The Origins of Baseball

The history of baseball can be traced back to a French manuscript that dated 1344. The French manuscript has a picture that shows clerics playing a bat and ball game that is very similar to baseball.

Many people claim that modern baseball evolved from an old game called rounders. David Block once wrote a book about the origins of baseball. In the book, David Block inform the readers that baseball is originated from England. David says that the rounders used in the early baseball have some differences between different regions. According to David, the stoolball is the first antecedent to the baseball. Many people also suggest that crickets are derived from stoolball. Despite that, the most current findings have suggested that the baseball was introduced to England from Flanders, Belgium.

As baseball evolved, many clubs are established in urban area. Later, Alexander Cartwright form a list of rules which must be abide by the players. Most of the rules formed by Alexander Cartwright are still used in today’s baseball game.  After a year Alexander formulated the codes, the first baseball game take place in Hoboken, New Jersey. In the game, Alexander’s team was defeated by the New York Baseball Club. In 1857, the amateur teams gather together to evaluate the baseball codes and sent delegates to start the first baseball league called National Association of Baseball Players.

In 1860, there happened to be civil war in the United States. Through the effort of the Union soldiers, the game was spread to other countries where people never know baseball. The annual convention which took place in 1868 send delegates from more than one hundred clubs. When the numbers of members grew, the expenses also increased. In order to cover the expenses, the team must win most of the game. Though the members in the league are amateurs, they are paid. The Cincinnati Red Stockings wants to transform their amateur organization into a professional organization. Harry and George Wright assemble good players throughout United States. The baseball league successfully won 65 games. Eventually, the amateur players are no longer exists because the good players are now professionals.

Since  the earliest days of the sport the game has evolved greatly with the of the first national rule book  in the 1845 and then more recently the harmonizing of the details of the ground sizes / equipment including the introduction of  louisville slugger baseball bats as the official bat for all Major League Baseball Teams.

Along with American Football and Basket Ball the game of Baseball has continued to flourish as a sport in The United States and most boys still today dream of playing professionally… Long may it continue….