What Kids Say:
"I like baseball because it is a mental sport. It's fun because you never
know whats going to happen next, I also like it because it is fun diving
for the ball or slideing into the bases and stealing."
-Juan
Pablo Braun, age 12, Santa Cruz, California |
Comments from an Expert:
Scott Keesling, adult, Los Gatos, California.
"I am currently the head coach of a Little League baseball team. The
players on the team range in age from 10 to 12 years old. My background
in this sport comes from playing since I was 4 years old, from Little League
through intramural in college. I have coached in Little League for 8 years."
How does this sport help your body?
Playing and practicing this sport improves the "hand-eye" coordination
of all of the players.
How does this sport help you mentally?
The mental aspect of baseball is very important. All of the players
in the field need to know what to do prior to each pitch of the game. With
each new hitter, a different situaton arises, which makes it necessary
for the players to plan ahead for many possible scenarios. Players at bat
need to pay attention to the pitcer and their coach, who is constantly
flashing different signals to the batter depending on each new pitch to
come. Baseball is a very "mental" game!
What sort of body type does a player need?
There is no specific "body type" needed for baseball. Small, big, skinny,
fat, fast and slow players can all play baseball if they can hit, pitch
or field well.
What are the dangers involved in playing this sport?
The dangers in basesball are many. Getting hit by a pitched ball can
bruise or even seriously injure a person. Sliding into a base improperly
can sprain or even break an ankle. These are the most
obvious types of injury, but others can occur.
What equipment do you need to play this sport?
The equipment needed for baseball include a bat, ball, glove and hat.
Total cost for equipment and registration runs about $250 per season.
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How
to Play
Links to Other Sites
U.S. Little League
History
Baseball is considered the national sport of the United States. Nobody
really invented baseball, it just grew out of other games. The first real
baseball diamond was in Cooperstown, New York. Abner Doubleday laid it
out in 1839. |