The History of Baseball

            Baseball is America’s pastime it started out as an unorganized game played by clubs. Now it is a multimillion dollar industry which still is growing in popularity. The game that we see today is not very different from what it was 165 years ago. The rules are still the same and landmarks like the green monster still remain. While famous players such as Shoeless Joe Jackson, Babe Ruth, and Cy Young have not been forgotten. Baseball started out with only small baseball clubs playing unorganized games. Now two leagues the National and the American league teams compete fiercely to win the World Series and become the best baseball team in the world. (rpi.edu)

            No one knows of an inventor of baseball the game originated from old English folk games like rounder’s. Abner Doubleday certainly did not invent it, many people believe Alexander Cartwright to be the inventor. He did write the first rule book of baseball in 1845 but baseball had been played in America since 1800. (inventors.about.com Alexander Cartwright)  In fact, games like baseball go back to the times of ancient Egypt. (Church and Brock)    

In 1846, history was made at Elysian Fields, New Jersey, baseball had been played for a long time but never organized. The first organized game was between the New York Knickerbockers and the New York Baseball Club. (Church and Brock) Alexander Cartwright umped this game; the New York Baseball Club defeated the New York Knickerbockers. (Church and Brock) Baseball clubs played each other in many games like this one throughout American history and still today. By 1860 the game of baseball was already being called America`s Pastime. (rpi.edu)

            In 1857, 25 amateur teams sent delegates to discuss rules and issues at a convention, in 1858 the National Association of Baseball Players was formed it was the first baseball league ever. (Church and Brock) The league supported itself by sometimes charging admission for fans to get in and watch the game. (rpi.edu)

            The Civil War was not a great time for America but it was for baseball as Union soldiers spread the game into parts of the south. People in prison camps began playing it which helped turn the game into a sport not just for gentlemen but for everyone. When the war ended, more people were playing baseball then before. During the war lots of clubs dropped because they lost their players to the war. But by 1868, 100 baseball clubs sent delegates to the national association’s convention. As the league got bigger the cost of playing went up. Many teams began charging fans and getting sponsors to help pay expenses. Because of this winning games became very important for the baseball clubs. (rpi.edu)

            The National Association was supposed to be an amateur league but some players were secretly paid, and even given jobs by sponsors. The first team to go professional was the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869. Soon other clubs followed while some people wanted it to stay amateur they could not stop it. The best players went on to become professional players and in 1871 the National Association became the first professional league.(rpi.edu) 

In 1871, The National League had nine teams by 1875 it had thirteen teams. The National Association would not last long as gamblers and alcohol drove away most of the crowds. After the 1875 season it was replaced by the National League. The National Association teams were owned by players but the National League teams were owned by business men. (rpi.edu)

The National League showed people that baseball could be a successful investment. Soon a new league was born the American Association. The American Association competed with the National League by having cheaper ticket prices and making teams in large cities.(rpi.edu) Soon some players from the National League abandoned their contracts and went to the American Association. Rather than keep competing the two leagues came to an agreement. This agreement forced the leagues to respect each other’s player contracts and also allowed them to renew player’s contracts keeping them from joining other teams. (rpi.edu)

Soon angry players tried to form their own league. The Union Association was formed in 1884, but it only lasted one season. The players soon tried again forming the Players League in 1890. Even though some of the best players switched to the Players League. Like the Union Association the Players League only lasted for one season. (Church and Brock) But this added competition would take another victim the American Association ended due to player loss and increased competition. Four of the best American Association teams joined the National League. (rpi.edu)

In 1901 the American League formed in 1901. The American League began taking some of the Nationals Leagues best players. Then National League owners turned on each other. Soon it went to court and a way was found for the two leagues to exist without competing. (rpi.edu)

In 1914 a new league started the Federal League was formed. Unlike other Leagues the Federal League wanted to win in court before they went bankrupt. The Federal League sued saying the American and National Leagues had a monopoly over baseball. The Court acknowledged baseballs monopoly. The Federal League ended after two seasons. (rpi.edu)

It was not ever a rule but baseball had always been racially segregated. In fact Negro Leagues as they were called had existed since 1887.  And the first all black baseball had happened at the same place where the first game happened Elysian Fields New Jersey. The history of the Negro leagues is very similar to the history of the American and National Leagues. In 1947 Jackie Robinson was the first black player in MLB. (rpi.edu)

In 1960 another league tried to form the Continental League was determined to win in court before they went bankrupt. They sued MLB owners concerned with losing the monopoly agreed to make more teams to save their monopoly. (rpi.edu)

Players liked this because it meant more jobs. At first many players did not even want their games to be played on the radio. They feared that it would drive away crowds because they would just stay at home and listen to the game. Now TV and Radio broadcast brought in huge amounts of money. But it was only a matter of time before baseball players thought they were not getting enough of that money. (rpi.edu)

From then to the present the players union would do everything it could to get the players more of what they wanted. (rpi.edu)In modern times science has collided with baseball as players are pushed to be better. Some players like Barry Bonds have used performance enhancing drugs like steroids. To increase how far they can hit the ball or throw a pitch.

While the game of baseball has had its highs and lows it has evolved into the most popular sport in America. It has claimed the title that all sports want pastime. Even though science and technology have changed the game for ever it still remains very similar to what it looked like during the first game of baseball. From small clubs playing for fun to a league were only the best get in and winning is everything.

Bibliography

Church, Seymour Roberts., and Brock Bower. Base Ball: the History, Statistics and Romance of the American  National Game from Its Inception to the Present Time. San Francisco Calif.: S.R. Church, 1902. Print.

"History of Baseball - Alexander Cartwright." Inventors. Web. 08 May 2011. <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blbaseball.htm>.

"The History Of Baseball.The Ball Game And Where It All Began." College Athletic Scholarships. College Scouting And Recruiting. Web. 08 May 2011. <http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-baseball.htm>.

"The History of Baseball." Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) :: Architecture, Business, Engineering, IT, Humanities, Science. Web. 08 May 2011. <http://www.rpi.edu/~fiscap/history_files/history1.htm>.

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