Baseball equipment
Baseball is a sport popular in the United States, which is also considered as a profession when playing for national leagues, played between two teams which have nine players each. The goal of playing baseball is to score ‘runs’, by hitting a thrown ball by using a bat and touching four markers called bases that are arranged at the corners of what is called a diamond. While the players in the batting team take turns to hit, the players in the fielding team will try to stop them from scoring ‘runs’ by getting the hitting team members ‘out’.
Baseball equipment is essential when playing baseball. The four basic tools or baseball equipment. The equipments are: the bat, the mitt, the ball and the field.
The bat is used as an offensive baseball equipment. It is usually made either of wood or of aluminum (aluminum bats are used in amateur leagues). It is a stick which is long and hard with an approximately two inch diameter- except at the handle, which is smaller – about one inch.
The ball is another one of baseball equipment, approximately the size of a fist and is usually white with red lacing (though other colors can also be used).
The defensive baseball equipment known as the mitt is also called in common tongue as the glove. It is usually made of leather and is worn on the hand of the player to help in catching the ball. To meet the need of the defensive position of the player, it can take different shapes.
The final basic baseball equipment used is called the field. The dimensions of the field varies according to the age of the players because this is the place where the game will be played. The field, however, always has a diamond shape with bases at its corners.
The ‘home’ base is made of a rubber plate whilst the other three bases are made up of canvas bags.
The area of the field that is closest to the bases is referred to as the infield and the area most distant from the bases are referred to as the outfield. The bases are also hence, part of baseball equipment.
Batting helmet, baseball cap, catcher’s helmet and sliding shorts are the other baseball equipment required, in addition to the basic baseball equipment.
Giving Protection to the head and the ear of the batter that faces the pitcher, from the ball, is the function of the protective baseball equipment called the batting helmet.
The baseball equipment worn by all players- the baseball cap, gives shade to the eyes of the players from the sun. Another protective baseball equipment- Catcher’s helmet, guards the face of the catcher by means of a face guard.
Baseball equipment that protects the thighs of the player when he slides to the bases are called sliding shorts. Without this baseball equipment, there will be no baseball games. Hence, they should be well maintained.