String Instruments (chordophone)
East Asian Music 1. Koto – is a 13-string zither, about 2 meters
Japan
Noh – drama that involves song and dance as
well as wearing the traditional masks and
chanting
Kabuki – drama that incorporates singing,
dancing and wearing costumes
Gagaku – Japanese Musical ensemble
Instrumental Music of Japan
 Basically meditative in character
 Usually about religious festivals, work,
dance, love and regional songs
 Musicians must show this spiritual self-
mastery in their performance and
composure.
Percussion Instruments
(membranophone)
1. Odaiko – (big drum) the physical energy
and sheer excitement of an odaiko
performance is an integral part of many
“matsuri” (festivals)
2. Tsuzumi – hourglass- shape
2 varieties of tsuzumi
Kotsuzumi – smaller tsuzumi
-Held on the right shoulder
and the player alters the tone
by squeezing the laces
Otsuzumi – larger tsuzumi
- Placed on the left thigh
3. Tsuridaiko – a large hanging barret drum
4. Taiko – a Japanese drum that comes in
various sizes and is used to play a variety
of musical genres.
Japanese transverse flute that has a high
pitched sound.
long and made of paulownia wood- it is
plucked using picks on the thumb and first
two fingers on the right hand, while the left
hand can be used to modify pitch and tone.
Used in gagaku or as solo.
2. Shamisen – a plucked string instrument.
Its construction follows a model similar to
that of a guitar or a banjo, employing a
neck, and strings stretched across a
resonating body. Its neck is fretless and
slimmer than that of a guitar or banjo.
3. Biwa – a Japanese short-necked fretted
lute, often used in narrative story telling. It
is the chosen instrument of Benten, the
goddess of music, eloquence, poetry and
education in Japanese Shinto.
Wind Instruments (aerophone)
1. Shakuhachi – the most famous flute
made from bamboo. It has four or five holes
on the front face and a thumb hole on the
rear face. It was imported from China for
gagaku.
2. Nokan – a parallel, bamboo flute(fue) is
the only melodic instrument used in noh.
The melody of the flute has no specific pitch
relationship with the melody of the chanting.
3. Hichiriki – is a double reed Japanese flute
used as one of two main melodic
instruments in Japanese gagaku music, the
other being ryuteki.
4. Sho – is a Japanese free reed musical
instrument that was introduced from China
during the Nara period.
5. Shinobue – is also called takebue in the
context of Japanese traditional arts. It is a
6. Ryuteki – literally “dragon flute” is a
Japanese transverse flute made of bamboo.
It is used in gagaku.
China
 According to the teachings of the great
philosopher Confucius, he conceived music
in the highest sense as a means of calming
the passion and of dispelling unrest and
lust, rather than as a ferm of amusement.
 One of the most important duties of the first
emperor of each new dynasty was to
search out and establish that dynasty’s
through standard of pitch.
Chinese Musical Instruments
1. Yuequin – a moon-shaped lute with
shorter neck and four strings, played with a
spectrum, used for accompanying local
operas.
2. Pipa – a four-stringed lute with 40 frets and
a pear-shaped body. This instruments has
an extremely wide dynamic range and
remarkable expressive power.
3. Erhu – a two stringed fiddle and one of the
most popular Chinese instruments. It is
used as a solo instrument. As well as in
small ensembles or large orchestra, and by
various ethnic groups.
4. Yunluo – literally “cloud gongs” or “ cloud
of gongs,” the yunluo is a set of ten small
tuned gongs, mounted in a wooden frame.
Its gongs are generally of equal diameter
but different thickness. The thicker gongs
produce higher pitch.
5. Sheng – also called Chinese mouth organ
and looks like a set of panpipes with 12 to
 36 bamboo pipes. Each pipe is of different
length with a brass reed at the bottom and
a hole that must be blocked in order for the
note to sound. This makes it possible to
sound several notes simultaneously, so
chords and melody can be performed at the
same time. it is one of the oldest Chinese
musical instruments.
6. Dizi- is the traditional Chinese flute. It can
have a membrane over an extra hole to
give the characteristic rattle effect. The
player plays the dizi by blowing across the
mouthpiece and produces the different
notes by stopping the six holes found in the
rod.
7. Zheng – an ancient Chinese instrument
that has an arched surface and an
elongated-trapezoid with 13 to 21 strings
stretched over individual bridges. Its playing
range spans three to four octaves.
