AboutTom Schott Expertise I will deal with the major leagues only from 19th century to present. I`m good on baseball history, records, statistics, ballparks. Try to stick to on-the-field stuff. I`m not interested in personal off-the-field stuff like spouses, girl friends, drug habits, salaries, mascots, etc. If you already know the answer to the question, please don't ask it. I don't want to play "stump the expert."
Experience I've written on the subject, and I have substantial library of resources.
Publications Numerous encyclopedia, newspaper, magazine articles. One book, several book chapters.
Question How was 90 feet decided upon as the standard distance between bases? Was it always 90 feet?
Answer Jerry,
The 90-foot base paths go all the way back to when Alexander Cartwright and a committee drew up the so-called "Knickerbocker rules" (named after the NY Knickerbocker team) for the game of baseball in the winter of 1845. I'm not certain how ninety feet was determined as the distance. Baseball evolved from the English game of rounders, and the distance between "posts" in that game varies, but they are shorter than ninety feet in all cases.
