History of the Strike Zone (What does it mean to me?)

Article by Dan Blower
Baseball is a game rich in history and traditions. To understand and implement the rules and standards of the game it is important to understand the intent and history of the game. The strike zone like most of the game has changed and developed over the years. The changes were made for reasons still valid today.

Well lets go back to the beginning. The first game played under the Cartwright rules (the beginnings of today’s rule book) was played on June 19, 1846 between the New York Knickerbockers and the New York Nine. The game lasted four innings before the Nine scored their 21st run. The first one to 21 was the winner in those days. At that time there were no balls & strikes you could take as many pitches as needed to put the ball in play. Every one hit the ball when there turn to bat came up. This allow games to be very short or very long. It was not unusual to call a game for darkness and start backup the next day. Boring!!

In 1863 Both balls and strikes were called for the first time. A batter could be granted first base after 3 balls were called. However before a ball was permitted to be called the umpire was to first warn the pitcher a unspecified number of times for not delivering “fair” pitches. In 1874 umpires were mandated to call ball every third unfair pitch. (nine balls for a walk!!). In 1880 a walk was paired to eight balls, and reduced year after year until it was settled at 4 in 1889. In 1879 the total walk count in the National League was 508.

The concept of calling strikes was started in 1858. Umpires were authorized to access a strike on any pitch that was “ within reach of the batter”. In 1871 They added a rule allowing a batter to request a high or a low pitch. The high ball was between the batters waist and shoulder, the low pitch was from the waist to the knee. In 1887 they made the entire area a strike. Remember also there was a plate but it did not have anything to do with the strike zone at that time. (it was round at first, then square, then the shape we have today)

In 1901 the Home plate became at 17 inch Five sided plate, as well at the foul strike rule was adopted. (prior a foul ball was not a strike) This was the beginning of the modern era of strike zone. The description of the strike zone it the rule book has remained basically the same since that time. Although the actual zone called gradually changed over the years until about 1969 when the high end of the zone that was being called had shrunk to about the belt. Recent efforts by Major Leagues has pushed that standard back up in recent years.

Why is this relevant today? The strike zone has developed over the years and changed for specific reasons still valid today. The concept of a strike zone was to require the batter to swing the bat. The concept of a ball was to insure the pitcher did not deliver an unfair pitch. The Balance of the Offense and Defense was the goal. The game is about hitting the ball. It was about this in the beginning and still is today. The concepts of balls and strikes was developed to require both the offense and defense to do their part to promote hitting the ball. To call a strike zone in concept we need to have this in mind. The Rigors of the Plate itself has never been a rigid part of balls and strikes. The up and down area has been part of the zone since its beginnings. The side to side has always been used to promote the concept of Hitting and Balance between offense and defense.

Ask yourself, are my games boring? Do pitchers always struggle? Are there significantly more walks in your games than strikeouts? Does your strike Zone promote hitting the ball? If batters are just hitting and walking in your games there is not a balance. If they are just striking out and not hitting is there balance?

The strike zone has been developed and fluctuated over the years to balance the play. To adjust to the level of skill and play. To keep the game moving and more interesting. What will your strike zone be?

The Strike Zone: A historical time line

1996 - The Strike Zone is expanded on the lower end, moving from the top of the knees to the bottom of the knees.

1988 - "The Strike Zone is that area over home plate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the top of the knees. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball."

1969 - "The Strike Zone is that space over home plate which is between the batter's armpits and the top of his knees when he assumes a natural stance. The umpire shall determine the Strike Zone according to the batter's usual stance when he swings at a pitch."

1963 - "The Strike Zone is that space over home plate which is between the top of the batter's shoulders and his knees when he assumes his natural stance. The umpire shall determine the Strike Zone according to the batter's usual stance when he swings at a pitch."

1957 - "A strike is a legal pitch when so called by the umpire which (a) is struck at by the batter and is missed; (b) enters the Strike Zone in flight and is not struck at; (c) is fouled by the batter when he has less than two strikes at it; (d) is bunted foul; (e) touches the batter as he strikes at it; (f) touches the batter in flight in the Strike Zone; or (g) becomes a foul tip. Note: (f) was added to the former rule and definition."

1950 - "The Strike Zone is that space over home plate which is between the batter's armpits and the top of his knees when he assumes his natural stance."

1910 - "With the bases unoccupied, any ball delivered by the pitcher while either foot is not in contact with the pitcher's plate shall be called a ball by the umpire."

1907 - "A fairly delivered ball is a ball pitched or thrown to the bat by the pitcher while standing in his position and facing the batsman that passes over any portion of the home base, before touching the ground, not lower than the batsman's knee, nor higher than his shoulder. For every such fairly delivered ball, the umpire shall call one strike.

"An unfairly delivered ball is a ball delivered to the bat by the pitcher while standing in his position and facing the batsman that does not pass over any portion of the home base between the batsman's shoulder and knees, or that touches the ground before passing home base, unless struck at by the batsman. For every unfairly delivered ball the umpire shall call one ball."

1901 - "A foul hit ball not caught on the fly is a strike unless two strikes have already been called." (NOTE: Adopted by National League in 1901; American League in 1903)
1899 - "A foul tip by the batter, caught by the catcher while standing within the lines of his position is a strike."

1894 - "A strike is called when the batter makes a foul hit, other than a foul tip, while attempting a bunt hit that falls or rolls upon foul ground between home base and first or third bases."
1887 - "The batter can no longer call for a 'high' or 'low' pitch.

"A (strike) is defined as a pitch that 'passes over home plate not lower than the batsman's knee, nor higher than his shoulders.'"

1876 - "The batsman, on taking his position, must call for a 'high,' 'low,' or 'fair' pitch, and the umpire shall notify the pitcher to deliver the ball as required; such a call cannot be changed after the first pitch is delivered."

High - pitches over the plate between the batter's waist and shoulders
Low - pitches over the plate between the batter's waist and at least one foot from the ground.
Fair - pitches over the plate between the batter's shoulders and at least one foot from the ground.