The F^&%$ Metal Bar

At almost every high school or travel game there is a moment — maybe during a groundball to the shortstop or a line drive back to the pitcher or a fly ball to the far left field — when you think, “Why can’t they make a baseball field fence without that F^&%$ bar in the middle?” 

You may even be that one parent who asks the question out loud. Since nobody knows the answer to this age-old question, it just hangs out there like a curveball from a position player. That’s why the Travel Baseball Guy staff decided to take matters into our own hands. We reached out to Chad Hoover, owner of Hoover Fence Company, to finally get some answers.

Hoover Fence Company is a small family-owned business in Newton Falls, Ohio, and was founded by Chad’s dad, Frank R. Hoover, in 1976. According to the Hoover Fence website, they have a combined 100 years of experience in the fence industry, and this experience has granted them the foresight to predict problems before they occur—and to troubleshoot and solve problems as they arise. 

We’re not entirely sure about the folks at Hoover Fence solving the problems before they occur, let alone after, since metal bars have been on fences at baseball fields for years and are still a problem. 

We were able to link up with Chad and we asked him some very pointed questions, specifically, “Why do you make baseball field fences with that F^&%$ metal bar in the middle?” 

“In general, chain link fences do not require a mid-rail, bottom rail, or other horizontal bracing. However, it is common on baseball fields for additional structural support,” he said via email. “This provides more places for chain link fabric/mesh to also be tied down, keeping it neat and tidy.”

So, there you have it. The metal bars are like jockstraps—they’re not pretty and often get in the way… but are needed for structural support.

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