The art of the diamond

Baseball is a sport that brings people together, fostering a sense of community and enjoyment. Whether you are an avid fan or new to the game, understanding the intricacies of baseball can make watching or playing the sport even more rewarding.

The sport may seem complex at first, but fear not. From the crack of the bat, to the quickness of the ball. You feel the rush, the anticipation, as to what grip the pitcher is holding and how fast one needs to swing the bat.

Read more: From cricket to conquering the diamond.

Chairman of the baseball section at Marks Park, Allan McCabe always suggests that it is better to watch professional games on YouTube when it comes to potential newcomers.

At its core, the objective of baseball is simple: score more runs than the opposing team. A run is scored when a player successfully crosses all four bases on the field, completing a circuit. The team with the most runs at the end of the game emerges victorious.

Allan emphasised that the more people come play the sport, the more it will become community based.

Baseball is played on a diamond-shaped field, with bases at the corners. The field is divided into two main fields, infield and outfield. The infield consists of the area inside the bases, while the outfield extends beyond the bases.

He further emphasised that baseball as a sporting code in South Africa could be more significant and inclusive. “If we could get more exposure, and that will only come from getting good sponsorships, in the same way that other sporting codes seem to have.”

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Each team consists of nine players, divided into two groups: the offence and the defence. The offence takes turns batting, attempting to hit the ball thrown by the pitcher, while the defence aims to prevent the offence from scoring by fielding and making outs.

The pitcher is a key player on the defence, responsible for delivering the ball to the batter. The pitcher stands on a raised mound and uses a variety of pitches, including fastballs, curveballs, sliders, and change-ups, to try and deceive the batter and induce a swing and miss.

When the batter successfully hits the ball into fair territory, they become a baserunner. The batter must then run to first base, while the other baserunners aim to advance to the next base or even score a run.

While the offence tries to score runs, the defence works to make out and prevent the opposing team from advancing. Players in the field use gloves to catch the balls hit by the batter and make strategic throws to get the baserunners out. The defence can achieve an out in various ways, such as catching a fly ball, tagging a runner with the ball, or throwing the ball to a base before a player reaches it.

A baseball game consists of nine innings, with each team having a chance to bat and play defence in each inning. If the game is tied after nine innings, additional innings are played out until there is a winner.

Related article: The best of the best baseball teams battle it out at Marks Park