How Did Baseball Start?

Baseball, a sport billed as America's "national pastime," has relatively recent origins. Over the past several centuries, the game has changed from a form that was hardly recognizable to that which can be seen in nearly every town of the United States. But once baseball was created, it caught on almost immediately. Baseball's rise to popularity was quickly commercialized by the formation of leagues, which eventually spawned the game as we know it today.

Baseball's precise origin is unknown, but several sports involving bats and balls are thought to have influenced its creation. Most historians consider rounders, an English sport that may have spawned from earlier French games, to be the most immediate predecessor. Though there are few records delineating the formation of baseball's rules, references begin to appear in the late 1700s under a variety of names. "Townball", "roundball" and "baseball" were all frequently used names.

By 1845, Alexander Cartwright had created a list of official rules that have since defined modern baseball. Towns began organizing their own teams, and the first recorded game took place the very next year. The first professional league, the National Association of Base Ball Players, was formed in 1857. It took no time at all for the baseball craze to catch on in New York, and Union soldiers in the Civil War carried the game even further. Within years of the rules' official codification, baseball had become America's national pastime.

Along with the list of official rules, Alexander Cartwright created the New York Knickerbockers - one of the first organized teams. The Knickerbocker name stemmed from a firehouse that Cartwright assisted, the Knickerbocker Engine Company No. 12. Cartwright's team was the first to wear a uniform, and in 1846 they participated in the first officially recorded game. The newly created rules were followed, and players incurred fines for bad behavior such as cursing. Though the Knickerbockers were an amateur team, they have had a strong influence on professional clubs.

Baseball quickly transitioned to a professionally played sport after the formation of leagues. Business owners and investors saw the opportunity in sponsorships and having control of a winning team as the sport's popularity grew. Players slowly, and often secretly, began receiving compensation for their participation on a team. By 1869 a completely professional team had emerged: the Cincinnati Red Stockings. As the professional model proved effective and the Cincinnati Red Stockings completed their first season undefeated, the idea of financially driven teams caught on.

Baseball has undergone a number of changes since its original formalization in 1845. Most notable may be the end of the first-bounce rule and, in 1910, the adoption of a cork-centered ball. Originally, a ball could be caught after one bounce and still be considered an out. This rule was important because the original baseball did not travel as far through the air, making it especially challenging to catch before it had landed. The transition to a cork-centered ball completely changed how the game was played by allowing players to hit the ball much farther than ever before.