America's pastime has been played as an organized sport for adult males since the mid-19th century. Over the years many aspects of the game have changed, including its professionalization for men and becoming a major amateur sport for women. One of the biggest changes has been the inclusion of a pitcher's mound. Since its inception the mound has undergone several revisions, resulting in the centerpiece of the infield that we know today.
History
Pitchers initially pitched from a pitcher's box marked on the field at 45 feet from home plate. The box was later moved back five feet because pitchers were overwhelming the batter. The game rules later required the pitcher to keep his back foot on a line that was 55.5 feet from the plate. In 1893, the pitcher's box was removed and the line replaced with the pitcher's rubber, which was moved back five more feet to a distance of 60.5 feet from home plate. The mound first found its way into the game around the turn of the 20th century, added at the request of pitchers who found a downhill stride to be advantageous. The mound height was limited to 15 inches at this time. As pitchers began to overwhelm batters again, the mound height dropped to 10 inches.
Dimensions
As of 2010 the official dimensions of the pitcher's mound according to Major League Baseball are 18 feet in diameter and a rise of 10 inches above the playing field. The center of the mound should be 59 feet from the back of home plate. The front of the pitching rubber, which is six inches by two feet, should be 18 inches back from the center of the mound.
Advantages
A pitching mound provides several advantages for the pitcher. The mound's elevation gives the pitcher more momentum and a more powerful stride to home plate. This provides higher ball velocity which, when combined with the downward angle of the pitch, makes hitting the ball more difficult.
Disadvantages
Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin have found that the height of the pitcher's mound can affect throwing motion and result in an increase of injury potential.
Maintenance
The maintenance of the mound is the responsibility of the grounds crew at each individual ballpark. This can be difficult given that weather as well as the mechanics of pitching result in damage to the mound.
Member Comments