Beacon BallieldDimensionsGuide-2024-WEB - Flipbook - Page 42
ON-FIELD HOW-TO
Setting Base Anchors
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C O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S PAG E
B. Place the anchor. Remove one of the concrete anchors from its form
by turning it upside down and pounding the form with a rubber mallet
to loosen. Make sure that there is no concrete inside the steel anchor
post. To maintain proper drainage, clear any excess concrete if necessary.
Using a 2x4, create a bridge across the hole and over the anchor post.
Ensure that there is a gap of 1/2" to 3/4" from the top of the anchor post
to the bottom of your 2x4 bridge. If not, remove the anchor, correct the
sub-grade, and remeasure the depth.
C. Is it level? Once your depth is set, make sure the anchor is level. Use
a torpedo level on the sides of the anchor post. If necessary, adjust the
grade under the concrete anchor until it is level.
D. Position the anchor accurately. Using the string line as your guide,
maneuver the anchor so one edge of the concrete is on the string line,
the back foul corner of the concrete is where your pin was placed, and
the rest of the concrete is on the “fair side” of your string (see Drawing
4, previous page). Measure from the point of home plate to the back
foul corner of the concrete anchor to ensure correct base placement.
You may place a base in the anchor to make for easier measuring. After
adjusting your concrete anchor accordingly for correct placement,
recheck for levelness and proper depth. Adjust if needed.
E. Bury the anchor. When all three parameters are met (distance,
depth, levelness), the anchor can be buried. Add soil a few inches at a
time. Compact thoroughly before adding the next few inches. Continue
until the level of soil in the excavated area matches the grade of the
surrounding infield skin. Compact the soil, then moisten and apply
topdressing if used.
4 Install 2nd base anchor.
A. Dig a hole and level it out. The 2nd base pin you placed marks the
base’s exact center. Therefore, excavating 1' out in all directions from
the base pin will create a 2' square area. Follow the same process of
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excavation and leveling as you did in Step 3 with the 1st and
3rd base anchors.
B. Find the exact center of 2nd base. No matter which size base
you are using, or if you are on a combo field, you will only need one
centered anchor for 2nd base. The centered alignment is the same for
all base sizes. Place the concrete anchor in the hole. Stretch your steel
measuring tapes from the back foul corners of both 1st and 3rd base
toward 2nd base. The exact center of 2nd base is where the two tapes
form a right angle at the proper base distance. (See letter A on the
Field Dimensions Diagrams on pages 12-15) Center the anchor post at
that point (see Drawing 4, previous page), making sure the sides of the
concrete anchor are parallel to the foul lines.
C. Bury the anchor. When all three parameters are met (distance,
depth and levelness), the anchor can be buried, just as you buried the
1st and 3rd base anchors.
5 Test each base, troubleshoot if necessary.
With the anchors now in place, test them by installing the bases to see
how they sit on the infield skin surface. The base will sit flush to the skin
surface with no gaps. If you see gaps from the base sitting up too high,
troubleshoot these common installation problems:
◾ The steel anchor post is not level (plumb).
◾ The infield skin is not level, and it does not match the
surrounding grade causing low areas around the base.
◾ How old are your bases? It is possible the bottom edges
are curled up.
All of these problems can present a risk to players. You should correct
any of these conditions immediately to reduce any risk of injury.
