Play Ball!

—As told to Amy Barrett

H&K Sportsfields

“I grew up playing baseball and coached my kids through Little League. I knew the previous owner of this business-he coached a team I competed against when I was a kid. I ran into him in 2003 at one of my son’s games and he was talking about getting out of the business. This was an opportunity to branch out into an area I have a passion for. There’s a real nostalgia about baseball. And there’s a whole new group of people who have a passion for the game. It’s fun to see Little Leaguers come out to see a field after we’ve renovated it, with tears in their eyes, saying, ‘We get to play on this field?’”

WHO: Mike Parent
WHAT: Designs, constructs, and renovates baseball fields
WHERE: Egg Harbor, Wis.
EMPLOYEES: 5
HOW HE DID IT: Bought the business from an acquaintance after working in his family’s excavation company
COST OF A NEW LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL FIELD: $150,000

Bookmark to:

So you are ready to build your very own field of dreams, and you can already picture yourself jumping and skipping in joy as you shake hands with The Great Bambino himself after hitting a grand slam!

A word of advice my friend, slow down before you call a press conference. First, you have to build a baseball field. True, if you build it, they will come, but let me assure you, building a baseball field is no simple task.

A baseball field consists of many parts: a home plate, the first base, the second base, the third, and the fourth base. There is also the batter’s box, the catcher’s box, the foul poles, the pitcher’s mound, the baseline, the grass line, the outfield, the bullpen and so on. Many baseball dreams have come true on the baseball field and some have been lost forever, and for those who have aspirations of batting grandeur, the batter’s box is considered a holy place, a sanctuary. It is the place where baseball batters call upon their heroes who have long gone, pleading for just a tiny bit of luck before they hit the ball.

Drawn in white chalk, the batter’s box is the area surrounding the home plate where the batter stands, when he is all set to receive pitch from his nemesis, the pitcher. To construct the batter’s boxes, first you must locate the home plate.

The batter’s boxes should be six foot by four foot rectangles and must each be six inches away from the home plate. Building wooden frames to establish the area where the batter’s box should be is advised.

You could also use a string to outline the perimeter of the batter’s boxes just to help you establish the batter’s boxes. Using hard clay, it is best to start from the bottom up when building up the area where the batter’s boxes should be. Inch by inch, add clay one layer at a time, moistening and compacting the soil to ensure the ground’s firmness. The clay material should end up level with the home plate itself which is relatively flat. Continue the process of adding layer upon layers of clay until the proper dimension is reached. Make sure that the batter’s boxes area and the home plate are as flat as can be. Use a board or a level to ensure this.

Once the lines are drawn, you are ready to stand inside the batter’s box and call upon the spirit of The Great Bambino! But before you get carried, remember that a batter’s box is just one part of a baseball field.

Nevertheless, if you follow these few simple instructions, you will be a step closer towards playing on your very own ‘Field of Dreams’. After all, if you build it, they will come… but only if you build it right.

Bookmark to:

After you’ve purchased the glove you want, you need to soften the leather. You can use a number of different oils and lotions to soften the leather of your baseball glove. Most people use shaving cream (preferably with lanolin), but you may also use others like Vaseline, mink oil, tanner’s glove oil, glove manufacturers oils, saddle soap, etc. Lubricate the glove with your lube preference, say shaving cream. Take a very small amount, and put it on a soft, clean cloth like a dish towel. Rub the shaving cream into the glove, being careful to use just enough to lightly coat the glove. Make sure it is rubbed in well, and no globs remain. Let it dry overnight. A word of caution when using oils, creams and soaps. Do not put too much as this will make the leather deteriorate faster and ruin your glove.

