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Baseball Grows Up
I.
Presentation
A.
Opening
1)
Ask
students, “What equipment do you need to play
baseball?” Engage the class in a conversation
about the different and necessary pieces of
equipment. Hold up examples as the various
items are mentioned.
2)
Ask,
“Why would baseball players need all this
equipment?” “Why would catchers, in specific,
need to wear so much gear?” INSTRUCTOR
NOTE: Introduce model or illustration of
catcher’s equipment.
3)
Model or discuss equipment used by the
modern-day catcher. One by one, remove the
various pieces of equipment to show, in
reverse, how the tools of the game have
evolved – ending with the obvious illustration
that catchers in the early days of baseball
did not wear any protective gear. Cite tools
used by other players as similar examples
(e.g. the batter, the first baseman, etc.).
4)
Discuss how the game of baseball evolved from
its early days 150 years ago when the only
necessities were a crude bat, a rough ball and
the four bases. Brainstorm with students,
relating this dialogue to general events in
various eras, such as the Civil War, the first
airplane, the first automobile, World War II,
the first television, the space age, the
advent of personal computers, etc.
5)
If
comfortable, emphasize five factors in the
evolution of baseball equipment: Safety,
Effectiveness, Availability, Technology and
Standardization (S.E.A.T.S)
B.
Lesson
1)
Beginning with a baseball glove, ask students
to describe their own baseball gloves that
they’ve brought to class. Students should
have completed the Accessions Worksheet in the
suggested pre-program activities.
2)
Compare the students’ gloves to an older
baseball glove with noticeable differences
(e.g. un-laced fingers, no webbing, lack of
pocket, etc.).
3)
Discuss the major changes and evolution of the
baseball glove, such as: size; webbing; curved
glove with pocket and fingers laced together –
i.e. effectiveness.
4)
Refer to a baseball. Ask students to describe
a ball they’ve brought to class. Students
should have completed the Accessions Worksheet
in the suggested pre-program activities.
5)
Compare the students’ baseballs to an older
baseball. Ask if there are any noticeable
differences (e.g. stitching, circumference,
weight, emblem, softness, hardness, cover
material, general condition, etc.). Point out
that baseballs have remained standardized, or
virtually unchanged, since the original rules
of 1876 – i.e. standardization.
6)
Discuss that there have been very few changes
in the production of the baseball, with the
exception of the cover material (originally
horsehide, now cowhide – i.e. availability)
and the center (originally rubber, now cork).
NOTE: Early baseballs used in the 19th
century game were often a single, soft piece
of hand-stitched, stuffed leather.
7)
Next, discuss baseball bats. Ask students to
describe a bat that they’ve brought to class.
Students should have completed the accessions
worksheet in the suggested pre-program
activities.
8)
Compare the bat to an older model with
noticeable differences (e.g. wood versus
aluminum, type of wood, grip on handle, color,
weight, length, diameter of barrel, etc.).
9)
Discuss how technology and player performance
have impacted the major changes and evolution
of the regulation major league baseball bat,
such as: types of wood (e.g. hickory, ash or
maple); production techniques; and why
aluminum bats are not allowed in the big
leagues – i.e. technology.
10)
Display a batting helmet. Discuss the history
of the helmet, telling the story of Ray
Chapman who died in 1920 after being struck by
a pitch from Carl Mays – i.e. safety.
11)
Emphasize that safety necessitates batting
helmets. However, they were not mandatory
until the late 1950s and earflaps on helmets
were not required until the 1970s.
C.
Conclusion
1)
Segue from a discussion about the batting
helmet by reminding students that modern-day
catchers wear a protective helmet beneath
their masks.
2)
Once
again, use the catcher’s equipment to help the
class recall how and why baseball equipment
has evolved with the game (e.g., the S.E.A.T.S
acronym).
3)
When
comparing the old and new equipment, conclude
by asking students which set of gear they
would prefer to wear during a game and why.
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