"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball."
Jacques Barzun, French Philosopher
"Baseball is what we used to be. Football is what we have become."
Mary McGrory, American Journalist
Play Ball!
FIVE GREATEST PLAYERS OF ALL-TIME (ESPN)
#5 Hank Aaron
#4 Ted Williams
#3 Barry Bonds
#2 Willie Mays
#1 Babe Ruth
THREE SKILLS OF BASEBALL
1. Throw the ball!
2. Hit the ball!
3. Catch the ball!
BASEBALL BASICS
Two Teams: Home and Away Team. Guests bat first.
No clock: Nine innings. Each inning each team bats until three outs.
No ties: Extra innings. Longest game: 33 innings (Rochester Red Wings v. Pawtucket Red Socks)
Object: score the most runs (players running to home plate)
The Baseball Diamond
WHAT CAN HAPPEN AT BAT
Base Hit (Single)
A Double
A Triple
An RBI (Run Batted In)
A Home Run
A Grand Slam (home run with three men on base)
A Broken Bat!
Three Kinds of Strikes (missing the ball)
1. Swinging Strike
2. Called Strike
3. A Foul Ball (only first two)
(Watch out for foul balls!)
If you catch one, you take it home
3 Strikes = 1 Out (A Strikeout)
A Ball (pitcher throws outside the strike zone)
4 Balls = Walk (to first base)
A Ground Out
A Fly Out
3 Outs = 1/2 Inning Over
ORDER OF THE GAME
National Anthem, "Star-Spangled Banner" (all rise, remove hats)
First pitch (ceremonial)
Play ball! (innings 1 through 7 1/2)
"Seventh Inning Stretch" (all rise, sing "God Bless America" and "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"
Continue play (inning 7 1/2 to 9, extra innings if needed)
ROCHESTER RED WINGS (1899, one of the six oldest sports teams in the U.S.)
Logo
Mascots: Mittsy and Spikes
Frontier Field (considered by many best stadium in Minor League Baseball)
