Your Sport: Baseball

Baseball, and its gentler cousin, softball, are often looked down upon by cricket-lovers as merely "glorified rounders". But the infinite complexities that grow out of baseball's simple principle of hitting a ball with a stick far enough to run round four bases back to home plate make it a fascinating game that can soon have you hooked. The sport's skills include hitting, throwing, catching and running, and it's great for developing hand-eye co-ordination. Players will have around four turns at bat in a game, and will be called into action often from whichever of the nine fielding positions they are located in, which makes it popular with youngsters, since it keeps players constantly involved. Baseball in the UK is played at park level by hundreds of enthusiasts, and the 40 or so teams around the country are always looking for new players.

Baseball, and its gentler cousin, softball, are often looked down upon by cricket-lovers as merely "glorified rounders". But the infinite complexities that grow out of baseball's simple principle of hitting a ball with a stick far enough to run round four bases back to home plate make it a fascinating game that can soon have you hooked. The sport's skills include hitting, throwing, catching and running, and it's great for developing hand-eye co-ordination. Players will have around four turns at bat in a game, and will be called into action often from whichever of the nine fielding positions they are located in, which makes it popular with youngsters, since it keeps players constantly involved. Baseball in the UK is played at park level by hundreds of enthusiasts, and the 40 or so teams around the country are always looking for new players.

Next week: ice hockey

For details of clubs in your area, contact the British Baseball Federation at BaseballSoftballUK, Ariel House, 74a Charlotte Street, London W1P 1LR (020 7453 7055, fax: 020 7453 7007) or visit their website at www.baseballsoftballuk.com, which also provides links to equipment stockists

American Major League baseball is the pinnacle of the sport; Channel 5 show two live games a week during the summer season, on Wednesday and Sunday nights

For an awesome amount of stats, video clips and live radio commentary covering all the action Stateside, visit www.mlb.com

Other UK-based baseball news, information and contacts can be found at www.baseballuk.com

Wooden bats are the traditionalists' choice (and compulsory in America's professional Major Leagues), but the amateur game relies on more practical aluminium models. As well as having a larger "sweet spot", these also break much less frequently. Weights and sizes vary; try out a number of bats to find the one that suits your swing. Expect to pay from £30 for a basic wooden bat to £200-plus for a top-of-the-range aluminium version.

If you are brave enough to be a catcher, you will need the so-called "tools of ignorance", a disparaging reference to those "foolish" enough to play baseball's most dangerous position. To protect against high-velocity pitches and edged balls from the hitter's bat, the catcher dons a wire mask (around £30), moulded plastic chest and leg protectors (around £50), and a glove with extra padding.

The modern mitt has evolved into a complex affair of padding, lacing, deep-welled pockets and superlative webbing. New gloves need to be worked-in to fit the shape of the individual hand, and most players get deeply attached to their gloves, since getting the "feel" right greatly enhances fielding prowess. This sentiment is no bad thing on the pocket, either: top gloves cost around £100.

Batters need something sturdy to keep their head safe from the ball or the flying boots of opposition fielders desperate to stop them reaching the next base. Made ofhigh-density plastic, the curved helmets contain padding for added comfort – it's important to be relaxed when swinging – and are strong enough to protect the hitter from stray pitches that can reach speeds up over 90mph. Cost: £25 upwards.

Trousers and shirt are de rigueur. Button-down shirts with team names scrawled in fancy script are common, while trousers must be stretchable to allow maximum flexibility. The baseball cap has taken on a cultural life of its own, but on the field its practical use is to shade eyes from the sun, while its logo provides an instant team identity. Shirts and trousers around £30 each, caps from £4.99.