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  • Correct diagram of a ball field from Spalding's base ball guide, and official league book.
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Correct diagram of a ball field from Spalding's base ball guide, and official league book.

Object Details

Book Title
Spalding's base ball guide, and official league book.
Caption
Correct diagram of a ball field.
Educational Notes
The geometry used in this diagram of a baseball field from the late 19th century is far from off base! All four bases--1st, 2nd, 3rd, and home—all sit on perpendicular lines, or where two lines meet to form 90 degree angles. And, since the baseball diamond is also a perfect square that means the bases are equal distances apart from one another. Situated in the middle of the four bases, the pitcher’s mound, marked B in the diagram, is equal distance away from each base. At the center of the game, the pitcher creates a right triangle with any two adjacent baseman from their team when everyone is in position like the players who would stand on 1st and 2nd base. While the pitcher may be an equal distance away from each of the two basemen, however, the distance between the basemen is longer. On a right triangle, this distance would be called a hypotenuse, or the longest side of a right triangle.
Data Source
Smithsonian Libraries
Date
1895
Publication Date
1895
Image ID
SIL-39088015490030_spaldingquotsba1895_0162
Catalog ID
288015
Rights
No Copyright - United States
Type
Prints
Publication Place
New York (New York)
Publisher
A.G. Spalding & Bros.
See more items in
See Wonder
Topic
Math and Measurement
Math
Measurement
Geometry
Pythagorean Theorem
Perpendicular Lines
Right triangle
Angle
Adjacent
Hypotenuse
Baseball
Diamond
Square
Distance
Language
English
Record ID
silgoi_103977
Usage
CC0
No Copyright - United States
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
No Copyright - United States
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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Washington, DC 20002

Our entrance is on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE.

street map of Postal museum

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