A Brief History of Baseball

A Brief History of Baseball

• Baseball evolved from older bat-and-ball games played in England by the mid-18th century and was brought to North America by immigrants where the modern version developed.

• By the late 19th century, baseball was widely recognized as the national sport of the United States.

• Baseball is popular in North America, parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and East Asia, particularly in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

• The first recorded game of "Bass-Ball" took place in 1749 in Surrey, and featured the Prince of Wales as a player.

• The first governing body, the National Association of Base Ball Players was formed in 1858, followed by the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1871, and Major League Baseball in 1876.

• The first World Series between the champions of the two major leagues was held in 1903, and the game's popularity increased until the work stoppage in 1994 led to the cancellation of the World Series.

• Baseball was played in the Olympics as a medal sport from 1992 to 2008 and other competitions between national teams include the Baseball World Cup and the World Baseball Classic.

• The origin of baseball is difficult to trace with precision, but it has been suggested that the game originated in England with regional variants of stoolball and "tut-ball".

• The first fully professional baseball club, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, was formed in 1869, and the first professional league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, lasted from 1871 to 1875.

• The National League was founded in 1876, and the American League in 1901, both with eight teams, and were rivals that fought for the best players.

• The Black Sox Scandal led to the formation of the office of the Commissioner of Baseball in 1920, and the first commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, was elected.

• The game became more high-scoring in the early 20th century, and the rise of the legendary player Babe Ruth helped permanently alter the nature of the game.

• The first elections to the National Baseball Hall of Fame took place in 1936, and Little League Baseball was founded in Pennsylvania in 1939.A Brief History of Baseball

• Baseball originated in the United States in the early 19th century and became the country’s national pastime.

• The first organized baseball game was played in 1846.

• In 1869, the first professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, was formed.

• In 1901, the American League was formed, and the first World Series was played between the American League and National League champions in 1903.

• In the early 20th century, baseball became increasingly popular, and many legendary players emerged, including Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

• During World War II, many professional baseball players were drafted into the military, and the future of the game was uncertain.

• In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and became the first black player in the major leagues.

• The players’ union was founded in 1953, and expansion teams were added to the majors in 1961 and 1969.

• The designated hitter rule was adopted in the American League in 1973, and the reserve clause was effectively struck down in 1975, leading to the free agency system.

• The 1990s saw an increase in offensive production, which many attribute to the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

• Baseball is played professionally around the world, with the highest quality professional circuits outside of the United States being in Japan.

• Baseball was dropped from the Olympics after the 2008 Summer Olympics due to Major League Baseball’s reluctance to have a break during the Games to allow its players to participate.

• The World Baseball Classic was initiated by Major League Baseball in 2006 as a replacement for the Baseball World Cup.