8. Pengling – these are two small bells made
of high-tin bronze, without internal clappers,
and hemispheric or bottomless gourd-like in
shape. The instrument has a delicate,
clarion and melodious tone. It is a coloring
rhythmic instrument, either in ensemble or
in theater music, bringing an effect of
peaceful dreams.
Korea
Minyo – the most renowned genre of Korean
folk music, it reflect the heart of the common
people through their words of heartbreak,
struggle and despair.
Pansori – a genre of narrative song of Korea,
typically performed dramatically by a vocalist
Korea’s 2 kinds of Music
Chong-ak – literally means ”right (correct)
music,” its tradition includes both instrumental
and vocal music, which were cultivated mainly by
the upper-class literati of the Joseon society. Also
refers to ensemble music for men of high social
status outside of the court.
Song-ak or minsogak – Korean music
traditionally associated with the lower-class or
for the general public and are vibrant and
energetic. Includes pansori and minyo.
Korea’s Musical Instruments
String Instruments
1. Kayagum – is a traditional Korean zither-
like string instrument, with 12 strings,
although more recently variants have been
constructed with 21 or more number of
strings. It is probably the best-known
traditional Korean musical instrument.
2. Geomungo – this six-string plucked zither
is a traditional Korean stringed musical
instrument of the zither family of
instruments with both bridges and frets.
Scholars believe that the name refers to
goguryeo and translates to goguryeo zither
or that it refers to the color that translates to
“black crane zither”
3. Haegum (two-string vertical fiddle) – has a
rod-like neck, a hollow wooden soundbox,
two silk strings, and is held vertically on the
knee of the performer and played with a
bow.
Wind Instrument
1. Piri – used in both the folk and classical
(court) music of Korea. It is made of
bamboo. Its large reed and cylindrical bore
gives it a sound mellower than that of many
other types of oboe.
Percussion Instruments
1. Changgo – is the most widely used drum
in the traditional music of Korea. It is
available in most kinds, and consists of an
hourglass-shaped body with two heads
made from animal skin. The two heads
produce sounds of different pitch and
timbre, which when played together are
believed to represent the harmony of man
and woman
Vocal Music of East Asia
Japan
Sakura
 Means cherry blossom
 Japanese folk song depicting spring, the
season of cherry blossom
China
Mo Li Hua
 About the jasmine flower also into a
love song
 Song describes a custom of giving
jasmine flower
 Another version describes the fear of
plucking the flower
Korea
Arirang
 Means “the hill” pertains to the foothills
of Korea where most Koreans had
parting on
 The song evokes the feeling of the tears
shed by Koreans and the remembrance
of their sad stories.

East Asian Arts
(Painting)
China
Painting Subjects or Themes
1. Flowers and birds 4. Human figures
2. Landscapes 5. animals
3. Palaces and temples 6. Bamboos and
stones
Important Aspects
1. Landscape painting- regarded as the
highest form of Chinese painting
2. Yin-Yang - they also consider the three
concepts of their arts: heaven, earth, and
humankind
3. Cai Lun (of the eastern Han Dynasty) –
invented paper in the 1st century AD, it
provided not only a cheap and widespread
medium for writing but painting became
more economical
4. Daoist – the metaphysical aspect of
Chinese painting. It is the human
understanding of the relationship between
nature and humans.
5. Calligraphy - the art of beautiful
handwriting. Poets write their calligraphy on
their paintings.
6. Chinese Logographs- ancient writing
symbols. Engraved on the shoulder bones
of large animals and on tortoise shells
7. Jiaguwen- shell-and-bone script
8. Cangjie- legendary inventor of Chinese
writing. He got his ideas from observing
animals’ footprints and birds’ claw marks on
the sand as well as other natural
phenomena.
Japan
Painting Subjects or Themes
1. Scenes from everyday life
2. Narrative scenes crowded with figures and
details
Woodblock Printing
 Technique for printing text, images, or
patterns used widely throughout East Asia.
 Originated in China as a method of printing
on paper
 Was adapted in Japan during the Edo
period (1603-1867) and became one of
their oldest and most highly developed
visual arts.
