The Strike Zone in Major League Baseball is always a fantastic topic of discussion. It is probably the one rule most susceptible to human error within all professional sports and it is the part of the game that all of us like to share our own opinions about; "that was outside", or "that looked good to me" ring through baseball stadiums throughout USA.
This particular controversy is not something new to the sport. Major league baseball has changed the Strike Zone rules often times over. Here's a brief history of some of those changes.
In 1876, the Strike Zone rule read like this:
"The batsman, on taking his position, must demand a 'high,' 'low,' or 'fair' pitch, and also the umpire shall inform the pitcher to deliver the ball as required; this type of call cannot be altered after the first pitch is supplied."
But, in 1887 this rule was revoked and it started to look a lot more like the rule we're familiar with nowadays.
"A (strike) is described as a pitch that 'passes over home plate not lower than the batsman's knee, nor above his shoulders.'"
Between 1987 and 1949 there were several rule adjustments that additionally defined what a strike was and what a ball was but the subsequent significant rule change happened in 1950 when the Strike Zone changed from the top of the shoulders and bottom of the knees to the armpits and top of the knees.
"The Strike Zone is always that space over home plate which can be between the batter's armpits and also the top of his knees as he assumes his natural stance."
In 1963 the rule changed again to read,
"The Strike Zone is that space over home plate which is between the top batter's shoulders and his knees when he assumes his natural stance. The umpire will determine the Strike Zone according to the batter's usual stance when he swings in a pitch."
However, this didn't last for very long and it altered back in 1969. "The Strike Zone is that space over home plate which can be between the batter's armpits and also the top of his knees when he assumes a natural stance. The umpire shall figure out the Strike Zone based on the batter's usual stance when he swings at a pitch."
In 1988 we saw, maybe, the most important Strike Zone rule change since 1950. The top Strike Zone was lowered.
"The Strike Zone is always that area over home plate the upper limit of which is really a horizontal line in the midpoint in between the top of the shoulders and also the top of the uniform pants, and also the lower level is a line towards the top of the knees. The Strike Zone shall be decided from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball."
The most recent rule change occurred in 1996. It was also a significant Strike Zone rule change since it lowered the bottom of the Strike Zone to the bottom of the knees again.
This particular controversy is not something new to the sport. Major league baseball has changed the Strike Zone rules often times over. Here's a brief history of some of those changes.
In 1876, the Strike Zone rule read like this:
"The batsman, on taking his position, must demand a 'high,' 'low,' or 'fair' pitch, and also the umpire shall inform the pitcher to deliver the ball as required; this type of call cannot be altered after the first pitch is supplied."
But, in 1887 this rule was revoked and it started to look a lot more like the rule we're familiar with nowadays.
"A (strike) is described as a pitch that 'passes over home plate not lower than the batsman's knee, nor above his shoulders.'"
Between 1987 and 1949 there were several rule adjustments that additionally defined what a strike was and what a ball was but the subsequent significant rule change happened in 1950 when the Strike Zone changed from the top of the shoulders and bottom of the knees to the armpits and top of the knees.
"The Strike Zone is always that space over home plate which can be between the batter's armpits and also the top of his knees as he assumes his natural stance."
In 1963 the rule changed again to read,
"The Strike Zone is that space over home plate which is between the top batter's shoulders and his knees when he assumes his natural stance. The umpire will determine the Strike Zone according to the batter's usual stance when he swings in a pitch."
However, this didn't last for very long and it altered back in 1969. "The Strike Zone is that space over home plate which can be between the batter's armpits and also the top of his knees when he assumes a natural stance. The umpire shall figure out the Strike Zone based on the batter's usual stance when he swings at a pitch."
In 1988 we saw, maybe, the most important Strike Zone rule change since 1950. The top Strike Zone was lowered.
"The Strike Zone is always that area over home plate the upper limit of which is really a horizontal line in the midpoint in between the top of the shoulders and also the top of the uniform pants, and also the lower level is a line towards the top of the knees. The Strike Zone shall be decided from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball."
The most recent rule change occurred in 1996. It was also a significant Strike Zone rule change since it lowered the bottom of the Strike Zone to the bottom of the knees again.
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