must make a decision before any of the other players can advance to the next base. If a runner is tagged out before touching home plate, they are eliminated from the game.