On January 6, 1914, a safety measure to help batters pick up the baseball out of the pitcher’s hand was put in place. All major league fields, owners determined, must have a centerfield wall that is green and blank. The allowable color scheme would expand over the years, and in the 1950s, this dark-colored area behind the centerfielder would become known as the batter’s eye.
Batter’s eye at The Diamond, Richmond, Virginia (public domain)