Now you need to form the pocket of your glove. Using a clean cloth, wipe your glove thoroughly after letting it dry overnight. Go out and play a game of catch with someone. The ball’s impact begins the molding and stretching process of the leather so it will conform to your hand and the ball with your catching style. A popular practice for forming the pocket of your baseball glove (other than playing catch) is to place a baseball (others say a softball is better) in the pocket and tie the glove shut with shoelaces, string or even a belt. Keep the glove tightly closed around a day or two and make sure to keep the glove in an area where the temperature is not extreme as this can hurt the leather. Use the glove each day and play catch with it for at least a few minutes a day. The regular work out will continue to soften your glove and form the best possible mold for your catching style. Put the glove away for the evening and continue to place a ball in the mitt and secure it. Do this for at least two weeks.

Follow these easy steps and you’re on your way to a great baseball season!

Bookmark to:

How important is the pitcher’s mound in the whole scheme of baseball? Well, on this little stage, the pitcher can either win or lose the game.If you are in charge of building the pitcher’s mound for your baseball team this season! Here are a few things to keep in mind, and learn from baseball history.

Historical Baseball mound dimensions

A regulation pitcher’s mound is an 18 foot (5.5 m) circle, its center, 59 feet away from the back of the home plate. Commonly called the ‘pitching rubber’, the pitcher’s plate should be 18 inches (45.7 cm) behind dead center of the mound. The mound should start to slope downwards towards home plate 6 inches (15.2 cm) in front of the pitching rubber.

The top of the mound should not be more than 10 inches higher than the surface level of the home plate. However, during different times of baseball history, the mound had been much higher. In fact, the height
limit from 1903 to 1968 was set at 15 inches though some teams are reputed to have higher. Baseball teams whose strength point lies in pitching are believed to have tallest mounds in the major league baseball.

Mound Construction

Now that we’ve covered the dimensions, the next step is construction. There are several approaches one can take towards the actual creation of a pitcher’s mound. One of the simplest ways is to start by building up the highest point of the mound or the plateau first. Then, establish the slope in front of the pitcher’s plate towards home plate until you reach ground level. Keep in mind the dimensions mentioned above when measuring towards home plate.

After the plateau has been set up, install the pitching rubber. A standard pitcher’s rubber is 24 inches by 6 inches. You can use a carpenter’s level to make sure the rubber is stays flat while it is being installed. Use moist clay and tamp the area around the pitching rubber using your hands or a tool. Keeping the mound soils moist but not sticky during construction is essential.

Build the mound inch by inch from the ground up. Use a heavy roller to tamp on the material so that the mound is firm. Keep the mound packed, layer by layer until you reach the correct dimensions for a regular pitchers mound. Maintenance is just as important as construction. When not in use, remember to cover the clay with plastic or tarp.

Bookmark to:

Slow Pitch Softball Field Diagram

Below is a diagram of a slow pitch softball field. Download the slow pitch softball field diagram. The layout is provided to give you an idea of measurements and layout that maybe used for your field. Foul line and other measurements can change to area designated for softball field layout etc. Fill out our Free Quote form for more information.


(Click image to open in another window, click again for higher resolution)

Fast Pitch Softball Field Diagram

Below is a diagram of a fast pitch softball field. Download the fast pitch softball field diagram now. The layout is provided to give you an idea of measurments and layout that maybe used for your field. Fill out our Free Quote form for more information.

(Click image to open in another window, click again for higher resolution)

Bookmark to:

Baseball Field Dimensions, Diagrams, Layouts, Measurements

Here is a resource of Baseball & Softball Field dimensions for you to download. Click on the link below to download .pdf. High resolution printing for planning purposes. All files about 150 kb. Use our Free Quote form to start the free consultation process.

High School & College Baseball Field Dimensions & Diagram (pdf 120 kb)

Little League Baseball Field Dimensions & Diagram (pdf 108 kb)

Shetland League Baseball Field Dimensions & Diagram (pdf 105 kb)

Pinto League Baseball Field Dimensions & Diagram (pdf 105 kb)

Mustang League Baseball Field Dimensions & Diagram (pdf 105 kb)

Bronco League Baseball Field Dimensions & Diagram (pdf 108 kb)

Pony League Baseball Field Dimensions & Diagram (pdf 105 kb)

Colt League Baseball Field Dimensions & Diagram (pdf 107 kb)

