MOW THE FIELD AND THEY WILL COME! Thanks to wonderful notion to mark out a baseball diamond on the farm field in front of his house (don’t know where he got that idea) we enjoyed one of the best baseball days ever down in the Townland of Kylemore a few miles outside Ballinasloe on the Portumna road. Richard Murray our Youth Secretary had kept the grass of Church Field mowed in preparation for this inaugural tournament. The omens were good and we were blessed by perfect baseball weather. It may not be Iowa but this is the heart of Ireland’s Mid West. Richard’s directions led me to the bog road that runs along the side of the former school house. Church Field used to be the playground for the children who attended the school and its use dates back to the 17 th Century. There is no M50 traffic chaos down here and the only delays are welcome reminders of where you are. I had to give way to tractors hauling turf from the bog and cattle being moved to fresh pasture. When I arrived the field was set up and the barbeque was sizzling. It doesn’t get much better than this. The teams arrived from Dublin, Cavan and Kerry. We had cadets and Little Leaguers. The field may not have been the most level of playing surfaces and the left field porch was probably a bit too short for our bigger cadets. However, this only served to add to the experience and we were able to improvise with some ground rules involving the power cables that hung below the trees in left (very rural Ireland). I could recount in great detail and with great gusto the epic endeavours of the young ballplayers who hustled around the bases, threw and caught the ball with great endeavour and who despatched it skyward in the direction of the next field with the might of their bats. However, to single out any individual or team for special attention would be to do a disservice to the collective effort. Suffice to say, they were all great. If there is a recipe for great baseball days then we must have mixed all the ingredients to perfection. Of course, none of this would have happened without the inspired imagination of Richard Murray (maybe a nod to WP Kinsella) and a willing team of helpers. Special thanks must go to the catering staff of Jacky Pierce and Diana Murray. The brownies were superb. I would also like to thank all the coaches, umpires and parents who helped make it a special day. And, of course, we have to thank the kids who came out to play. Will Beglane - Coach and Umpire on the day

Youth Baseball - Who ya' gonna call?
If you would like additional information about youth baseball in Ireland, please contact Will Beglane
Or, alternatively, contact the teams directly by clicking the link below.

Tee - adjustable, flexible tube on a moveable base.
Athletic footwear.

The major differences in play concern winning / losing and what constitutes an inning. As children play to win in other games and view competitive sports on TV, many t-ball leagues sanction scoring and winning for the older and / or more mature players (usually six years and up). This also permits another level of play, specifically tournaments and other competitive events. Otherwise, tee ball can be positioned as a skill building, learning experience, where the score is not the focus of the game. Some leagues prefer to consider an inning to be the traditional three outs but the majority of play is "bat around" where an inning is over after every player has batted one time.

Coach pitched is a modification of the game usually reserved for older players. A coach (adult or mature teen-ager) throws the ball to the batter. Underhand pitches can be thrown with an arc to reduce speed. Overhand pitches can be thrown from one knee on the ground to put the pitcher at the same level as the batter. If the player is unable to hit the pitched ball after a pre-determined number of throws -- usually, four to seven -- the ball is placed on a tee and the player's turn continues. All other rules are the same.

The field of play is shared by an infield and an outfield and is separated into fair and foul territory.
The field is similar to dimensions of a youth baseball / Little League type field but with only 50 feet between the bases.
The diamond is a square with a base at each corner.
The bases include first, second, and third base.
The playing line is an imaginary line running between first base and third base.
It can also be an arc, a curved circle extending out 40 feet from the point of home plate.
Home plate is made of white rubber, is five-sided and is set flush with the ground. It is 17 inches wide across the edge facing the infield, 8½ inches long on each side and 12 inches long on the sides of the point facing the catcher.The centre of the pitcher's area is 38 feet from the point of home plate.
When having coach pitched games the ball is pitched from here.
The batter's boxes are to be 5 feet long by 3 feet wide (optional).
The batting tee is placed on home plate, 2 feet from the front edge of the boxes and 3 feet from their rear border.
The outfield is the wide area of the playing field beyond the diamond and most distant from home plate.
The foul lines extend from home plate past first and third bases.
Fair territory is the playing field within and including the foul lines; foul territory is the area outside the foul lines.
The foul strike area is ten feet out from the batting tee.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

What is the real or imaginary line for?
The line between 1st and 3rd bases or an arc 40 feet from home plate is to keep fielders away from where the batter hits the ball. It is a safety rule. It also gives the defensive players some time to react in fielding the ball: moving up, back or to the side.

What are the ages for playing tee ball?
The recommended ages are four through seven. By eight or nine the players can move into standard baseball.

Is coach-pitch part of tee ball?
Yes. It is most effective when used with older players. See Rules pages.

What does "bat around" mean?
An inning is over after every player has batted one time; then, the sides switch. This is the greatly favoured alternative to the traditional three outs, as it insures that all the players on the team at bat participate in each inning