Why dont all Major Leage Baseball stadiums.......

[John Corn]

........have the same dimensions, like in all other sports?

My son ask me this, then I thought and said, Historically this was likely due to the fact that ballparks were often fit into awkward areas with strange dimensions. More recently I think its just because its an accepted part of the lore and allure of the game.

:shrug:.....honestly , I'm not sure.

[Geronimo]

You are preety much correct. But standardization in other sports is not as common as you might think. Until recently the NHL hada couple of "non standard" size rinks.

Persaonally I think the variatiosn add something to the game. But many would differ.

[djlong]

There's more to it than that as well.. Some owners would also customize their parks based on the kinds of players they had - sometimes moving the fences in or out depending on whether or not they had power hitters or if they had speedy outfielders.

More often, the park dictated the kind of player an owner would go after. If you had an Astroturf park, you would go for more speed and defense since more ground balls could turn into singles. And you'd move the fences back because your outfielders could cover more ground than a slower team's outfielders.

A lefthanded pitcher doesn't usuall do well at Fenway Park because of the 300' left field fence. BUT - if he's a sinkerball pitcher, he'll do better than a lefthanded fireballer (which produce lots of flyballs)

Now what's this I hear that they really DID control the air conditioning in the Metrodome during the 91 World Series? (Supposedly some guy just confessed - only heard this on ESPN radio last night)

[HarryD]

Baseball does have the same dimenisions (the diamond, pitching mound to home plate). It's just the outfield, foul territory...adds to the charm of the game.