Baseball Article

Playing Baseball: The First Baseman

As everyone who loves the game of baseball knows, when a batter hits the baseball, he makes a run for first base. It is the responsibility of the first baseman to try to get the runner out by catching the baseball and tagging the base or the runner. Being tall and flexible comes in handy for this position in baseball because the first baseman must keep one foot on the base while stretching to catch a throw from the catcher, pitcher, or infielder so his catch results in an out for the opposing team.

The job of the first baseman is to field balls in the playing field around first base and to cover most of the plays on first base. Left handed throwers are often favored on first base because they can scoop up a ball and throw it quickly without having to change positions to face second base.

The first baseman will develop his skill at fielding ground balls by staying in front of the ball, scooping it up, and then throwing it to a team mate who is often the pitcher. He will also develop good technique for catching bunts and pop flies, as these types of hits often fall into the territory covered by the first baseman.

When no runner is positioned on first base, then the first baseman will stand about 10 feet away from the foul line so he can field balls easier. However if a runner occupies first base, then the first baseman will often stand right in front of the base.

First baseman is generally considered to be one of the easier positions to hold on a baseball team. The reason for this is because he is not required to have exceptional speed or agility to cover the base. Often times players will move to the position of first baseman later in their baseball careers when their athletic ability is no longer in top form. Still, first basemen are expected to be strong hitters.

First base holds important strategic considerations for a team when playing a game of baseball. So much so that first base is also called ‘the other hot corner’. Third base is known as ‘the hot corner’.

The first baseman has a unique baseball mitt which is longer than a regular baseball mitt and it doesn’t have individual fingers. This design makes for more efficient catching of the ball, especially if the ball bounces.

Some notable first basemen who have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame are Lou Gehrig, Frank Chance, Jimmie Foxx, Harmon Killebrew, and Johnny Mize.