Japanese Ukiyo-e
 “pictures of the floating world”
 Most popular style of Japanese art
 Related to the style of woodblock print
making that shows scenes of harmony and
carefree everyday living
 Was produced in a diversity of different
media, including painting and became an
art domain of the upper classes and royalty
but later was also produced by the common
people.
Korea (South & North)
Painting Subjects or Themes
1. Landscape paintings
2. Minhwa (a tiger, their traditional folk
painting)
3. Four gracious plants (plum blossoms,
orchids or wild orchids, chrysanthemums
and bamboo)
4. Bamboo
5. Portraits
History of Korean Paintings
 Dates to 108 CE, when it first appears as
an independent form
 It is said that until the Joseon Dynasty the
primary influence of Korean paintings were
Chinese paintings.
East Asian Arts (Masks)
Paintings in East Asia do not only apply on
paper, silk, and wood. Performers of Kabuki in
Japan and Peking Opera in China use their
faces as the canvas for painting while mask
painting is done in Korea.
China
Jingju Lianpu (the false mask)
 Peking opera face painting
 Done with different colors in accordance
with the performing characters’ are normally
painted in relatively simple colors, whereas
enemies, bandits, rebels, and others have
more complicated designs
Masks in China
Guan Ju
 Red indicates devotion, courage, bravery,
uprightness, and loyalty
Huang Pang
 Yellow signifies fierceness, ambition, and
Kesho (kabuki makeup)
cool headedness
 “On stage, this interpretation becomes a
Zhu Wen temporalization of makeup in collaboration
 A green face tells the audience that the with the audience. The result is a decoding
character is not only impulsive and violent of the drama traced out in the graphic
but also lacks self-restraint. designs of the painted face.” – Masao
Yamaguchi
Zhang Fei
 2 Types of Kabuki Makeup
 Black symbolizes roughness and 1. Standard Makeup- applied to most actors
fierceness. The black face indicates either a 2. Kumadori Makeup- applied to villains and
rough and bold character or an impartial heroes East Asian Arts (Paper
and selfless personality.
Lian Po
The makeup is composed of very dramatic
lines and shapes using colors that represent
Arts)
 Purple stands for uprightness and cool- certain qualities.
Yuanbao
headedness while a reddish purple face Dark red – passion or anger  Folded paper that looks like gold nuggets or
indicates a just and noble character. Dark blue – depression or sadness ingots called sycee
Cao Cao Pink – youth  Burning of yuanbao will be seen on
 White suggests treachery, suspiciousness, Light green – calm traditional funerals and ghost festival where
and craftiness. It is common to see the Black – fear it is burned at their ancestors’ grave
white face of the powerful villain on stage. Purple – nobility
Origami
Jiang Gan  From “ori” meaning folding and “kami”
 The clown or chou in Chinese opera has meaning paper
special makeup patterns called  It is the traditional Japanese art of paper
xiaohualian (the petty painted face). folding, which started in the 17th century AD
Sometimes a small patch of chalk is painted  An ancient Japanese legend promises that
around the nose to show a mean and anyone who folds a thousand origami
secretive character. At times, the cranes will be granted a wish by a crane,
xiaohualian is also painted on a young page some say you will be granted with eternal
or jester to enliven up the performance luck, long life or recovery from illness.

Note: gold and silver colors are usually used Jianzhi

for Gods and spirits  Decorative Chinese paper cuttings
 First type of paper cutting design
 Sometimes referred to as “chuang hua”
Japan meaning “window flower”

Lesson 1: Courtship Dating and
marriage
Family
 The foundation of society which is primarily
responsible for shaping the lives of its
members
 A small unit where socialization begins to
provide guidance in improving one’s
personality in order to become more
productive and useful citizens of the
country.
Love, Attraction & Infatuation
Attraction
 Admiration for someone that may include
the desire to get to know that person better.
Infatuation
 It is the state of being completely carried
away by unreasoning desire.
Love
 A decision to commit oneself to another and
to work through conflicts instead of giving
up.
 A deeper understanding or care.
Courtship
 Is the period in a couple’s relationship
which precedes their engagement and
marriage or it is an establishment of an
agreed relationship of a more enduring
kind.
Different Traditional Pratices of
Courtship in the Philippines
Ilocos and Tagalog Regions
 “Singing in front of the woman’s house” in
Ilocos is called as “tapat,” in tagalog it is
called as “harana”
 “Rooster courtship,” courting in Luzon. The
rooster is assigned to be the “negotiator”
wherein the rooster is left at the house of
the admired lady to crow every morning.
