Tee Ball
Encyclopedia
Tee Ball or T-Ball is a sport
based on baseball
and is intended as an introduction for children to develop baseball skills and have fun. The name Tee Ball is a registered trademark while T-Ball is the generic name, although many sources use Tee Ball as a generic title.
is usually used for defensive purposes only. The ball
is placed on an adjustable tee
atop the home plate at a suitable height for the batter
to strike. (In some clubs, adult coaches give the batter an opportunity to try and hit a few pitched balls before going to the tee in the hope that this will further develop batting skills.) Most of the other rules are similar or identical to those of baseball, though the game is played on a smaller field.
In many organizations, score is not kept and rules are designed to maximize participation: an inning
is completed once each child has had a turn at bat and all extra players of the defensive team play in the outfield
every inning. (In some clubs, an inning is played similar to baseball, which is once the defensive team has made three outs, the team at bat plays defense and the defensive team takes the bat.) To encourage the defensive team to try to make plays, there are typically no extra bases on overthrows and runners may not advance after the ball is in possession of an infielder
.
Many parents assist during the game by coaching players in the dugout, in the field, on the bases, and at the plate. They also perform the task of umpiring. A roster is typically displayed to the fans cheering from the bleachers.
s: image.
Balls: typically appear identical to baseballs but are slightly softer to reduce injuries: 9" to 9½" around, 4 to 6 ounces weight, with a molded core or sponge rubber center.
Footwear: Athletic, rubber cleats
government by Dayton Hobbs in the early 1970s, but the game's origins date back to at least the 1940s and 50s with several people claiming to be the father of the game. Claude Lewis, director of the Warner Robins, Georgia Recreation Department, formed a tee-ball league in March 1958. 20 children played the first year. Lewis designed rules for the new game and mailed the rule books out to rec departments all over the country and overseas.
Albion, Michigan
claims to be the place of invention for the sport in 1956, though Starkville, Mississippi
makes a similar claim that Tee Ball was invented in their town in 1961. According to the Starkville Rotary Club's website: "In 1961, when it was apparent that younger children needed some way to participate in the program, Rotarians Dr. Clyde Muse and W. W. Littlejohn devised the game of T-Ball and added it to the summer baseball program." Dr. Hobbs has credited the United States Navy
with spreading the game overseas. U.S. presidents since Ronald Reagan
have hosted T-Ball games on the South Lawn of the White House
.
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
based on baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and is intended as an introduction for children to develop baseball skills and have fun. The name Tee Ball is a registered trademark while T-Ball is the generic name, although many sources use Tee Ball as a generic title.
Description
In T-Ball, the pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
is usually used for defensive purposes only. The ball
Ball
A ball is a round, usually spherical but sometimes ovoid, object with various uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for simpler activities, such as catch, marbles and juggling...
is placed on an adjustable tee
Tee
A tee is a stand used to support a stationary ball so that the player can strike it, particularly in golf, tee ball, American football, and rugby.- Etymology :...
atop the home plate at a suitable height for the batter
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
to strike. (In some clubs, adult coaches give the batter an opportunity to try and hit a few pitched balls before going to the tee in the hope that this will further develop batting skills.) Most of the other rules are similar or identical to those of baseball, though the game is played on a smaller field.
In many organizations, score is not kept and rules are designed to maximize participation: an inning
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
is completed once each child has had a turn at bat and all extra players of the defensive team play in the outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
every inning. (In some clubs, an inning is played similar to baseball, which is once the defensive team has made three outs, the team at bat plays defense and the defensive team takes the bat.) To encourage the defensive team to try to make plays, there are typically no extra bases on overthrows and runners may not advance after the ball is in possession of an infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
.
Many parents assist during the game by coaching players in the dugout, in the field, on the bases, and at the plate. They also perform the task of umpiring. A roster is typically displayed to the fans cheering from the bleachers.
Kit specification
Bats: 25" to 26" long, 2¼" diameter, maximum weight 17 to 20 ounceOunce
The ounce is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems...
s: image.
Balls: typically appear identical to baseballs but are slightly softer to reduce injuries: 9" to 9½" around, 4 to 6 ounces weight, with a molded core or sponge rubber center.
Footwear: Athletic, rubber cleats
History
A Tee Ball trademark was registered with the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government by Dayton Hobbs in the early 1970s, but the game's origins date back to at least the 1940s and 50s with several people claiming to be the father of the game. Claude Lewis, director of the Warner Robins, Georgia Recreation Department, formed a tee-ball league in March 1958. 20 children played the first year. Lewis designed rules for the new game and mailed the rule books out to rec departments all over the country and overseas.
Albion, Michigan
Albion, Michigan
Albion is a city in Calhoun County in the south central region of the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The population was 9,144 at the 2000 census and is part of the Battle Creek Metropolitan Statistical Area...
claims to be the place of invention for the sport in 1956, though Starkville, Mississippi
Starkville, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
makes a similar claim that Tee Ball was invented in their town in 1961. According to the Starkville Rotary Club's website: "In 1961, when it was apparent that younger children needed some way to participate in the program, Rotarians Dr. Clyde Muse and W. W. Littlejohn devised the game of T-Ball and added it to the summer baseball program." Dr. Hobbs has credited the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
with spreading the game overseas. U.S. presidents since Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
have hosted T-Ball games on the South Lawn of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
.