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During the 2011 and 2012 Seasons

Diamond One

Batter's Boxes ... Catcher's Box ... Mound

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NOTE - There are 18 large photos on this page and it may take a few extra seconds to completely download
but if you have a broadband internet connection, they will not take too long to display ... just be a little patient !!

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It is a 'normal' occurence in baseball for holes to be dug on the mound and in the home plate area
Unfortunate ... but that's the way the game is set up and played !!

It is a continuing battle to try to make this 'damage' as minor as possible
both for the standard of play and also to shorten the necessary maintenance time

The Diamond One field was completely remade during the 2009 / 2010 off season
and naturally this included these two important areas of a baseball diamond

Since then, a few solutions have been tried ... on both Diamond One and Two ... and here are all the details

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Diamond One

Batter's Boxes ... Catcher's Box

Unfired Clay Bricks
click HERE ... scroll to 13th, 15th and 21st March 2010		 Mound

Ant Bed
click HERE ... scroll to Sunday 11th April 2010

Unfired Clay Bricks
click HERE ... scroll to Tuesday 13th April 2010

Diamond Two

Batter's Boxes ... Catcher's Box

Black Clay
click HERE ... scroll to Saturday 27th March 2010

White Clay
click HERE ... scroll to Saturday 16th April 2011		 Mound

Black Clay
click HERE ... scroll to Saturday 27th March 2010

White Clay
click HERE ... scroll to Saturday 16th April 2011

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All of these measures have had various levels of success ... but not to the degree that was aimed for

... and so the search continues ...... read on below ...

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Saturday 18th June 2011

MOUND

Following a suggestion from a guy who looks after fields in Melbourne Victoria, it was decided to try these coir mats
He said that the mats become filled with soil allowing good traction
but making it impossible to dig through as the pitcher lands to deliver the pitch

Digging out the area for the mats ...

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... and they are now in position

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Bauxite from the running tracks was mixed with crusher dust and rubbed into the mats as they were covered

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Wednesday 6th July 2011

CATCHER'S--BOX

Just a little bit of Information
A very large coir mat like the ones above was also tried in this area ... and it was very successful
in stopping the foot holes being dug ... however, it had one major failing ... it started to stink, and
I mean really stink up the whole complex !! ... these mats are a natural (coconut) fibre and because
the catcher's area is flat, the mat was continually damp and started to rot, decompose, whatever you
like to call it !! ... it had to be taken out ... oh boy, it was bad, especially for the catcher who had to
squat right on top of it !! ... however, so far the ones in the mound are okay ... maybe because they
are on a slope and the water drains away

It was decided to replace the mat with firstly, a thick piece of conveyor belt rubber and have a piece of astro turf on the top

Here is the catcher's box just before it was covered with soil

Geoff wondering if this solution will work

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After covering, the area was flooded to work the soil down and around the mat and astro turf

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Sunday 10th July 2011

CATCHER'S--BOX ... MOUND

This shot was taken just before the day's games got underway

Over the three weeks, the mats in the mound have performed perfectly

Only one game has been played since the catcher's box alterations ... so it's still fingers crossed !!

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Friday 11th May 2012

MOUND

Some of the mats laid on Saturday 18th June 2011 were starting to break down,
especially where the pitcher's landing foot hits the mound ... and this could only be expected

Overall, these mats have done a first class job stopping the holes being dug

No mats were available, so it was decided to remove the 'broken' ones today
so it looked it's best for tonight's "Opening Games" of the 2102 Cairns Baseball League Season

The mats will be replaced later

This shot shows the 'broken' bits of coir matting ...

... and there were two mats that were starting to deteriorate ...

... and these have now been removed

The mound is ready for tonight's Games !!

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