Bulacan
 “Naninilong,” means “serenading from
under the house”
 At midnight, the suitor goes beneath the
elevated nipa hut and pricks the admired
lady and converse in whispers.
Batangas
 Batangeños court by serenading the lady
and serving the family through doing house
chores such as chopping woods, fetching
water, cleaning the surroundings, etc.
 When a suitor visits a woman in her home,
he is obliged to pay respect to the parents
by saying “mano po” and they can only stay
at the living room to talk with proper
distance while being watched by the
parents.
Pangasinan
 Pangasinense use of the “taga-amo,” which
means “tamer,” a form of love potion or
charm which can be rubbed on the skin of
the admired, can also be drinkable potion.
Kalinga
 Tha Ifugaos practice a courtship called ca-i-
sing or began to Kalingas and pangis to
Tinguians, where a man and a woman are
separated into “houses.” The house for the
males is called “ato,” while the house of
females is known as the “olog” or
“agamang.” The man visits the woman’s
house to sing romantic songs and the
woman replies to these songs also through
singing. The courtship ritual is guarded by
the elders who inform the parents of both
parties about the progress of the courtship
process.
Palawan
 Palaweños perform courtship through the
use of love riddles or “pasaguli.” The
purpose of the love riddles is to assess the
sentiments of the parents of both suitor and
the woman. After this pabalic / pabalik is
done to settle the price in a form of dowry
that will be received by the woman from the
courting man.
Palawan
 Cebuanos also resort to serenading called
balak, they also send love letters that are
sent through trusted friend or relative.
Presents are not only given to the woman,
but also to relatives. They also use love
potion.
 Men from Leyte also do the pangagad or
paninilbihan instead of dowry. This is done a
year before marriage. It is referred to as
subok – a trial or test period for the serving
suitor.
Mindanao
 Palabas, sarakahan tupul, or magpasumbahi is
practiced by the tausugs of Mindanao. A suitor
would threaten to stab his heart while in front of
the courted woman’s father. If the father of the
 woman refuses to give her daughter’s hand to the Types of Dating 3. Fidelity 7. Physical Maturity
suitor, the suitor is smitten by a knife. 1. Standard Date – involves two people 4. Commitment
 The Bagobos, in the other hand, send a knife or a 2. Double Date – two couples go on a date at
spear as a gift to the home of the courted woman Executive Order No.209. The Family
the same time and place
for inspection. Accepting the weapon is equivalent Code of the Philippines, July 6, 1987
3. Group Date – where any number of couples
to accepting the man’s romantic intention and
can enjoy a date.
 18-21 years old requires a written consent
advances. from parents
Importance of Dating  21-25 years old is obliged to ask their
Courtship Practice at the Age of Dating provides the partners with opportunities to: parents or guardian for advice and has to
Technology 1. Strengthen the relationship; make a sworn statement that advice was
 It Is very common that couples started their 2. Spend quality time with each other; sought and given
love stories with the use of cellphones and 3. Observe the other person’s character;
4. Know one another better; Factors to Consider in Choosing a
social media
 It is alarming that some courtship is done 5. Know one’s strengths and weaknesses; lifetime Partner
6. Reveal any potential problems the partners 1. Love 6. Cooperation
only through social media where it is very
may have; and 2. Understanding/Respect 7. Growth
easy to hide one’s identity and true feelings.
7. Develop affection and respect for each other. 3. Care 8. Involvement
Why is it Important for Couples to Undergo 4. Loyalty 9. Sharing and Giving
Engagement 5. Shared Philosophy 10. Communication
Courtship  A period of agreement entered between two
1. It gives a person time to know better the people in love for them to be able to know
character and background of someone being each other and their families well enough to
Lesson 2: Pregnancy- Related
considered as one’s future lifetime partner. be sure that they are ready and are suited for Concerns and Prenatal Care
2. Courting gives time to understand one life-long companionship.
another and determine if you can get along After marriage, a couple’s desire is to build a
with minimal conflicts. Marriage
family. Humans are reproduced through sexual
3. It reveals one’s interests, likes and dislikes,  It takes only two people, a man and a woman, reproduction.
limitations, and aspirations in life. to unite and make a successful relationships
4. It allows couples to decide whether they are as married couple Fertilization
ready to be committed.  A lifelong partnership of a man and a woman  Is a reproductive process wherein half of
5. It allows couples to determine and focus on  Marriage is not a mere contract but an the genes of the father and mother combine
what to expect in marriage. inviolable social institution to form a single cell; the new cell then
6. It develops security and establishes respect divides and forms more cells.
for each other.
