DIY Pitchers Mound

Build your own mound to fit your pitching needs.

Major League Baseball fields follow a strict set of measurement parameters, which can make the task of constructing a pitcher's mound a suprisingly precise operation. Once you figure out exactly where and how large the mound is supposed to be, building it is easy, inexpensive and can be completed quickly.

Things You'll Need

• 100 pounds of fine dirt
• White rubber plate
• Shovel
• Measuring tape
• Pole
• 9 foot string
• Chalk

Instructions

1. Stand at home plate and place measuring tape at the end that faces the open field.

2. Walk in a straight line directly between first and third base until your measuring tape says 60 feet and 6 inches long.

3. Mark this point with a pole. This point is the center of your pitcher's mound. Ensure this point is equidistant from first and third.

4. Tie one end of the string around the pole and the other end around a piece of chalk. Ensure the string is exactly 9 feet long. Extend the string to its full length and draw a circle with a diameter of 18 feet.

5. Fill this circle with dirt using the shovel. The center of the mound must be taller than the edge, but the amount of dirt you use is up to you–because there is no regulation height. Construct the mound so that the height smoothly decreases from the inside to the outside of the circle.

6. Purchase a rubber pitcher's plate from a sports equipment store and place one of the longer edges at the original place marked. Push some dirt up against the plate so that it doesn't slide when being used. The two shorter ends of the plate should face first and third base.

Tips & Warnings

• You can water down the dirt before a game so that the dirt doesn't blow around in the wind, but don't use too much water, otherwise it'll turn to mud.

• If you're playing baseball recreationally, the exact parameters for a major league field do not need to be followed, but it's recommended for proper gameplay.

References

• Major League Baseball Official Rules