warning track
{{Short description|Part of a baseball field that is closest to the wall}}
Image:Fenway warning track.JPG, the left field wall at Fenway Park.]]
The warning track is the part of the baseball field that is closest to the wall or fence and is made of a different material than the field. Common materials for the warning track include dirt or rubber; it should always be of a different material than the playing field.{{Cite web|url=https://cdn3.sportngin.com/attachments/document/0124/3820/Baseball_Field_Maintenance_Guide.pdf|title=Baseball Field Maintenance: A General Guide for Fields of All Levels|publisher=Major League Baseball & Major League Baseball Players Association|access-date=2019-08-29}}{{Rp|18}} The change of terrain serves as a "warning" for fielders trying to make a deep catch that they are running out of room, since it is often difficult for the fielder to keep his eye on a fly ball while keeping track of his position relative to the wall.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportingcharts.com/dictionary/mlb/warning-track.aspx|title=Warning Track Definition - Sporting Charts|website=www.sportingcharts.com|access-date=2019-08-29}} It runs parallel to the ballpark's outfield wall.{{Rp|18}} The track can also be utilized by vehicles on grass fields, thus preserving the playing field.{{Cite web|url=https://ballfields.com/2019/07/26/danger-artificial-turf-warning-tracks/|title=The Danger of Artificial Turf Warning Tracks {{!}} Beacon Athletics|last=Zwaska|first=Paul|date=2019-07-26|website=Beacon Athletics Blog & Ballfield Tips|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-29}}
Despite the warning track's presence, it is common to see outfielders crash into the wall to make a catch, due to a desire to field the play regardless of the outcome; because they fail to register the warning in time, as they are looking up at the fly ball; or because they do not know how many steps they will have on the track.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8313341/baseball-warning-track-useless|title=The warning track is useless|last=Glanville|first=Doug|date=2012-08-29|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=2019-08-29}}
The "track" part of the term comes from Old Yankee Stadium, where an actual running track was built for the use of track and field events.{{Cite web|url=https://waybackandgone.wordpress.com/2009/07/12/this-day-in-baseball-history-july-12th-1949/|title=This Day in Baseball History: July 12th, 1949|date=2009-07-12|website=Way Back and Gone|language=en|access-date=2019-08-29}} In 1949 Major League Baseball formally began requiring a warning track. There still are professional fields without a proper warning track, however, such as Tropicana Field, which uses brown-colored turf.[http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2014/05/beware_of_warning_track_at_tro.html Beware of warning track at Tropicana Field: Cleveland Indians chatter]. May 9, 2014; retrieved Aug. 6, 2014.
The width of warning tracks can vary by rules and level of play.{{Rp|18}} In general it is designed to give fielders three steps of warning before the outfield wall.{{Cite web|url=https://ballfields.com/baseball-field-dimensions/building-the-warning-track/|title=Building the Warning Track {{!}} Beacon Athletics|website=Beacon Athletics Blog & Ballfield Tips|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-29}} The warning tracks in Major League Parks are roughly {{convert|16|ft|m|0}} wide, while the warning track in Olympic stadiums are roughly {{convert|20|ft|m|0}} wide, and on softball fields are often {{convert|10|ft|m|0}}.{{Rp|18, 21}}{{Cite journal|last=Kagan|first=David T.|date=1990-02-01|title=The effects of coefficient of restitution variations on long fly balls|url=https://aapt.scitation.org/doi/10.1119/1.16224|journal=American Journal of Physics|volume=58|issue=2|pages=151–154|doi=10.1119/1.16224|bibcode=1990AmJPh..58..151K|issn=0002-9505|url-access=subscription}} When Major League Baseball instituted the warning track, it was {{convert|10|ft|m|0}} wide.