does anyone know the height of the mound? I know all the distances, but I am repairing a mound and am trying to make sure I don't exceed the legal limits.
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The top of the pitchers plate must be no higher than 10 inches above the top surface of Home plate.
A full discription of the pitchers mound is available in any NFHS rule book under Rule 1 section 2 article 1.
A full discription of the pitchers mound is available in any NFHS rule book under Rule 1 section 2 article 1.
...and if you actually build it to the rule, you'll have one of the few "legal" mounds in the continental US! I don't know why it is, but it seems like people compete to see who can build the tallest HS pitching mound. Some look like you could build a pretty good luge track on 'em...
D'oh!
D'oh!
A couple of years ago we had our entire infield replaced. We tore up the sod and skin and had home and the mound redone. We had the work done by a professional crew that only does athletic fields. The mound was put at 10" above home plate as the rules state. Well after they had finished the job we stared at the mound for a couple of days in disbelief. We kept saying man that looks so low. We actually called the crew chief back out and he put a laser on the mound and home plate and sure enough it was right on 10". Well everytime someone came to our field to play the first thing the opposing coach would say is "Man your mound sure is low". Judgeing by our mound I would say that most mounds around here are 16 - 20inches high. Some might be higher.
Wow, I'm guessing our mound is prolly around 15 inches. Guess we're not legal. Does this also apply to colleges? If anyone's seen the mounds at Yavapai, there's no way they're only 10 inches.
Brice
Brice
Mounds, Like much of the dimensions of all non-professional parks are all suspect. Field maintenence is usually not a priority beyond the constant dragging that most HS people do. I do not believe that I umpire on any fields that has the same mound height.
That being said, what can you do about it? Not Much. It is something that you have to deal with. I posted this in a question about base distances. There are a number of things in sports (not just baseball) that are assumed. Is the pitchers mound 60'6" from home, is the mound no higher than 10", are the bases right, is the hoop actually 10' off the floor?
When these things are found out the only fair way is to continue the inning so that no team
had an advantage. Once that inning was completed, call out the crew and get it fixed.
Now as for mound height, now way I am going to have a lazer transom handy to judge it. I have measured mounds with the old string and a ruler method. But thats like measuring with a yard stick and cutting with a hacksaw.....
PS OkieBisel..........Yes, this applies to colleges as well.......
That being said, what can you do about it? Not Much. It is something that you have to deal with. I posted this in a question about base distances. There are a number of things in sports (not just baseball) that are assumed. Is the pitchers mound 60'6" from home, is the mound no higher than 10", are the bases right, is the hoop actually 10' off the floor?
When these things are found out the only fair way is to continue the inning so that no team
had an advantage. Once that inning was completed, call out the crew and get it fixed.
Now as for mound height, now way I am going to have a lazer transom handy to judge it. I have measured mounds with the old string and a ruler method. But thats like measuring with a yard stick and cutting with a hacksaw.....
PS OkieBisel..........Yes, this applies to colleges as well.......