7. It develops understanding and acceptance.
Implantation
Dating Factors to Consider in Choosing a  The attachment of the developing cells to
 A social activity which involves two or more lifetime Partner the uterus is called implantation
people generally assessing each other’s
1. Good Character 5. Love
Pregnancy
suitability for a potential relationship.
2. Maturity 6. Economic readiness
 The time when a new cell is formed during
fertilization, grows, and develops into a
baby in the woman’s uterus.
 Generally lasts until 9 months or 38 to 40
weeks.
Embryo
 From the time that the ovum and the sperm
cell unite until the end of the 8th week
Fetus
 From 8th week to birth
Birth
 The passage of a baby from its mother’s
uterus to the outside of her baby
Labor
 The process that lasts from the time
contractions start until the delivery of the
child and the placenta.
Lesson 3:
Responsible Parenthood
Parenthood
 The state of being a parent. Traditionally
means being a father or mother of the
biological child. When adoption is involved,
the parents are the legal father and mother
of the child.
Factors to Consider when Thinking of
Parenthood
1. Happiness and stability of the marriage
2. Physical and emotional readiness of both
partners for parenthood
3. Financial Stability
Responsible Parenthood
 The will and ability to respond to the needs
and aspiration of the family
 Defined as the series of decisions couples
make to ensure the best possible life for the
family and for the community to which the
family belongs.
 Includes the process of deciding how to
choose our partners, when to form families,
when to have the first child, child spacing how
many children to have in all.
 The situation of every person and each
couple is different, therefore, there cannot be
a set of rules or guidelines which can be
applied to everyone.
Duties and Responsibilities of Parents
 Provide physical care and love
 Inculcate discipline
 Develop social competence
 Provide education
 Train children to become good citizens
 Teach children to be financially responsible
 Guide children to grow responsibly.
Small family
 Consist of parents and at most 2 children
 Considered when a couple wants a quiet
life, spend more quality time with your
family, provide better opportunities in terms
of education, health, or comfort in life for
your children.
Big family
 Consist of parents and three or more
children, and other family members.
 If as a couple you are outgoing, loves fun
and laughter and most importantly you can
afford to raise children, then creating a big
family in the future may be your choice.
Family Structure
Baseball / Softball
Baseball and softball looks the same but they
differ in many things such as the size of the
equipment used, size of the diamond, and some
rules.
The History of Baseball
Baseball is thought to have originated as a game
called “rounders” in England and gained
popularity in the United States in the early 1900s.
It has gone by many names in the past, including
“town ball,” “goal ball,” round ball,” and simply
“base,” just to name a few. The first recorded
rules were written by Shane Ryley Foster for a
team called the Knickerbockers, based in
Manhattan. Modern baseball has two official
leagues, the National League and the American
League; but many others cropped up over the
years to offer competition.
Notable Players
George “Babe” Ruth: one of the greatest home-
run hitters the game has ever seen
Hank Aaron: another prolific home-run hitter,
holding the home-run record at 755 for his career
until 2007
Jackie Robinson: the first African American to
cross the unspoken lines of segregation
Lou Gehrig: also known as “The Iron Horse,”
played in 2,130 consecutive games and won a
triple crown in 1934
Mickey Mantle: hit home runs both left- and right-
handed, voted MVP three times in his career, and
won seven World Series titles with the Yankees
Notable Games
1922: the highest combined score in Major
League history (Cubs 26, Phillies 23)
1932: Babe Ruth calls his shot, pointing to center
field and hitting a home run to that exact spot on
the very next pitch
1951: Bobby Thomson hits a walk-off home run to
lead the Giants to victory over the Dogders, which
led to a victory in the pennant playoffs. This
moment is now known as the “shot heard ’round
the world.”
The History of Softball
Softball is a variant of baseball and a popular
participant sport, particularly in the U.S. About 40
million Americans play a game of softball in any
given year. However, the game owes its
development to another sport entirely: football.
