Girl Scout Connection Connecting your Girl Scout Night at the ballpark to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience
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Table of contents: Baseball Basics……………….................…3-6 GSLE Connection Daisy ………………………………...……… 7-8 Brownie ……………………………....…… 9-10 Junior …………………………………....… 11-12 Cadette ……………………………….....… 13 Baseball Fun Activities …………..……… 14-17 Scorekeeping 101 ……………………..…….. 18-22 Further Your Research …………...……… 23
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Baseball Basics Object Baseball is played by two teams of nine players each, who try to score more runs than their opponent by rounding the bases and crossing home plate as many times as possible. The batting team stays up to bat until the fielding team puts out three batters. Playing Area The playing area is often referred to as a baseball diamond due to its shape. It consists of a pitcher's mound, four bases, an infield and an outfield. Equipment Players need a bat, glove, batting helmet, baseball and cleats.
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Positions The visiting team bats first while the home team starts out in the field on defense.
Batting There is a batter's box on both sides of home plate. The batter may choose which side of the plate to hit from, but both of his feet must be inside the box. He attempts to score runs by hitting the ball when it's pitched to him. The batter may continue to hit until he: hits the ball in fair territory, gets three strikes or gets four balls. 4
Strike Zone The strike zone is the area between the batter's shoulders and knees. A "strike" is called by the umpire when the batter: • fails to swing at a pitch that crosses the plate in the strike zone. • swings at a pitch and misses. • hits the ball out of bounds with fewer than two strikes against him. Once he gets three strikes he is out, and the next batter comes up to the plate. A batter can't strike out on a foul ball. If he has two strikes, there's no limit to the number of foul balls he is allowed to hit. Balls A "ball" is a pitch that crosses the plate outside of the strike zone that the batter does not swing at. If a batter receives four balls, he gets to walk to first base. If a batter swings at a ball outside the strike zone and misses, he is called for a strike. 5
Runner The batter becomes a runner when: he hits a ball in fair territory and runs to first base, he walks after four balls, he is hit by a pitch, the catcher drops the third strike. A runner can move to the next base if the ball is overthrown or after a wild pitch. A runner may overrun first base when he hits the ball as long as he turns out of bounds after he passes the base. Runners may not overrun any other base. If they do and are tagged while they are off the base, they are out.
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Girl Scout Leadership Experience Connection Daisy Lupe – Honest and Fair Talk about the rules of baseball Step 3 – Play a game with your friends. Talk about the rules, then follow them as you play. Sunny – Friendly and Helpful Step 3 – Ask a staff person at the ballpark about what they do to help people. (Usher, Security, Concession Stand, Announcers, Camera Crew, etc.) Mari – Responsible for What I Say and Do Step 3 – Make sure your area is cleaned up after the game. Or pick up trash others left behind.
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Gerri - Respect Authority Step 3 - Draw a picture (below) of an authority in the community (an umpire or coach). Talk to an adult about why you respect them.
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Brownie Fair Play Step 1 – Follow the rules: Teach the rules of an active game (baseball) Step 3 – Be part of a team: Untangle yourself from a human knot (Extra bonus points if you do this at the Girl Scout booth, if applicable.) Step 4 – Keep Score: See a sport live or on TV (Use the provided paper in back, or in book provided at the game) Celebrating Community Step 3 – Follow the parade: Join a parade at the ballpark. But before you go, find out why the parade is happening and make a banner to carry. Step 5 – Join a ceremony or celebration: Join a flag ceremony – if participating, must learn how to fold an American Flag. 9
Senses Step 1 – Look around: Hold a scavenger hunt in your neighborhood or at a park – Must complete the I SPY game at the back. Step 2 – Listen to the world: Listen for 10 different sounds Making Games Step 1 – Try a scavenger hunt: Find it! Step 1 – Try a scavenger hunt: See it! Step 5 – Invent a whole new sport: The new ballpark
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Junior Digital Photographer Step 2 – Take tons of photographs!: Photograph a friend/group of friends Step 4 – Make a digital photo project: Create a collage Step 4 – Make a digital photo project: Create a panoramic photo to capture a wide view Social Butterfly Step 1 – Hold a conversation: Practice conversation starters
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Detective Step 2 – Communicate in code: Create your Step 2 – Communicate in code:own Create code with your your own code with your friends. friends. Detective
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Cadette Good Sportsmanship Your definition of sportsmanship should include a list of five things to do and five things not to do. As you do these steps, keep this list handy and keep revising it as you get more ideas. Step 1 – Create your own definition of sportsmanship: Go to a sports event. Step 3 – Be a good teammate: Play three team-building games. Untangle yourself from a human knot (Extra bonus points if you do this at the Girl Scout booth, if applicable.) Digital Movie Maker Step 2 – Film. Then film some more: Film a sporting event.
