Application
1. Field Infrastructure (The Core Hardware)
The design and materials of the field itself directly affect the fairness of the game and the safety of the athletes.
· Field Surface:
· Infield: Primarily consists of a "dirt area" made of a specific blend of red clay (a proportional mix of clay, sand, and silt) for the pitcher's mound, baselines, and home plate area, alongside the infield grass.
· Outfield: Typically natural grass (with height usually maintained between 2.5 and 4 cm) or professional-grade sports artificial turf.
· Warning Track: A grass-free red clay strip (about 3 to 5 meters wide) running along the outfield wall. It alerts outfielders that they are approaching the wall through the change in texture underfoot.
· Fences & Walls:
· Backstop: A tall protective net or screen (usually over 10 meters high) located behind home plate to prevent foul balls from injuring spectators.
· Outfield Wall: The boundary wall of the outfield (usually 1.83 meters or higher). Protective padding must be installed on the front facing the field to prevent players from getting injured during collision plays.
· Foul Poles: Bright yellow vertical poles placed at the intersection of the first/third base lines and the outfield wall, used to determine whether a home run is fair or foul.
· Drainage & Irrigation System:
· High-density PE drainage pipes (subdrainage) must be laid underground to ensure the field surface drains quickly and does not accumulate water after heavy rain.
· A sprinkler system is required to water the grass during dry seasons and to dampen the red clay area to prevent dust.
2. Essential Equipment for Games & Training
These are the core pieces of equipment required to conduct baseball activities properly.
· Fixed Equipment:
· Home Plate & Pitcher's Plate: A standard five-sided rubber home plate, and a dedicated rubber pitching rubber installed at the center of the pitcher's mound.
· Bases: White square canvas or rubber bases for first, second, and third base, securely anchored to the ground using underground mounts.
· Bullpen:
· The warm-up area for pitchers, located either in the foul territory along the first and third base lines or beyond the outfield wall. Each bullpen should feature at least two parallel pitcher's mounds and catcher's boxes for relief pitchers to warm up.
· Field Lighting:
· If night games are planned, 4 to 8 professional high-mast LED sports lighting towers must be installed. The lighting must meet the lux standards required for official games and television broadcasts, featuring advanced anti-glare technology.
· Scoreboard:
· Generally positioned beyond the center-outfield wall to display innings, scores, balls/strikes/outs (B/S/O), hits, and errors in real-time.
3. Player & Umpire Functional Areas
Spaces designed to accommodate participants for rest, changing, and tactical preparation.
· Dugouts:
· Located on both the first and third base sides, these are typically designed as semi-sunken structures or equipped with sturdy protective roofs.
· The interior must be equipped with benches (seating at least 25 people), bat racks, helmet racks, and rosin bags.
· Functional Rooms:
· Home/Visitor Locker Rooms: Equipped with lockers, showers, and restroom facilities.
· Umpire's Room: An independent locker and rest space separate from both teams.
· Medical First Aid Station: Stocked with stretchers, first aid kits, and coolers filled with ice for acute injury management.
4. Spectator Stands & Broadcasting Facilities
· Spectator Seating: Seating capacity should be planned based on the project's scale. The area behind home plate offers the prime viewing angle, and installing a sunshade canopy is highly recommended.
· Media & Administration Rooms: Includes an official scoring/statistics room, a press conference room, an announcer/broadcasting booth, and various camera platforms positioned around the stadium.