The First Softball Game
George Hancock, a reporter for Chicago Board of
Trade, is credited with inventing softball in 1887.
That year, Hancock gathered with some friends at
the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago on
Thanksgiving day to watch the Yale vs. Harvard
game. The friends were a mix of Yale and
Harvard alumni and one of the Yale supporters
threw a boxing glove at a Harvard alumnus in
triumph. The Harvard supporter swung at the
glove with a stick he happened to be holding at
the time. The game was soon on, with
participants using the glove for a ball and a broom
handle for the bat.
Softball Goes National
The game quickly spread from the comfy confines
of the Farragut Boat Club to other indoor arenas.
With the advent of spring, it headed outdoors.
People began playing softball throughout
Chicago, then all over the Midwest. But the game
still didn’t have a name. Some called it “indoor
baseball” or “diamond ball.” True baseball
fanatics didn’t think much of the game and their
names for it, such as “kitten baseball,” “pumpkin
ball” and “mush ball” reflected their disdain.
The game was first called softball at the National
Recreation Congress meeting in 1926. Credit for
the name goes to Walter Hakanson who
represented the YMCA at the meeting. It stuck.
An Evolution of Rules
The Farragut Boat Club invented the first softball
rules pretty much on the fly. There was little
continuity from game to game during the early
years. The number of players on each team could
vary from one game to the next. The balls
themselves were of different shapes and sizes.
Finally, more official rules were set in place in
1934 by the newly-formed Joint Rules Committee
on Softball.
The first softballs were reported to be some 16
inches in circumference. They eventually shrunk
to 12 inches when Lewis Rober Sr. introduced
softball to a group of Minneapolis firefighters.
Today, softballs are even smaller, ranging from
about 10 to 12 inches.
According to the International Softball Federation,
which was formed in 1952, teams must now be
comprised of nine players manning seven
positions on the field. This includes the first
baseman, second baseman, third baseman,
pitcher, catcher and outfielder. There are actually
three outfielders positioned in center, right and
left field. Slow-pitch softball, a variation on the
game, provides for a fourth outfielder.
Most softball rules are similar to those for
baseball, but there are typically only seven rather
than nine innings. If the score is tied, the game
will go on until one team wins. Four balls are a
walk and three strikes mean you’re out. But in
some leagues, players go to bat with a strike and
a ball already against them. Bunting and stealing
bases typically aren’t allowed.
Softball Today
Women’s fast-pitch softball became an official
sport of the Summer Olympics in 1996, but was
dropped in 2012. Still, that hasn’t deterred
millions of enthusiasts in the U.S. and more than
a hundred other countries from pursuing the
sport.
Positions in Baseball / Softball
Pitcher. The pitcher's job is to throw the ball over
to the plate in a way that it is difficult for the batter
to hit. A pitcher should be able to throw fast
pitches, but velocity is less important than control
(the ability to throw strikes consistently and not
issue a lot of bases on balls). A pitcher should be
tough, smart, and keep his or her composure
under pressure (such as throw strikes behind in
the count or when there are people on base). The
pitcher is the fifth infielder and needs to field his
or her position on bunts, grounders, and pop ups,
and back up the catcher on plays at the plate.
Pitchers are often the best all-around athletes on
the team.
Catcher. Generally the team leader since he or
she is the only player facing his or teammates.
The catcher handles the pitcher, keeps track of
balls and strikes (the count), reminds the other
players about the number of outs, sets the
defense, and backs up 1st base on every infield
play. Catchers are usually the most rugged and
quickest thinking players on the team. Once base
stealing is permitted, a catcher should have a
good throwing arm and the ability to get rid of the
ball very quickly.
Infield players
Infielders must be able to react quickly toward a
hit ball, and have good hand-eye coordination
skills. Shortstops and third basemen should have
good throwing arms, since they need to make
longer throws to first. Playing the infield positions
(other than first base) is easiest for right-handed
players, since they do not have to turn as far to
throw the ball to first.
First base. The perfect place for a left-handed
player who can catch the ball well, even when, as
is often the case in youth baseball, it is thrown
over his head, bounced in the dirt, or off line.
Strength and size (particularly height) are
important; a strong throwing arm is not. A first
baseman needs to be able to concentrate, as he
will potentially be involved in nearly every play.
