History of Baseball

The popular game that gained fame as being 'America's favorite pastime' is none other
than the brisk game of baseball. There are many controversies and debate that go with the origin
of baseball. Cricket, Baseball, softball running games and rounders are believed to have taken
shape from primitive type of community games. Even though the name has no clear relation
many games were popularly played that somewhat resemble modern day baseball. There were
different ball games that were known by amusing names like stool ball, goal ball and even poison
ball.
A few historical sources point that in the year 1700, Thomas Wilson who was considered
a conformist leader in England condemned the game of baseball and a few other sports that took
place every Sunday. There are interesting facts related to baseball. One of such reports come
from David block who says that stoolball was the primitive version of baseball and dates it even
back to 1672.
It leads our curiosity to the game of stoolball. It is said that in the game, a batting player
was made to stand in front of a target, a stool, while another player pitched a ball. If the batting
player hit the ball and was caught in field by a player, he was considered to be out of the game.
Also, somewhat similar to cricket, if the ball hit the stool where the batting player stood, he was
again supposed to be out. Young men and women were known to indulge into the sport.
Interestingly, the first recorded evidence of baseball occur when players from the Boston
and Philadelphia clubs were on tour to England exhibiting the game to people at large. Based
upon the basic rules of a game called Rounders which was popularly played in England, the
developed game of baseball slowly gained fame in early 19th century in the US. It was also
known popularly as base and townball game.
In 1888, the Chicago Baseball club introduced the game to Australia, New Zealand,
Hawaii, North Africa and Egypt by playing the game for a large audience. Legendary, though not
generally believed, date of the codification of the first rules of baseball by Abner (1839)
A popular myth believes that Abner Doubleday set up the basic rules of baseball way
back in 1839. Alexander Cartwright is said to codify baseball rules with his New York
Knickerbockers. A book called Baseball by Alexander and a documentary based upon it by
filmmaker Ken Burns suggests that it was Alexander who first codified the game rules.
Recorded in the world of baseball as significant events date back to 1869 that saw these
major serious debuts
The Cincinnati Red Stockings first appearance as the all-professional team. It defeated
the Great Westerns in a game of 45-9

The Red Stockings had a fabulous indomitable season with their 60th victory. They
defeated the visiting Mutual Green Stockings of New York 17-8 before an audience of 7,000
spectators
However, the first recorded baseball game in 1846 is credited to Alexander Cartwright's
Knickerbockers. Knickerbockers lost to the New York Baseball Club at the Elysian Fields in
New Jersey. With the establishment of National Association of Base Ball Players in 1858, the
world witnessed the first systematic baseball league.
The budding period of baseball (1869: 1876)
1845: The beginning of systematic game with Alexander Cartwright's published book on
set of baseball rules for the Knickerbocker Club of New York. It is claimed that his baseball rules
were widely accepted in the US.
1869: First professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings were explicitly remunerated
for the first time
1871: The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was established as the
first professional baseball league
1876: Over 3000 enthusiasts watched the hometown Philadelphia Athletics lose to Boston
Red in the first National League game ever played
1878: The Captain of Harvard University Baseball Club Frederick Thayer received a
patent for baseball catcher mask
Many professional and amateur players contribute to the vast baseball history. Every
chapter in baseball history leads to interesting event that helped with development of modernday systematic baseball. By any name, baseball has been a game that sets stars in the eyes of
sport lovers since decades.