Introduced back in the mid-nineteenth century, baseball has now become a household name across the United States. Major League Baseball, or MLB for short, has the honor of being the oldest major professional sports league in the world, and watching baseball have been dubbed "America's National pastime." On the surface, baseball seems like a pretty straightforward game, and for the most part, it is, but some terminologies and rules can be confusing. If you are one of those, who find the sport of baseball perplexing, then don't worry and keep on reading because we will walk you through everything there is to know about baseball.
How a typical game of baseball plays out
In a typical baseball game, There are eighteen players on the field, nine on each team. Each team takes turns batting and bowling over the course of nine innings. The offensive team tries to score as many runs as possible, while the defensive players try their hardest to limit the score to a minimum, and obviously, the team with the most runs wins the match.
A baseball field
The home plate, first base, second base, and third base make up the four corners of the square-shaped field on which the ball is pitched, and the batters make the runs. The home plate is where the batter stands and the ball is thrown, whereas the first base is located on the far right of the home base. Similarly, the second and the third base are located on the opposite side and the far left side of the home base, respectively. The area beyond the square field is known as the outfield, whereas the area inside is called the infield. Other than this, located in the center of the infield is the pitcher's mound. This is where the pitcher from the defensive team stands and delivers Curveballs, Cutters, Changeups, Knuckleballs, and various other pitches.
How runs are made
During an inning, the defensive side's pitcher will throw the ball toward the offensive team player who is in batting position at home plate. The ball must reach the batter without touching the ground. The batter will hit the ball in an area where the defensive fielders can get to it quickly, or the batter can hit the ball beyond the fielder's reach, i.e., beyond the boundary. If the batter cannot hit it across the boundary, then all four players run from their bases to the next one. If the batter reaches the home plate successfully, provided that the ball is not caught midair, and a fielder doesn't throw the ball back to the first base, the batter is awarded a run. A batter is also out if he misses the pitch three times, provided that the pitches made are valid.
Conclusion
Baseball is one of the most thrilling sports to watch or play right now, and as it has such simple rules and gameplay, it is much easier for beginners to get into. Even someone who knows only the basic rules can enjoy this beautiful game.