baseball

CE5

A regulation baseball field. Minimum distance to the outfield fence is 250 ft; professional baseball fields constructed since 1958 have been at least 325 ft deep along the foul lines and 400 ft deep in center field.

baseball, bat-and-ball sport known as the national pastime of the United States. It derives its name from the four bases that form a diamond (the infield) around the pitcher's mound.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Amateur and International Baseball
• Expansion and Labor Conflict
• Integration of Professional Baseball
• The Golden Years
• The Development of Professional Baseball in the United States
• Early History
• Basic Rules
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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