Why five sides on a baseball base?

Answer 1

Many rules changed during the span of Baseball. Instead of explaining your answer, I'll give you some extra information on all of the things that have changed since 1877.

1877

• 15 inch square canvas bases were introduced.
• Home plate was placed in the angle formed by the intersection of the first and third base lines.
• The hitter was not counted an At-Bat if he was walked.

1879

• Umpires were introduced.
• All balls became "strikes," "balls," or "fouls." and the number of "called balls" was a ridiculous 9.
• The Player Reserve Clause was put into a contract.
• The pitcher had to stand facing a batter before pitching to him.

1880

• A walk was lowered to 8 "called balls"
• If the batted ball hit a runner, he was now declared out.
• On the third strike, the catcher was required to catch the pitch on the fly in order for an out to register.

1883

• The "foul bound catch" was abolished and the pitcher could deliver a ball from above his waist.

1884

• All of the restrictions on the deliver of a pitcher was removed.
• Base on balls is now reduced to 6 "called balls."
• Championships were to be decided on a percentage basis.

1885

• One side of the bat was allowed to be flat.
• home base could be made of marble or whitened rubber.
• Catchers and Umpires began using chest protectors.

1887

• The pitcher''s box was reduced to 4 feet by 5 1/2 feet
• Calling for high and low pitches was abolished.
• Base on balls reduced to 5 balls.
• This is the only year 4 "called strikes" was adopted.
• Base on balls were recorded as hits for this year only.
• The batter could now walk to 1st base if hit by the pitch.
• Marble was no longer allowed to be Home Plate, and the dimensions were changed to 12 inches.
• The rules recognized coaches for the first time.

1888

• Player reserve clause was written into the contracts of minor leaguers.
• Base on balls, again, did not count as an At-Bat.
• Batsman was awarded a base hit if he hit a runner with a batted ball.

1889

• Base on Balls again reduced to 4.
• The statistics of a sacrifice bunt were recognized.

1891

• Substitutions were permitted at any point in the game.
• Large padded mitts were allowed for catchers.

1893

• Pitching distance increased from 50 feet to 60 feet 6 inches.
• The pitching box was eliminated and a rubber slab 12 x 4 inches was substituted.
• The pitcher was required to place his rear foot against the slab.
• A sacrifice bat did not count as an At-Bat
• A flat sided bat was no longer allowed. The bat now had to be fully round and made completely of hard wood.

1894

• All foul bunts were counted as strikes

1895

• Pitching slab was enlarged to 24 x 6 inches.
• Bats were permitted to be 2 3/4 inches in diameter and not to exceed 42 inches.
• The Infield-Fly rule began.
• A foul-tip held by the catcher became a strike.

1901

• Catchers were compelled to remain continuously under the bat

1903

• Foul strike rule was adopted by the American League.

1904

• The height of the mound was limited to 15 inches higher than the level of the baselines.

1908

• Pitchers were prohibited from soiling a new ball
• Shin guards were reintroduced.
• The sacrifice rule was adopted.

1910

• The cork center was added to the official baseball.

1917

• Earned-Run statistics and definitions were added to the rules.

1920

• All freak deliveries, including the spitball, were outlawed.
• The failure of a preceding runner to touch a base would not affect the status of a succeeding runner.
• The batter was given credit for a home run in the last of the ninth inning if the winning run was on base when the ball was hit out of the field.
• The number of runs batted in were to be included in the official score.
• Frivolous ninth-inning uncontested steals in one-sided games were discarded.

1925

• Pitcher was allowed to use a resin bag.
• The minimum home-run distance was set at 250 feet.

1931

• The Sacrifice-Fly rule was brought back, only if a runner scored after the catch.
• Defensive interference was changed from an offense by the catcher only to all fielders.
• No fielder could take a position in line with a batter's vision with the deliberate intent to distract the batter in any way.
• Regulations referring to a batter contacting his own ball were clarified as was the area of bases awarded a batter when a defensive player threw his glove at a batted or thrown ball or in the case of spectator interference.

1953

• The rule was added (for 1954) that no equipment was to be shown on the field while batting. They had normally left their gloves on the field.

1959

• All new parks had to have minimum boundaries of 325-400-325 feet.

1968

• The anti-spitball rule was rewritten more strictly because of the number of wet pitches.

1969

• The pitcher's mound was lowered to 10 inches.
• The strike zone became smaller, from the armpits to the top of the knees.
• A pitching save was added to the official rules.

1971

• Helmets became mandatory for all batters.

1973

• The rules for glove size and color was standardized.
• The Designated Hitter was experimented by the American League.

1974

• The Save rule was rewritten.
• Minimum standards for individual championships were outlined.

1975

• Horse shortage allowed balls to be covered with cowhide.
• 3-Day Suspension was mandatory for any batter caught using a filled, doctored, or flat-surface bat.
• The Save rule was rewritten again.

2008

• Limited Instant Replay is added to the rules starting Friday, August 29 for Home Run calls and Fair or Foul calls.

Answer 2

If the ball hits the dirt in front of the plate, by a wild pitch or a foul ball, it is tossed because it may be scuffed. All other foul balls either go in the stands directly or the fielder retrieved it and throws it into the stands. If the ball is put in play that becomes the third out, it is usually thrown into the crowd. that's why they don't last long.

PS, They throw the ball in the stands to help heal the wounds to the fans caused by the 1994 strike

Answer 3

Cause if there was three the field would be a triangle :)