If it would not have been for this game, perhaps USA would have lost out on a fantastic sport. Yes, baseball it is, the national game of USA. Baseball has evolved from yesteryear’s bat and ball games. French manuscripts have description of clerics playing a game something similar to baseball. Apparently, the earliest reference of baseball was done in 1774, in a British publication. However, who invented baseball, is a thing you would be dying to know, I am sure. So, here is pitching in about the invention of baseball.
Who Invented Baseball and When
Actually speaking, as mentioned earlier, baseball evolved from bat and ball games played in the olden days. Thus, it might not have been invented as such. But yes, we can say that baseball, as it is played now, was put forth for the first time by Alexander Joy Cartwright. In the year 1845, this man from New York invented or rather came up with the idea of modern baseball field. He, along with the members of New York Knickerboxer Baseball Club, came up with the rules and regulations of contemporary baseball. Cartwright is duly credited with formalizing the modern baseball rules. Therefore the answer to who invented baseball in America is Alexander Cartwright. In fact, the first ever recorded game of baseball was in 1846, where unfortunately for Cartwright, New York Knickerboxers were defeated by New York Baseball club. It was played in New Jersey. Read more on origin and history of baseball.
The Abner Doubleday Twist and Invention of Baseball
The fact that Cartwright is responsible for the current form of baseball has been endorsed by the experts and sports historians. But in between, there was a snitch. There was a special commission which concluded that baseball had been an invention of civil war hero Abner Doubleday in 1907. This piece of information was seemingly perpetuated by a panel of baseball experts who were appointed to determine how baseball originated. The conclusion that Doubleday is behind the invention was inferred upon the testimony of one Abner Graves. It was later realized that he was not a very credible source as he was found to be criminally insane. Moreover, when Doubleday died, umpteen personal letters were found, but to everyone’s surprise and incredulity he had not even mentioned baseball once in all those letters. This blew and debunked the myth and rumor surrounding the fact that Abner Doubleday was the person who invented baseball. Read more on facts about baseball.
History of Baseball
It is believed that baseball was developed from a British game called rounders. It became popular around the 19th century in the USA. Then it was called ‘townball’, base or baseball. In the 1860’s, helped by the war, New York style baseball turned into a national game and its first governing body, National Association of Baseball Players (NABBP) was established. It was astonishing, the rate at which the number of members of this organization continued to grow. By the end of 1865, the number of members of NABBP was almost close to 100. Chicago Cubs, the then Chicago White Stockings were perhaps one of the oldest team in baseball history. Then till the 1900, it was a good time for baseball. The one of the very interesting baseball facts is dead ball era. It is a typical baseball jargon, referring to a period between the 1900 to 1919, where there were low scoring games and scanty home runs. Read more on when did baseball start.
This bleak scene changed with the emergence of a star called Babe Ruth. He hit a league record 29 home runs, an amazing feat at that time (1919). Around 1940’s was the period which was a golden era for Negro League Baseball as Negro League World Series was reinstated. Then was the time which was dominated by pitchers, that was during 1960s and early 1970s. Finally, after a volatile period including clashes between the owners and the players union leading to a cancellation of the World Series, the issues were sorted out in 1995. Ultimately, the 2 major leagues’ administrative faculties were amalgamated under one governing body, the Major League Baseball.
