Baseball for children: a team game
Baseball is a sport with its own personality. Some hobbies of this type keep the emotion for another minutes for an hour ... Baseball, on the other hand, is much more. Its essence is the details: the count of balls and strikes, the double play eliminated, the sacrifice hit, the situation of the runners on the bases ... anything can be crucial during the course of a game.
Most of us know the sport of baseball for American movies. Adopted as a national sport in the US, baseball has its origins in the "rounders", a British children's game that came to the colonies in the 18th century. Since then, its essence has changed a lot and its popularity has increased, becoming an Olympic sport since the Olympic Games in Barcelona. For our children it can be a very fun game in which many of their friends can participate.
Two teams of 9 players for baseball
Baseball for children is a team game in which two teams (each of nine players) participate and whose main objective is to score at least one race more than the opponent.
To achieve it, it is necessary overcome each of the bases (marked with pads), while, at the same time, trying to prevent this action to the opposing team.
And all this, always running counterclockwise.
The possibility of scoring runs is usually reduced by the number of players eliminated. exist several ways to eliminate a batter: when three good balls arrive and he does not touch them with the bat - "strike"-, if he hits the ball but the opposing team catches it in the air before touching the ground or if, after touching the ground, a defender throws it to first base before the batter arrives.
Baseball: a bat, a glove and a ball
To be able to participate in this team sport you basically need a bat, a glove and a ball.
The bat is usually made of white ash wood, cylindrical and never more than 7 cm. of diameter in its thickest part. In addition, it usually measures approximately 106 cm. long.
Once you have acquired the bat, it is important to learn how to catch it correctly: instead of holding it with your palms it is more correct to do it with your fingers.
The glove, on the other hand, must be leather and as strong as possible. In this sense, there are three types of gloves ... always according to the function played by each player: The mascotín of first base, the mascot of the "catcher" and the normal glove.
Reaction ability of baseball players
As for the balls, they must measure between 21 and 23 centimeters in circumference as well as 6.5 in diameter. Its weight usually ranges between 142 and 156 grams. Usually, they are made of a really curious material: yarn wound around rubber which, in turn, has been rubber coated before.
Although it is a ball heavier than tennis, it takes a lot of sight and a great capacity for reaction to play with it. Especially since a ball of these characteristics takes less than a second to travel the 18 meters of distance between the pitcher's mound and the point of impact with the bat.
But if we are beginners and we want to teach the children the basic notions, it is not necessary that we acquire all the materials: it is enough that we make ourselves with a bat. Many people who start playing or who like to practice from time to time use tennis balls and mark the bases with large stones, with chalk (if the terrain allows it) or with old folded towels.
A risky launch in baseball
Much of the action in a baseball game takes place between two of the players: battery. The pitcher is placed on a mound of land 18 meters from the "home". On each occasion, it has three types of throws with which to "cheat" the batter: the fast ball, curve and the ball with change of speed.
It is important to be clear that the batter is not a player but a position. This position requires a broad vision of the field.
Only a few individual actions, such as taking the ball off the pitch -home run- contradict its team game character. Of course, all players love the ability to completely complete the four bases alone triumphantly to finish, thus, hugging the rest of the team.
Carlos S. Velasco
