Field, Ball and Gear

Seen from home plate, the square of the four bases stands on one corner, like a diamond.

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Professional bases are 90 feet apart; youth fields use shorter distances, often 60 feet.

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Seen from above with home at the bottom, first base lies to the right, so the circuit turns to the left.

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The three bases are square bags; only home plate has five sides.

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Runners run along the base paths between the bases.

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The batter-runner always heads for first base, to the right of home plate.

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Players often call the bases 'bags', since they are stuffed canvas or rubber bags.

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About 60 ft 6 in from the rubber to the plate, 90 ft from home to first and about 127 ft from home to second.

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He must touch second on the way: runners touch every base in order.

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Second base lies opposite home plate, beyond the pitcher's mound.

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The foul lines separate fair territory from foul territory.

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The outfield starts roughly where the infield dirt ends and the grass begins.

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Fair territory lies between and on the two foul lines, out to the fence.

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Landing outside the line before the base makes it foul.

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A ball that hits a foul pole is fair, and over the fence it is a home run, despite the name.

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The gaps between the centre fielder and the corner outfielders are where doubles often land.

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Foul or fair makes no difference to a catch in the air: the batter is out.

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The mound, then second base, then the outfield grass and the warning track before the wall.

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From home plate the ball passes over the infield, the outfield grass and then the warning track.

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The warning track tells an outfielder chasing a fly ball that the wall is a few strides away.

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The pitcher works from the mound, raised above the rest of the field.

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The rubber, or pitching plate, marks where the pitcher stands to pitch.

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Home plate is a five-sided slab of white rubber, pointed at the back.

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Throwing from a slope adds a downward angle that makes the pitch harder to hit.

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The plate umpire stands behind the catcher to see the strike zone.

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The next batter, 'on deck', loosens up in a circle between the dugout and the plate.

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Rough dirt can make the ball bounce oddly and the pitcher slip, so it is raked smooth.

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Foot on the rubber, sign from the catcher, then the delivery.

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The plate is about 17 inches across, the mound circle about 18 feet, the infield 90 feet on each side.

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A right-handed batter stands on the third base side, facing the pitcher with his left shoulder.

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Dugouts are usually set a few steps below field level so fans behind can see over them.

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The bullpen is where relievers throw to get ready before they come in.

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The home team and the visitors each have a dugout, one along each baseline.

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Bullpens are often beyond the outfield fence, though some parks put them along the foul lines.

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The dugout holds the team's players, manager and coaches.

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A bullpen catcher catches relievers as they warm up, so the game catcher can stay in the game.

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Players change, eat and prepare in the clubhouse, behind or under the dugout.

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A reliever warms up first, then comes in when the manager calls for him.

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A tunnel usually leads from the dugout back to the clubhouse.

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The dugout is the sunken team shelter along the baseline.

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A baseball has a white leather cover sewn with red thread.

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A baseball is about 23 cm round; a softball is about 30 cm.

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Different grips on the seams change the spin, and the spin makes the pitch move.

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Rubbing removes the slick gloss of a new ball so pitchers can grip it.

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Catching a foul ball or a home run ball is a favourite part of a day at the park.

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The two pieces of cover are sewn together with 108 double stitches.

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Fans keep the balls they catch; some even throw an opponent's home run ball back as a custom.

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Umpires keep fresh balls in a pouch and hand them to the pitcher.

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A baseball weighs about 145 g, between a table tennis ball and a basketball.

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Pitchers grip the ball on or across the seams to make each pitch spin a certain way.

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Most pro bats are maple, ash or birch.

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Batters grip the thin handle; the thick barrel is for hitting.

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The knob keeps the bat from slipping out of the hands.

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Hits off the thin handle send a painful jolt through the hands and can crack the wood.

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Pine tar and tape help the batter hold the bat firmly.

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The professional game uses wood; amateur players often use metal or composite.

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A bat should be long enough to cover the plate and light enough to swing quickly.

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The bat comes off the rack, gets a few swings on deck, then into the box.

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A rough billet is shaped on a lathe, then sanded, finished and branded.

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The sweet spot on the barrel is where contact sends the ball farthest with the least sting.

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Gloves are made of leather, which softens and shapes to the hand.

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The catcher's mitt is heavily padded to take pitch after pitch.

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The first baseman's long mitt helps him scoop low throws.

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The web is the laced section between the thumb and first finger.

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A small, shallow glove lets an infielder take the ball out fast for the throw.

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The glove goes on the hand that does not throw.

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Using the glove, and working the leather, slowly forms a deep pocket.

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Two hands make the catch safe and get the ball out quickly.

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Shaping, then tying round a ball, then lots of catch.

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The pocket is the hollow where the ball should land.

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The catcher's mask is a cage of bars over a padded frame.

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Shin guards cover the knees, shins and the top of the feet.

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The chest protector takes the blows of balls in the dirt and foul tips.

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The one-piece helmet and mask protects the whole head, not just the face.

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A batter's follow-through can swing round into the catcher's head.

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Knee savers are wedges on the shin guards that ease the strain of squatting.

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Finger signs between the knees tell the pitcher which pitch, and often where.

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Leg guards first, then the chest protector, then head gear and the mitt.

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Catchers throw the mask away from where the ball will come down so they do not trip on it.

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Catchers' gear has long been called 'the tools of ignorance', a joke about the hard job.

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Anyone batting or running the bases wears a helmet.

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The flap protects the side of the head that faces the pitch.

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A C-flap extends the ear flap to cover the cheek and jaw.

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Hard plastic guards protect bones that foul balls and pitches often hit.

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Padded cap liners help protect pitchers from hard-hit balls.

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Losing a fly ball in the sun is a fielder's nightmare.

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Thin leather batting gloves help the grip and protect the hands.

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Helmet on, wait on deck, step in and get set.

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Head, elbow, hands and shin, from the top down.

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Base coaches stand close to the plate, where hard foul balls fly.

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Caps carry the team's logo or initial.

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Spikes stop players slipping when they run, turn and throw.

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Numbers are worn on the back of the jersey, and sometimes on the front too.

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Home teams traditionally wear white and visitors wear grey.

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The L-shaped screen protects the practice pitcher from line drives.

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A batting cage lets hitters practise without chasing balls all over the field.

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A machine can throw pitch after pitch to a batter in practice.

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From the spiked shoes up to the cap.

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Players loosen up, throw, take batting practice and then the game begins.

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Baseball shoes with spikes are called cleats.

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