Second base. Size and stature are of little
importance. Speed, quickness and good fielding
ability are. A second baseman needs to know
what to do when there are runners on base (such
as to know that, if the ball is hit to him with a
runner on first, to touch second base, or tag the
runner, and then throw to first.
Shortstop. This player has more ground to cover
than any other player does and must be fast,
quick, agile and have a strong throwing arm. The
shortstop will potentially field more ground balls,
in more off-balance positions, than any other
player. Like the second baseman, the shortstop
needs to be to think ahead.
Third Base. This player should be able to charge
the ball on bunts and slow grounders, and field
the ball barehanded, and be able to move side to
side quickly on balls hit hard down the line or to
his left in the hole between third and short.
Because the third baseman has the longest throw
of all the infielders, he should have a good arm.
Outfielders
Outfielders must cover a lot of ground, so speed
and quickness to react to the ball are important.
They must be able to catch fly balls above their
head and on the run and throw the ball a long
distance and accurately. Younger players may
find it difficult to concentrate on the game, since
balls are not hit to the outfield as often as to the
infield. Therefore, players need to be taught to get
into the "ready" position (on the balls of their feet,
in a slight crouch) before every pitch.
Right Fielder. Needs to be able to think-ahead.
This player backs up first base on all throws from
the catcher and all bunted balls, since the catcher
must be available for fielding the ball. They
backup second on any ball thrown from the left of
the diamond. I.e. shortstop, third base or foul
territory.
Center Fielder. This will be the player that has
the best combination of speed and throwing
distance. Like shortstop, they cover more 'grass'
than any other player and, most likely, will catch
the most fly balls. They must backup second on
all bunts and throws from the catcher.
Left Fielder. Of all outfield positions, this player
can have the weakest arm, as they do not
generally throw the ball as far. They still require
good fielding and catching skills and backup third
on pick-off attempts from the catcher or pitcher.
Baseball Equipment
Baseball Ball . The ball used in baseball is
between 9 and 9.25 inches in circumference. It
weighs between 5 and 5.25 ounces. The ball is
made with a cork center which is then wrapped
tightly with thread and covered with leather.
Many times a softer ball is used in youth leagues.
This is called a RIF (Reduced Injury Factor)
baseball.
Baseball Bat. The bat is used to hit the baseball.
There are different sizes and types of bats. In
youth, little league, high school, and college
baseball most players use an aluminum or
composite bat. In the Major Leagues players can
only use bats made from wood. The most popular
type of wooden bat is the Louisville Slugger which
is made of ash trees.
Bat Drop. Youth baseball leagues play with
different size bats based on the age group. One
general requirement is the bat drop. The bat drop
is the difference between the length of the bat
(inches) and the weight of the bat (ounces). For
example, a 34 inch bat that weighs 29 ounces
has a drop of -5.
Check with your league on the maximum bat drop
you can have before you go and purchase a bat.
In Tee-ball and younger youth leagues the bat
drop can sometimes be as much as minus 13. In
high school the bat drop is minus 3.
It's important to choose a bat that the player is
comfortable with. Taller players will generally use
longer and heavier bats.
Glove. The baseball glove is designed to help
catch the ball and protect your hand. You wear
the glove on the opposite of your throwing hand.
So if you throw with your right hand, you wear
your glove on your left hand.
Ball and Glove. Gloves are made of leather and
have webbing between the thumb and forefinger.
This webbing is where the ball is caught most of
the time.
Types of Gloves. Younger players use smaller
gloves that fit their hands better. Youth baseball
players usually use a 9-11 inch glove. If they
mostly play infield, they will use a smaller glove
like a 9 inch. If they play outfield, then a larger
glove like an 11 inch.
Catchers use a special type of glove called a
catcher's mitt. These gloves have extra padding
and extra wide webbing. First basemen often use
a special first base glove as well. They are longer
and thinner than an outfielder's glove and
designed to snag high or outside throws to first.
Hat and Helmet. Baseball hats are used to help
keep the sun out of your eyes. They are very
popular outside of the sport of baseball. You will
see them on the sidelines of football, at a golf
tournament, or just at school or the mall.
The helmet is important and is used to protect the
batter's head from a wild pitch. You should always
wear a helmet when batting whether you are
playing a serious game or just practicing or
messing around.
Uniform. The baseball uniform consists of
baseball pants, a jersey, and the baseball cap.
