Learn Some Basic Baseball Vocabulary

Baseball vocabulary is full of terms that help define and describe a game. This activity will help students get acquainted with these important words.

Bases – the four bases on which players run to score runs. Double – a hit that reaches two bases. Triple – a hit that reaches all three bases. Home Run – a home run is a round ball that travels over the fence of a baseball field. Walk – when the pitcher intentionally gives up a base on balls to the batter to give the hitter an opportunity to move around the bases. Out – when a player gets tagged or thrown out by a fielder at the base he/she is attempting to advance to.

Count – the total number of balls and strikes called against a batter. Centerfield – the area of the playing field that extends outward from the infield. Curveball – a pitch that angles toward the batter’s left or right when thrown with the left hand and vice versa. Cut Fastball – a pitch with a slight break in its movement. Cutter – a type of fastball that angles away from the batter as it approaches home plate.

Pine Tar – A sticky substance used by a batter to improve his grip on the bat.

A game of baseball consists of nine innings in which both teams take turns being on offense and defense. An inning is a set of nine innings in which a team takes turns at bat and has the chance to score points by advancing runners to the next base.