CONVERSION BASE FOR BASEBALL/SOFTBALL FIELD

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. App. No. 63/564,149 filed Mar. 12, 2024 and entitled “Conversion Base For Baseball Field,” said application being incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND

This application relates to bases for baseball and softball fields or baseball/softball diamonds, and in particular to an 18″ base which can be used to convert a baseball diamond previously prepared for use with 15″ bases.

In 2023, Major League Baseball (MLB) increased the size of bases for baseball fields/baseball diamonds from 15″ to 18″. Baseball bases typically comprise a base pad with an anchor post extending from the bottom of the pad. This post is received in an anchor tube in the field and will maintain the position of the base on the field during game play.

The anchor post is centered relative to the base. This makes positioning the base on the field simpler. However, with the advent of 18″ bases, if the anchor post is positioned in center of the base, in accordance with the manner in which bases are currently made, then an outer edge of the base will be outside of the base line. This is problematic, especially for 1st and 3rd bases, as the edges of 1st and 3rd bases which are directed toward home base must be on, or aligned with, the base line.

A possible option is to move the diamond's pre-existing anchor tube or add a new anchor tube so that the 18″ base will be properly positioned. This might be acceptable on a natural grass field, but would still involve a fair amount of labor, and thus cost, to move the anchor tube or install the new anchor tube, as it is embedded in a concrete block which is buried underground. However, it would not be acceptable on an artificial turf field. Artificial turf fields involve a significant amount of infrastructure that underlies the artificial turf. This infrastructure, for example, allows for the field to drain. Installing a new anchor tube or moving the anchor tube would require significant disruption of the underlying infrastructure, and would be very expensive and time consuming. Universities, colleges, high schools, and municipalities typically have baseball diamonds, and some have multiple baseball diamonds. Such institutions do not have the money readily available to retrofit a baseball diamond. They will thus be hesitant to make the change from 15″ to 18″ bases.

I have provided a new baseball base which will allow such institutions to use an 18″ base on baseball fields prepared or designed for use with 15″ bases without the need to alter the grounds of baseball field.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Briefly stated, a baseball base is provided which can be used to convert a baseball diamond from a diamond having 15″ bases to having 18″ bases without the need to alter the grounds of the baseball diamond. The base comprises a base top/cushion and an anchor post extending from a bottom of the base top/cushion. The base top defines a square having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side extending between first ends of the first and second sides, and a fourth side opposite the third side and extending between second ends of the first and second sides. All of the sides are about 18″ in length. The anchor post is positioned, such that a center of the anchor post is about 7½″ from the first edge, about 10½″ from the second edge, and about 9″ from each of the third and fourth edges.

In an embodiment, the anchor post extends from an anchor base which is received in a bottom side of the base top.

In accordance with another aspect, a kit is provided for converting a baseball diamond from using 15″ bases to using 18″ bases. The kit comprising a first base, a second base, and a third base; wherein the first and third bases are the base described above. The second base comprises a second base top and a second base anchor post extending from a bottom of the second base top. The second base top defines a square having first side, second, third, and fourth sides, all of the sides being about 18″ in length; wherein the second anchor post is positioned to extend from a center of the second base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of an 18″ baseball base;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the baseball base;

FIG. 3 is an elevational of the base view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the base taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic of a baseball diamond showing both 15″ bases (in dotted lines) and the 18″ baseball bases of FIGS. 1-4 (in solid lies) positioned at 1st and 3rd base with a second 18″ base positioned at 2nd base.

Corresponding reference numerals will be used throughout the several figures of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description illustrates the claimed invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the claimed invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the claimed invention, including what I presently believe is the best mode of carrying out the claimed invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that the claimed invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The claimed invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As used herein, the term “about” means plus or minus 10% when used in conjunction with a dimension or length. Thus, a length of “about 10 inches” would mean 10 inches±1 inch (or 9-11 inches).

An 18″ baseball base 10 is shown generally in FIGS. 1-4. As seen, the baseball base 10 has a top cushion 12. The cushion 12 is of standard construction, and need not be further described. The bottom 14 of the cushion 12 defines an inset which receives an anchor base 16 having an anchor post 18 extending generally perpendicularly therefrom. The anchor post 18 is shown to be square. Preferably, the square anchor post is oriented such that its four sides are parallel to the four sides of the base. However, the post can be formed in any desired shape.

Turning to FIG. 1, the base 10 has four (4) edges 10a-d which define an outer perimeter of the base 10. Each edge 10a-d about 18″ long, as is regulated by MLB's rules. In a conventionally formed base, the center 18a of the post 18 would be at the center C of the base 10 (and thus at the center of the anchor base 16. This would place the center 18a of the anchor post 9″ from each of the edges, 10a-d. However, as noted above, doing so would position edges of the base outside of the base lines 20a,b (FIG. 5). So that the base 10 can be properly positioned along the base lines, the anchor post 18 is moved relative to a standard base. As seen in FIG. 1, the center 18a of the anchor post is 7.5″ from edge 10b, 10.5″ from edge 10c, and 9″ from edges 10a and 10d. Thus, the anchor post 18 is centered between edges 10a and 10d, but off center by 1.5″ between edges 10b and 10c. Thus, to convert from a 15″ base to an 18″ base, the anchor post on the 18″ base is maintained centered between two opposed sides of the base. However, the position between the other two sides is moved from the center position a distance equal to about one-half of the size increase of the base. Thus, for an increase from 15″ to 18″, the anchor post is moved from the center toward one of the sides of the base about one-half of the change in the size of the new base relative to the size of the base for which the baseball diamond was prepared. Thus, to convert a baseball diamond prepared for 15″ bases to use 18″ bases, the anchor post is moved 1½″ (i.e., ½ of 18″-15″).

FIG. 5 schematically shows a baseball diamond with home plate H, and 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd bases B1, B2, and B3 and base lines 20a,b extending from home plate H to 1^st and 3^rd bases B1, B3, respectively. At each of the bases, FIG. 5 includes a standard 15″ base is shown within an 18″ base. At 1^st and 3^rd bases, the baseball diamond include 18″ bases 10. The 18″ bases 10 positioned at 1^st base and 3^rd base are oriented such that their edges 10b are aligned with, or extend along, the respective base line 20a,b. When so oriented, the anchor post 18 of the bases 10 can be received in the pre-existing anchor tube of the baseball diamond. In this position, the edge 10b of the base 10 at 1^st and 3^rd base positions will lay along the respective base line 20a,b, and the 18″ base will not extend over the base line. Further, as seen in FIG. 5, the center 18a of the anchor posts is at the center of the 15″ bases.

The 2^nd base B2 can include an 18″ base 10′ in which the anchor tube is located centrally of the base (i.e., the center 18a of the tube is about 9″ from each edge). With the base 10′ at 2^nd base, the edge 10d of 1^st base and the edge 10c of 3^rd base will be aligned with the outer edges of the base 10′.

As can be appreciated, the bases 10 and 10′ allow for an owner of a baseball field to convert the baseball diamond from a diamond with 15″ bases to a diamond with 18″ bases without the need to modify the baseball diamond itself. This will save the owner a significant amount of time and money. Further, by not requiring that the baseball diamond itself be modified, the owner of the field can switch between 15″ bases and 18″ bases as desired.

If desired, the bases can be provided as a kit which would comprise two bases with the anchor post repositioned (i.e., 2 of base 10) and one base with the anchor post centrally positioned (i.e., 1 base 10′). If desired, a home base can be included with the kit.

Although the base is described for use with baseball diamonds, it will be apparent that this is equally applicable to softball fields and softball diamonds.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.