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Baseball Fun Activities
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I Spy at the Park Find all items listed. - Your Team’s Mascot - Scoreboard - MPH of the pitch - Umpires - Foul posts - A foul ball (bonus points if you get one) - Number of seats in your section _______ - Coaches - Number of players on the field _______ - Pitcher’s Mound - Number of cleats on the field _______ - Double Play - Home Run - Dugout 16 16
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Scorekeeping 101 Although there are many apps available for scoring a baseball game, it is actually easier to learn with an old-fashioned scoring book and a pencil. This method allows you to learn the “codes” associated with positions, plays and outcomes while providing you with a visual “map” of the game results.
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Description of a Scorebook Page Each scorebook page consists of a left-hand column for player names, uniform numbers and position numbers. These names are listed in the order of batting order established by the coach prior to the game. The larger middle of the page are nine columns, or one for each inning. The number of multiple columns to the far right is for tallying of game statistics. Use a separate page for each team and record the opposite team’s pitchers in the pitching box below the team he pitches against. The At-Bat Boxes The majority of the page consists of identical squares containing baseball diamonds. Each square represents a single player’s at bat and its results. There are also areas to indicate balls, strikes, outs and RBI’s, although the exact layout depends upon the scorebook publisher. Across the top of each box is usually a preprinted list of possible outcomes for each at bat: “1B” for a single, “2B” for a double, “3B” for a triple, “HR” for a home run and “BB” for a walk. This allows you to quickly circle an outcome in the case that a hitter gets on base. 19
Player Position Numbers Players are referred to by position numbers by scorekeepers to save space and time. The positional numbers are as follows: 1. Pitcher 6. Shortstop 2. Catcher 7. Left Field 3. First Baseman 8. Center Field 4. Second Baseman 9. Right Field 5. Third Baseman 10. DH The position numbers are used to indicate what defensive players touched the ball in order to contribute to an out. Not only does this provide information about the play, this data also contributes to some player statistics, such as “assists” and “put outs.” The numbers are often used in combination with initials to represent what type of hit a fielder handled, such as a “PU” for pop up, ‘FO” for flyout and “LO” for a line-out. Recording the Play Most squares contain a series of stacked boxes to the bottom left: two for strikes atop three for balls. Make a mark in each box as the umpire calls the pitch. If a hitter strikes out swinging, this is abbreviated by a large “K” inside the diamond area. If he strikes out because of a called strike, this is abbreviated by a large backward “K.” There is usually a 20
circle to the bottom right in which the number of “outs” this at-bat represents, such as a “1.” If the ball is put into play, draw a line in the approximate direction that the ball is hit, circle the appropriate outcome such as “1B” for a single and draw a line from home plate to first base. When the next teammate comes to the plate and hits a double to right field, draw a line to the right field area, circle “2B” and draw a line from home to first and first to second. Since this play moved the first batter to either third base or to home plate to score a run, return to his box above to mark his progress around the baseball diamond. If he does score on his teammate’s double, return to that hitter’s box to indicate that he is responsible for one RBI.
Now try it on your own! Use the provided scorecard, or the one provided at the game, to keep score of the home team. 21
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Further your research: Kids Sports Activities Baseball Basics: http://www.kids-sports-activities.com/basic -baseball-rules.html All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: https:// www.aagpbl.org/ STEM Education Presented by Washington Nationals Major League Baseball: https://www.mlb.com/nationals/community /stem-education When you watch baseball, you’re seeing STEM in action. The science of aerodynamics is in every pitch. Technology and engineering is part of every bat, ball, glove and helmet. And the math of statistics can inform a team’s strategy.
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