Sometimes socks may be part of the uniform as
well. It's usually a good idea to wear long pants
for baseball so you don't get scraped up when
sliding into base.
Cleats. Baseball players wear cleats when
playing. Cleats help to keep you from slipping
when batting and fielding a ball.
Catcher's Gear. Catchers wear special gear
while playing. They need lots of protection as
pitches can come in very fast. Even if you are
great at catching a ball, you can't control when
the batter may tip the ball and, in that case, you
will not be able to protect yourself. Wearing
protective equipment as a catcher is a must!
Catchers should wear a full set of protective gear
including masks, helmets, shin guards, chest
guards, cups, and neck protectors. Be sure to
have your coach check your gear and make sure
it is on properly before you play.
Softball Equipment
Softball uses the same equipment used in
baseball except for the bat and ball.
Bat. The batsmen use bat to hit the ball and
score runs for team. The bat is made up of wood,
aluminium or from metals. The shape of the bat is
like a cylinder and its diameter is 6 inches. The
length of the bat varies but it cannot be greater
than 86 cm.
Softball ball.Despite the name, the ball used in
softball is not soft. It is about 12 in (about 30 cm)
in circumference (11 or 12 in for slow-pitch),
which is 3 in (8 cm) larger than a baseball
The diameter of the barrel is 2¼ inches. Normally,
players prefer smaller barrel bat because they
can swing the bat easily. Bats having smaller
barrel also reduces weight. The weight of the bat
is 1.2 kilograms.
Basic Terminologies
Balk -Any pitching motion that is against the
baseball rules. The pitcher is not to try and trick
the base runners with illegal motions.
Ball - A ball is a pitch where the batter does not
swing, yet the pitch is outside of the strike zone –
in other words, the pitch is either too high or too
low, or else not over the plate.
Battery - The battery includes two baseball
players, the pitcher and the catcher.
Bunt - When a batter holds the baseball bat out
and tries to barely tap the ball vs. taking a full
swing at the ball. The batter might do this to
advance another base runner.
Change up - A slow pitch that is meant to look
much faster.
Cleanup - The fourth batter in the batting order.
Usually a power hitter.
Count - The number of balls and strikes on a
batter. For example a 3/2 count means there are
three balls and two strikes on the batter.
Diamond -The four bases of the baseball infield.
Double play - A defensive baseball play that
results in two outs.
Error - A mistake in fielding the baseball by the
defense that allows a batter to reach base or a
base runner to advance.
Fly ball - A baseball that is hit high into the air.
Foul ball -A baseball that is hit outside the field of
fair play.
Full count - When the pitch count has 3 balls and
2 strikes. The next strike or ball will end the at
bat. If the batter hits the baseball foul, then the
count remains 3 and 2.
Ground ball - A baseball that is hit on the
ground. Also called a "grounder".
Hit and run - A baseball play where the base
runner begins to run when the pitch is released.
It's the batter's responsibility to hit the baseball
into play so the runner will not get out. This gives
the base runner a head start.
Hit for the cycle - When a baseball player hits a
single, a double, a triple, and a home run in one
game.
Lead Runner - The first base runner when more
than one runner is on base.
Load the bases - When a base runner is at all
three bases.
On-deck - The next batter due to bat.
Pinch hitter - A substitute baseball hitter.
Pinch runner - A substitute base runner.
Pitch around - When the pitcher does not throw
the batter a pitch near the plate in order to walk
the batter.
Pitch out - A pitch that cannot be hit by the
batter. Used to walk a batter on purpose or to try
and catch a base stealer.
Position player - Any baseball player but the
pitcher.
Power hitter - A strong batter that hits the
baseball far, often for home runs or extra bases.
Relay - When one fielder throws the baseball to
another fielder who then throws the baseball to
another fielder.
Reliever or relief pitcher - A replacement
pitcher. Usually comes in the game when the
starting pitcher grows tired.
Runners at the corners - Base runners on 1st
and 3rd.
Scoring position - A base runner on 2nd or 3rd
base is in scoring position.
Stike - A strike in baseball results when a batter
swings at and misses a pitch, does not swing at a
pitch in the strike zone or hits a foul ball that is not
caught
Strike zone - The area above home plate where
strikes are called. The pitch must be over home
plate, above the batter's knees, and below the
batter's belt.
Walk - When the pitcher throws four balls to a
batter, the batter gets to go to first base
automatically.