# Baseball dugouts **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 11, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463 "2002-06-11T15:06:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/1 "2002-06-11T15:06:18Z")
Which team sits in which dugout? I was at a minor league game recently, and the home team sat on the third base side. This seems to be contrary to my experiences, but I could be way off base. I seem to remember that the KC Royals use the first base dugout when at home. Is there any authority on the matter? ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/2 "2002-06-11T15:12:43Z")
None. The rule book simply states 91.08): > [@](#): > > The home club shall furnish players’ benches, one each for the home and visiting teams. Such benches shall not be less than twenty-five feet from the base lines. They shall be roofed and shall be enclosed at the back and ends. Either team can use either dugout. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/3 "2002-06-11T15:15:09Z")
Every park I’ve been to has had the home dugout on the third base side, but I haven’t been to all that many parks. I’m not ambitious enough to go looking through seating maps at the moment for all the MLB teams. 🙂 ISTR something about this before, though, to the effect that having the home dugout on the third base side meant that right-handed batters (who comprise a majority of major leaguers) wouldn’t have to walk as far to the batters box. Or, maybe I’m imagining it. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/4 "2002-06-11T15:17:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*The rule book simply states 91.08): > \*\* Sorry. The rule cite is 1.08. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/5 "2002-06-11T15:33:45Z")
Thanks. Anybody seen the home team on the first base side? ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/6 "2002-06-11T15:44:42Z")
The Colorado Rockies are on the first base side. The minor league team that preceeded them in Denver (Zephyrs) were on the third base side. ---
**Author:** ![Lure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@Lure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lure)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/7 "2002-06-11T16:08:22Z")
The Yankees have been at 1st base forever.Their bullpen is in rightcenter.Probably one of the reasons. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/8 "2002-06-11T16:20:41Z")
The Charlotte Knights’ dugout is on the first-base side. (Wasn’t sure if you just meant major league. :)) ---
**Author:** ![bobk2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@bobk2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobk2)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/9 "2002-06-11T16:52:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Munch \* > \*\*Thanks. Anybody seen the home team on the first base side? \*\* Boston Red Sox. I think the Orioles also. Until a few years ago I thought _all_ Home Teams sat on the 1B side, but then I started noticing some that didn’t. I thought the logic of baseball park layout made dugout location on one side more advantageous than on the other (sun in the eyes or something like that,) I know Cecil did a column once on common ballpark orientations (East-West orientation? Pitches thrown from West?), but I don’t remember the details. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/10 "2002-06-11T16:57:36Z")
bobk2, most parks are/were situated so that a line from homebase to the mound/2nd base is west to east. South is to the pitcher’s left, thus the term “southpaw.” ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/11 "2002-06-11T17:00:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bobk2 \* > \*\* > I thought the logic of baseball park layout made dugout location on one side more advantageous than on the other (sun in the eyes or something like that,) I know Cecil did a column once on common ballpark orientations (East-West orientation? Pitches thrown from West?), but I don’t remember the details. \*\* Once again, from the rule book (1.04) > [@](#): > > It is desirable that the line from home base through the pitcher’s plate to second base shall run East-Northeast. I don’t know the reason, nor do I know how many of the 30 major league ballparks in use today are in compliance with this less-than-mandatory rule. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/12 "2002-06-11T17:55:22Z")
The Orioles sit on the first base side at Camden Yards; they were on the third base side in Memorial Stadium. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/13 "2002-06-11T18:35:30Z")
Whoops, I meant from southwest to northeast, the first base line running west to east. ---
**Author:** ![Newton\_meter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/57b2e6/32.png) [@Newton\_meter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newton_meter)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/14 "2002-06-11T19:13:11Z")
The Tigers sit on the third base side in Comerica Park. I remember them being on the third base side in Tiger Stadium, too. The Twins sit on the third base side. Clearly there is no factor of sun or wind in the Metrodome. I’ve speculated that that side is the one with the better clubhouse and team offices (or maybe the shorter walk to the clubhouse); but I’ve never gotten a chance to go down there and take a look. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/15 "2002-06-11T19:18:49Z")
From what I’ve read about this (and people have researched this), the placement of the home team’s dugout solely at the whim of the team. If the architect builds the nice clubhouse on the first base side, that’s where the dugout will be. I don’t think most players or managers have much say in it unless they are control freaks like Buck Showalter was in Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/16 "2002-06-11T20:53:37Z")
When they were at Candlestick Park, the Giants sat on the first base side. But, when PacBell was built, the nice clubhouse was built on the third base side, so that’s where they are now. The general rule seems to be that the home team is on the third base side, but there are exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/17 "2002-06-11T20:56:58Z")
At Candestick Park, the visitor’s clubhouse wasn’t even attached to the visitor’s dugout. It was on the other side of the field up the first base line. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/18 "2002-06-11T21:04:45Z")
Turner Field, Atlanta Braves: home dugout on 1B side (as it was at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium) Fenway Park, Boston Red Sox: home dugout on 1B side Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs: home dugout on 3B side McCormick Field, Asheville Tourists, Asheville, NC: home dugout on 1B side Engel Stadium, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chattanooga, TN (before 2000): home dugout on 1B side BellSouth Park, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chattanooga, TN (since 2000): home dugout on 1B side Ray Winder Field, Arkansas Travelers, Little Rock, AR: home dugout on 1B side That’s just the ones I know best – I seem to remember the D’Backs piling out of the third base dugout to celebrate their Game 7 win over the Yankees last year; I can’t recall which was which in the Kingdome (I’ve tried to forget as much as I can about that experience). I’m ashamed to admit that I can’t recall which dugout is which in St. Louis, but my days as a Cardinal fan were spent experiencing the games on radio (Jack Buck and Mike Shannon) rather than on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/19 "2002-06-11T21:19:38Z")
Busch Stadium, St. Louis – home team on the 1B side. ---
**Author:** ![TwoBuyFour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/76d3ee/32.png) [@TwoBuyFour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoBuyFour)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463/20 "2002-06-11T23:31:56Z")
The Padres have their home dugout on the first base side, and visitors’ clubhouse on the third. The bullpens, oddly, are reversed - Padres’ in foul territory off the left field line, visitors’ off the right. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-dugouts/113463.md?page=2)