Little League Baseball is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1939 to administer Little League International and its regional centers and districts throughout the world. Little League promotes character development for its young participants and encourages good citizenship and physical fitness. The Little League organization provides rules and instructions to its chartered leagues, thereby guaranteeing consistency throughout its vast network of teams. The Little League baseball diamond is one of the standard components governed by the organization's official rules.
Diamond Dimensions
Home plate and the three bases form the outline of the Little League baseball diamond. The baseball diamond dimensions do not include the grass and dirt areas, which are additions for cosmetic purposes and player convenience. Little League baseball diamonds are 50-feet square, 60-feet square and 90-feet square, depending on the division. The foul lines are the white lines that start at the outside edges of home plate, extend on each side to the outside edges of first and third bases and continue through the outfield for the Little League-recommended distance of 200 feet.
Pitching Mound and Bases
The Little League pitcher's mound is in the center of a 10-foot diameter circle. The pitching distance, which is measured from the pitcher's mound in the middle of the diamond to home plate, is 46 feet on the 60-foot diamond and 60 feet 6 inches on a 90-foot diamond. The distance between bases is 60 feet on a 60-foot diamond and 90 feet on a 90-foot diamond. Home plate sits inside an 18-foot diameter circle.
60-Foot Diamond Leagues
The Minor League Baseball Division for male and female players ages 7 to 12, the 9- to 10-Year-Old Baseball Division, which is a tournament program, the Little League baseball division, also called the major division, for ages 9 to 12, and the Tee Ball Baseball League Division for ages 5 to 8 play on a 60-foot diamond with a pitching distance of 46 feet. Tee Ball leagues may choose to use a 50-foot diamond. Tee Ball League players hit the ball off tees. No live pitching is allowed.
90-Foot Diamond Leagues
The 90-foot diamond with a pitching distance of 60 feet 6 inches is used by three Little League Baseball divisions, which include male and female players: Junior League Baseball for ages 13 to 14, Senior League Baseball for ages 15 to 16 and Big League Baseball for ages 16 to 18. The Little League organization allows the Junior League Baseball Division to use a modified diamond during its regular season when not participating in tournaments.
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