Get ready with your bats to throw the ball out of the park or rocket it into the keeper's glove. Yes, kids. We're talking about Baseball, the game known to the entire world and loved by America. Most of you must be spending hours playing Baseball and having matches with other teams. But for those of you who don't know much about the game, here's something that'll tell you all that there is to know about it.

Object:

The object of the game is to score more runs than the opposing team.

Definitions:

1. Altered Bat:

A bat is altered when the physical structure of a legal bat has been changed. Examples of altering a bat, are replacing the handle bat with a wooden or other type handle, inserting material inside the bat, applying excessive tape (more than 2 layers) to the bat grip, or painting a bat other than for identification purposes at the top or bottom. Replacing the grip with another legal grip is not considered altering a bat. A "flare or cone" grip attached to the bat is an altered bat.

2. Appeal Play:

An appeal play is a play upon which the umpire cannot make a decision until requested by a player or coach. The appeal must be made before the next pitch, legal or illegal. If the appeal is made at the end of an inning or at the end of a game, the appeal will not be accepted, if all the players of the defensive team have abandoned fair territory.

3. Base on Balls:

A base on balls permits a batter to gain first base without liability to be put out and is awarded to a batsman by the umpire when four pitches are judged to be balls.

4. BasePath:

A base path is an imaginary line 3 feet to either side of a direct line between the bases.

5. Base Runner:

A base runner is a player of the team at bat who has finished his turn at the bat, reached first base, and has not yet been put out.

6. Batted Ball:

A batted ball is any ball that hits the bat or is hit by the bat and which lands either in fair or foul territory. No intention to hit the ball is necessary.

7. Batter's Box:

The batter's box is the area to which the batter is restricted while in position with the intention of helping his team to obtain runs. The lines are considered inside the batter's box. Prior to the pitch the batter must have both feet entirely within the lines of the batter's box.

The Playing Field.

The playing field is that area within which the ball is played, according to rules. It consists of a clear, unobstructed area with a minimum radius of 70 m. Outside the foul lines and between home plate and the backstop, there is an undisturbed area that is not less than 25 feet in width.

Equipment.

The bat is made up of one piece of hard wood or formed from a block of wood consisting of two or more pieces of wood fixed together with an adhesive. It can also be made up of plastic, bamboo, graphite, metal, magnesium or any combination of these. It is round on three sides and smooth to touch.
It is not more than 34 inches long and 38 ounces in weight.

The ball is a regular, smooth seamed, concealed-stitched or flat surfaced. Its center is made up of either long fiber kapok or a mixture of cork and rubber. Its cover is of chrome-tanned horsehide cemented to the underside of the cover, and sewn with cotton or linen thread. Sometimes, the cover may be made of synthetic material.

Shoes have to be worn by all the players. Officially, only shoes with canvas or leather uppers are allowed.

The Team.

A team consists of nine players. If there's a "Designated Hitter" then there are ten players. Each player has a particular position. They are as follows:
Pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, left fielder, center fielder and right fielder. The players of a team may be positioned anywhere on the field, except the catcher, who must be in the catcher's box and the pitcher, who must be in the pitching position at the start of each pitch, or within the 8 feet circle, when putting the ball in play for an appeal play. A Designated Hitter, referred to as DH, may be used for any player provided it is made known before the start of the game and his name is there on the line up sheet. Thereafter, the DH will remain in the same position in the batting order for the whole game. He cannot enter the game on defense, though.

The Game.

The choice of the First or Last Bat in the inning shall be decided by a Toss of a coin unless otherwise stated in the rules of the Organization under which the schedule of games is being played. Solely the plate umpire shall decide the fitness of the ground for a game. Regulation game shall consist of 7 innings.

(a) A full 7 innings need not be played if the team second at bat scores more runs in the innings or before the third out in the last of the 7 inning.
(b) A game that is tied at the end of 7 innings shall be continued by playing additional innings, or until one side has scored more runs than the other at the end of a complete inning, before the third out is made.
(c) A game called by the umpire shall be regulation if five or more complete innings have been played or if the team second at bat has scored more runs than the other team has scored more runs than the other team has scored in 5 or more innings. The umpire is empowered to call a game at any time because of rain, darkness, fire, panic or any other cause that puts the patrons or players in peril.

When the ball is hit into the audience whoever takes it is allowed to keep it.