Baseball is often called the “great American pastime.” So many Americans go wild over their favorite baseball teams, and there’s something so beautifully traditional about taking the family to a baseball game.
But many people don’t know much about baseball. Perhaps you’re one of those people.
Not everyone is into baseball or sports in general. But they might develop an interest if they understood the sport a little. Are you interested in understanding baseball at least a little more?
If so, we give you Baseball 101, your quick baseball guide for everything you need to know about baseball.
Baseball 101
In a baseball game, two teams compete over a period of innings. Professional games are typically nine innings long.
The innings are subdivided into halves. During the top half, the visiting team bats and tries to score points (a.k.a. runs). Meanwhile, the defending team is attempting to get the batters out.
Outs can be delivered in several different ways. Such ways include:
- Strikeouts: Called out by the umpire for three strikes
- Catches: A batter hits the ball into the field and a fielder catches it
- Tag Outs: Runner is off base and is tagged by the fielder in possession of the ball
- Force Outs: Player is forced to move to a base occupied by a fielder with the ball in possession
- Interference: Runner interferes with fielder fielding the ball
The events of a baseball game revolve around the pitcher and the batter. The pitcher stands on the pitcher’s mound and the batter stands on either side of home plate.
The pitcher’s goal is to throw the ball past the batter into the catcher’s mitt. If the batter hits the ball and a runner ends up on the field, the pitcher’s alternate goal is to get the next batter to hit the ball to get it in play so that the fielders can catch the ball and throw out the runner.
The batter’s goal is to keep the ball in play so the fielders can’t catch it until the player makes it back to home plate. If the runner makes it back home, the team will score a run.
Go See a Game in Action
Now that you have had baseball explained to you, you may feel less confused. Moreover, you may be inclined to check out a baseball game.
If you want to see baseball in action to understand it more, you’ll likely find a game during the season on ESPN, or you can see past games on the MLB channel. Or you can enjoy the live experience with NY Yankees tickets.
Learn More About Baseball
And that was Baseball 101. Now you have a deeper understanding of baseball, and you’ll probably find yourself appreciating it more.
Who knows? You may even find yourself playing a game sometime.
For more information and baseball tips, visit our Sports Tips section.
