The size of the bases has changed, but it’s still 90 feet between bases. This is true.
Seriously, MLB legally changed the length of a foot so the sacred 90 feet between bases would remain intact. This is not true.
So, how is it that the bases expanded from 15 inches square to 18 inches square, but the distance between bases stayed the same? This involves a beautiful dance of positioning and wording. But before the music plays and you do-si-do your way across the floor, let’s pause and take a look at why 90 feet between bases is so sacred.
90 Feet Between Bases
Way back in 1910 when the Deadball Era (so-called because very few balls were used during a game and the ball would become “dead”, misshapen, and wouldn’t go very far when hit) was in full swing (haha) a book was released called “Touching Second”. John J. Evers and Hugh S. Fullerton co-authored the book. Johnny Evers was the second baseman for the Chicago Cubs. He was also the meat in the Tinker to Evers to Chance double-play sandwich. Fullerton was a well-known baseball writer for the Chicago Examiner. He is probably best remembered as the person who broke the Black Sox scandal.
Touching Second
Fullerton mainly composed “Touching Second”, although it states in the original introduction that “the manuscript was…rewritten, added to, corrected and revised, by the player.” The reason for the inclusion of Evers was twofold. One, because in 1910, Evers was a very popular ballplayer on a really good Cubs team. Meaning his name on the cover would sell more books. And two, because having a professional baseball player, especially one considered to be the smartest ballplayer of that era, in the role of editorial baseball expert was not a bad idea. But nonetheless, the book was a hit (haha) in 1910 and remains in print today.
The reason for bringing up this old piece of baseball literature that only the biggest devotees of the game’s history would ever want to read is because the book describes exactly why 90 feet between the bases is sacred.
Evers and Fullerton, or just Evers, or just Fullerton state that “the game…is founded upon exact and scientific lines. The playing field is laid out with such geometrical exactness, and with such a close study of the natural speed of foot and power of arm of the human animal as to give the defensive team an exactly equal chance with the attackers, and to compel both the attacker and defender to approach the extreme limit of human speed and agility in every close play. If first base was ninety-two feet from the home plate, instead of ninety, baseball would be ruined because, in the present high development of the game, two feet additional distance would make it almost impossible for a team to score. If the distance between the bases was 88 feet the scores would run into double figures in almost every game.”
Simply Put
What Evers and Fullerton, or just Evers, or just Fullerton meant is that if you mess with the distance between the bases you mess with the integrity of the game. 90 feet is sacred because if it’s not 90 feet the game changes.
Between Isn’t What It Seems
Back to the original question. How is it possible that the bases expanded from 15 inches square to 18 inches square, but the distance between bases stayed the same?
Remember the dance between positioning and wording? The music has started and hopefully, you have your dancing shoes on.
The 90 feet between bases doesn’t change because the point from which it’s measured doesn’t change. The base could grow twenty feet in size and it would still be 90 feet between the bases. How, you ask? This is how. When MLB states that it is 90 feet between the bases, the measurement does not begin at the base’s innermost part as one would expect. For example, when measuring from home plate to first, you would start your measurement from the back white point (not the black that frames the white part) of home plate and measure to the back corner of first base. From there you measure from the back corner of first to the middle of second base. And then from the middle of second to the back corner of third. Then you measure from the back corner of third back to where we started.
Simply put, one does not measure the space between the bases, they measure the space “between” the bases. You always measure from the same fixed point which never changes regardless of the size of the bases. As a result “between” is a bit misleading.
So, rest easy, my baseball traditionalist. The sacred 90 feet between bases will stand for eternity. No matter if the base is the size of a pizza box or a Chinese take-out box, the cathedral of baseball will remain intact.
Photo Credit: Tori Schneider-USA TODAY Sports
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