late or is hit by the batter）； and if a pitcher balks； illegally moving his or her feet off the pitching plate while a runner is on base； a runner is not awarded a free base … the pitch is deemed a ball instead。
Inning （or frame）棒球和垒球的局：
每局分为top上半局和bottom下半局，上下半局双方互换攻守。
The inning is completed when both teams have had their turn on the offensive position （while the opposing players were on the defensive position）。
A baseball game is generally nine innings long。 A fast pitch softball game is generally seven innings long。 Each inning is divided into two halves： top and bottom。 Usually； to start a game teams flip a coin to decide which side will bat first。 On the league matches； the visiting team always bats in the first half （top） of the inning。 Both teams are allowed three outs per half inning。 If a game ends in a tie； extra innings are played until one team outscores the other。
Professional Baseball
职业棒球
As baseball's popularity grew； many people began to see the potential for financial gain。 By the 1850s； landowners were regularly maintaining baseball parks to rent to baseball clubs。 Baseball teams customarily collected donations from fans to cover the costs。 The first fully enclosed baseball park； the Union Grounds in Brooklyn； was completed in 1862。 This style of park soon became popular because owners could sell food and drink to spectators without competition from street vendors。 The National Association of Base Ball Players （NABBP）； an organization formed in 1858； prohibited members from taking payment for playing baseball。 During the early 1860s ballpark owners earned large profits while the amateur ball players provided free entertainment。 Pressure from players eventually forced the NABBP to change its policy in 1868 and allow players to accept money。 This ruling marked the birth of professional baseball。 The first professional baseball team； the Cincinnati Red Stockings； began playing in 1869。 They traveled the country that year； playing before thousands of fans and winning 60 games without loss。 Soon baseball's promoters began forming professional baseball clubs in cities across the Northeastern and Midwestern United States。 By 1870 professional players outnumbered amateurs in the NABBP and the remaining amateurs withdrew。 In 1871 the organization became the National Association of Professional Baseball Players。 The new National Association represented players from ten clubs。 In effect； these clubs made up the first professional baseball league。 They introduced the practice of league competition and concluded their regular season with a pennant race and championship。 However； the National Association suffered from poor management and by 1876 it had folded completely。
随着棒球在美国的普及，越来越多的人认识到棒球的经济价值。到了19世纪50年代，土地拥有者们开始开辟棒球场，出租给俱乐部。棒球队则以接受球迷捐赠为经济来源，支付费用。1862年，在纽约布鲁克林建立了第一个全封闭的棒球球场。很快，这种球场就被争相效仿，因为球场主可以向观众出售食物和饮料，而不必担心与街头小贩们的竞争。1858年，全国棒球运动员协会成立了，禁止会员接受比赛佣金。19世纪60年代早期，业余棒球球员为比赛免费提供娱乐表演，球场主们从中获利不菲。1868年，来自球员的压力最终致使了全国棒球运动员协会不得不改变政策，允许球员接受比赛佣金。这个政策标志着棒球运动开始走向职业化。1869年，第一支职业棒球队—辛辛那提红袜队开始参加比赛。同年，他们到美国各地循环比赛，在数千球迷的欢呼声中，创造了连胜60场的不朽战绩。很快，许多东北部和中西部的职业球队也联合起来，组成各种联盟。1870年，美国棒球运动员协会的职业球员人数超过了业余球员，剩下的业余球员退出联盟。1871年，全国棒联改组为全国职业棒球运动员协会。这一新的全国协会，代表10个俱乐部的职业运动员，实际上这些俱乐部组成了历史上第一个职业棒球联盟。他们主办联盟间比赛，以锦标赛决出赛季冠军。但是，由于管理不善，1876年全国协会被迫停止。
More about Professional Baseball
Major League Baseball（MLB）美国职业棒球大联盟：
Major league baseball represents the highest level of baseball competition in North America。 It includes teams from the United States and Canada。 The major leagues are divided into the National League （NL） and the American League （AL）。 The teams of each league are grouped into three divisions within their league。 In both the NL and AL； the divisions are called the East Division； the Central Division； and the West Division。
The major league baseball season lasts from April （or late March） to October and includes the regular season； the playoffs； and the World Series。 Teams play 162 games during the regular season。 The team with the most victories in each division becomes the division winner and earns the right to compete in the playoffs。 The team with the best record in each league after the division winners also is included in the playoffs as a wild…card team。
Each league holds a separate playoff； featuring their three division winners and the wild…card team。 These teams are paired and face each other in a series of games。 The teams that win the most games in a series earn the right to move on to the next round of playoffs。 The final series in the league playoffs determines which team wins the pennant； or championship； of their league。 The NL and AL pennant winners meet in the World Series； and the winner of this series becomes the major league world champion。
The major leagues also hold an annual competition called the All…Star Game； which matches a team of NL players against a team of AL players。 Baseball fans select the starting players in the game。 It takes place during the All…Star break； a period in the middle of the regular season during which teams temporarily rest from competition。
Team Management 职业球队的管理：
Every Major League Baseball team is part of a baseball club； which includes the team； the owner； and the team management。 The owner may be an individual； a group； or a corporation。 Club owners provide the money that a team needs to operate。 They work with the team management to organize activities such as running a stadium and selling tickets and concessions。
Club owners and management recruit players for the team。 The complicated system of recruitment and payment of players is controlled by strict league rules； which involve the number of players clubs may have and the contracts； or agreements； that clubs and players sign。 A union； called the Major League Players Association； advises players in these matters。
KEY WORDS 重点词汇
baseball
棒球
ballpark
棒球场
rounders
圆场棒球
Knickerbockers
纽约人队
home base
本垒
base
垒位
foul lines
界外线
softball
垒球
pitch speed
投球速度
fast…pitch
快式投球
slow…pitch
慢式投球
modified…pitch
变换式投球
International Softball Federation （ISF）
国际垒球联合会
正文棒球和垒球的规则
Main difference between Baseball and Softball棒球与垒球的主要区别：
Softball垒球
Baseball棒球
Weight of ball 球重
177…200 g
141。7…148。8 g
Around length of ball 球周长
30。2…30。8 cm
22。9…23。5 cm
Max。 length of bat 球棒最长限度
0。864 m
1。07 m
Max。 weight of bat 球棒最大重量
1077 g
No prohibition
Distance between base 垒间距离
18。3 m
27。45 m
Distance of homerun 本垒打距离
61 m
91 m
Distance of pitcher 投球距离
12。2 m
18。4 m
Pitcher’s way 投球方法
Underhand only
No prohibition
Innings 局数
7
9
Pitcher’s speed 投手投球速度
100…115km/h
140…160km/h
Baseball field
棒球场地
Baseball is played on a level field； which usually covers about 0。8 hectares。 The playing area is divided into the infield and the outfield。 Together； these two areas make up fair territory。 The rest of the field is called foul territory。 The infield consists of a square…shaped plot called the diamond。 One corner of the diamond is marked by a five…sided piece of rubber called a home plate。 Batters hit the ball from a position on either side of home plate； depending on their preference。 At the three other corners of the infield—moving counterclockwise from home plate—are first base； second base； and third base。 Each base is marked with a canvas bag。 The pitcher's mound； a slightly raised piece of ground； lies near the center of the infield； between home plate and second base。 A strip of rubber is nailed to the top of the mound； 18 m from home plate。 Pitchers place one foot on the rubber when they put the ball in play。 Base lines run from home plate to first base and from home plate to t