Baseball

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Softball

Category

Sports, Ball Sports, Activities, Sporting Activities, Recreation

Message / Function

For notice in general and to indicate the possibility of playing baseball or softball

 

	Source	Description
	O'96	Human figure (pitcher) throwing baseball, glove in other hand
	Dutchicon	Human figure (pitcher) after throwing baseball, glove indicated at left arm
	Erco	Human figure with baseball bat
	Aicher	Human figure with baseball bat, balls in bottom left corner
	Picto'grafics	Human figure with baseball bat, ball
	CNIS	Human figure with baseball bat, ball
	Shunzo Koya	Human figure with baseball bat
	Eco-Mo Foundation	Human figure with baseball bat
	O'96	Human figure with baseball bat
	Wien BfS	Human figure with baseball bat
	Dutchicon	Human figure wearing helmet, with baseball bat
	Sagamihara	Human figure with baseball bat
	U.S. National Park Service	Human figure with baseball bat
	Pierce	Human figure with baseball bat
	O'88	Human figure with baseball bat
	O'21	Upper part of human figure with baseball bat
	Dutchicon	Human figure with glove in one hand, catching ball
	Dreyfuss	Two crossed baseball bats and ball inside circle
	Dreyfuss	Baseball bat and ball inside circle
	Pacific Bell	Baseball bat and ball
	Unknown	Baseball

Note: Pictograms originally within a round frame were enlarged and transferred to square framing

Discussion

The selection above illustrates the range of pictograms available, from human figures with baseball bat and ball to renderings of baseball bat and ball or even just a baseball. The majority of renderings show a hitter, while pictograms with images of pitchers or human figures catching the ball are rather rare. No single visual stereotype can be identified.

In our research we discovered that there is only very limited test data available concerning pictograms for the referent Baseball:

In a Japanese study to propose domestically unified graphical symbols based on scientific methods, the pictogram variant labeled as Eco-Mo Foundation proved to be well comprehensable with a comprehension score of 88.4 (Eco-Mo Foundation, 2001).

Gehringer (1976) reported in a paper on pictograms about sporting activities, that showing a person exercising a sport is often preferred to a rendering of the equipment alone.

Recommendation

Based on data known, we recommend to use a pictogram similar to Public Information Symbol D04 of the Eco-Mo Foundation to signify Baseball or Softball.

Tests of pictograms of referent Baseball

Eco-Mo Foundation (2001): Test data of public information symbols in Japan - Procedure for the testing of public information symbols by the Study Committee. ISO: ISO/TC 145/SC 1 N 329.

 

Updated 2024-04-29 by Ch.Brugger