Expert: Jamie Selko - 7/31/2007

Question
I have two questions that I have asked so many people and yet to get the answer... First, is the pitchers mount (or is it mound?)a certin hight or is it just random? Next, when did the dug out come into play with baseball? Has it always been part of the field and if so why?

Answer
Howdy- The mound can, by rule, be no more than 15 inches high.  This rule was put in place for the 1969 season to increase offense, as the higher the mound, the more advantageous it is to the pitcher.
As to the dugout question, I am sorry , but I do not know when teams switched to dugouts instead of just benches, but it was no later than the early 1880's.