Softball Field Dimensions, diagram, layouts, measurements

Slow Pitch Softball Field Dimensions & Diagram (pdf 96 kb)

Fast Pitch Softball Field Dimensions & Diagram (pdf 96 kb)

Baseball and Softball field backstop measurements

Baseball and Softball backstop diagrams and measurements (pdf 208 kb)

Mapping It Out: A Baseball Field’s Dimensions

Is it the Babe Ruths, the raging competition or the beautiful weather that brings you to the field every spring? All three deserve some credit. But, there wouldn’t be a game to watch without a playing field. Sometimes the hard work and behind the scenes makeup gets overlooked.

In 1845, Alexander Cartwright and Daniel Adams, the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club leaders, devised the first set of rules for the game that has had fans everywhere buying “peanuts and crackerjacks” and rooting.

Today, the field dimensions may have changed a little, but the field they play on is still a diamond. Think, before the possibility of homeruns exists; the field must be created using specific dimensions. However, professional baseball fields are built using a different set of dimensions than the little leagues.

Professional Field Dimensions

High school, college and professional teams use the professional field dimensions for everything from the pitchers mound to the catchers box. Although the outfield varies in size, the infield measurements are the identical: Free Download of high school, college baseball field dimensions

The Baseball Diamond
Here you can find the infield baseball dimensions for regulation baseball and description of outfield. Outfields are not uniform throughout.

• Infield is a 90-foot square
• Outfield is the space between the two foul poles/lines

Home Plate
The dimensions and the regulations are given for distances between home and the bases, and the foul lines in the outfield.

• A 17 x 17 inch plate that sets at the center of a 26-foot diameter, making up the home plate area. (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/EP/EP09200.pdf ) From here, players must cover a 90-foot sprint to reach each consecutive base.
• Starting from home plate, foul lines must extend at least 325 feet to where a pole marker stands. These poles can be set farther, but the minimum must be met. At the pole’s halfway point, the wall or fence must be 400 feet from home plate (official rules.org).

Bases
Here you can find the regulation distance between bases and their size.

• 90 feet apart
• 15-inch squares
• 13-foot surrounding arcs

Batter’s Box
There is a set size of the box and specified distance from home plate.

• 4ft x 6ft
• 6 inches from home plate

Umpire Box
The professional dimensions of the umpire box.

• 43 inches by 8 feet

Pitcher’s Mound
Regulation pitcher mound dimensions and location is described.

• First of all, a pitcher’s mound, which is a 24 -by-6 inch pitching rubber, lies at the center of every baseball diamond. This mound, which has a diameter of 18 feet, must be 10-and-a-half inches above the height of home plate. Home plate is 60 feet, 6 inches away.

The Babe Ruth League (named after the famous player himself) for ages ranging from 13 to 18. And its Cal Ripken division is specifically for players in the 4-12-year-old category.
http://www.sportsknowhow.com/baseball/rules/babe-ruth.html

The 16-18-year-old division plays on regulation fields, but Babe Ruth breaks down into several other teams formed in the Babe Ruth League:
• Bambino Buddy (5-20)
For physically or mentally challenged
• Cal Ripken (4-12)
Major 70, Major 60, Minor, Rookie (7-8 year olds) and T-ball
• Babe Ruth (13-15)
13-year-old Prep League
• Babe Ruth (16-18)
16-year-old Prep League
Babe Ruth League Online: http://www.baberuthleague.org/

Youth Baseball Field Dimensions
The little leagues use standard field dimensions; however, different age categories break the groups up according to the size of the diamond.

Little League Baseball Diamond (ages 12 and under (The Almanac—http://www.almanacnews.com/morgue/2004/2004_07_28.ballb.shtml )
• Infield is a 60-foot square
• Outfield is the space between the two foul poles/lines
(http://www.baseball-almanac.com/stadium/baseball_field_construction.shtml )

Pony League Baseball Diamond
• Infield is a 75-foot square
• Outfield is the space between the two foul poles/lines

Bookmark to: