If you love Baseball like I do, then I hope that you will enjoy these early Baseball facts. I have Baseball history and other interesting facts to tell you. Yes you can always go and find this information elsewhere, but since you are here might as well enjoy.
Here we go. In the 18th century in England bat and ball games is what was available and it is what came here to North America by Immigrants, soon it became the version we know today. Some writings say that the existence of baseball dates back as far as 1786. Even though we say baseball began till the 18th century. But by the end of the 19th century became widely known as the national sport of the US.
Boys and those who were enthusiastic about playing were the first to experience the game. Of course with informal rules and home made equipment. Amateur men’s ball clubs began to form in the 1830-1850. With semi professional clubs in 1860 and finally professional teams in the 1870’s.
The Early Beginnings of Baseball History
In 1845, the first team to play baseball with the modern rules was the New York Knickerbockers. Therefore creating the Knickerbocker Rules. Which consisted of tagging the runner, base paths, foul lines and foul balls. Not like in cricket that no balls are ever foul. Those new rules did not favor the Knickerbockers on their first played game in 1846 between a Gotham Club, the score was 23-1 favoring Gotham Club. Even though the Knickerbockers lost the game their rules did not. And eventually became part of the New York area. The game became known as the “New York Game”. Some interesting baseball history facts here.
In the 1847 convention of sixteen New York Clubs, which the Knickerbockers was amongst them, became the first official organization to begin. The National Association of Base Ball Players created to govern the sport and they set out to be the first to establish a championship. Also at the convention the 90 feet between bases, 9 man teams and 9 inning games was born. Which is what we know today. Membership to the NABBP grew to 100 by 1865 and 400 by 1867. And in 1869 the league finally permitted professional play. And of course the first played game to charge entrance was in 1858. You can say that is when it all began.
Amateur and Professional Players
The NABBP was formed out of amateur players who played the game. But some players received payment for their participation whether covering it up or indirect. Some received a cut from the admission tickets. Some teams were investigated for this practice but none were ever sanctioned. To keep the integrity of the game. In 1868 a professional category was finally part of baseball for the 1869 season. If a team wanted to pay their players, they can now declare themselves professional. The first to declare themselves professional were the Cincinnati Red Stocking then 11 more clubs did the same before the 1869 season.
From 1871-1875 the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was active because the first attempt at forming a major league created it. Business man William Hulbert financed the Chicago White Stockings , which is the Chicago Cubs today became a chartered member together with a new Red Stockings club, which is the Atlanta Braves. Chicago was going strong even though their home field and equipment was destroyed in the Great Chicago fire. In spite of that they ended in second place. Hulbert did not the like the way the league was going especially the contract jumping from team to team. Therefore needing to create a more stronger organization. So one was created that had more ethical beliefs towards the game. The name of the league was National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs.
How Rules Change
There was a separation between professional and amateur players in 1870. The NABBP split into two groups. Mr. Hulbert put his emphasis on “clubs” rather than “players” now giving the clubs authority to enforce the player’s contracts preventing the jumping to different clubs. But clubs were forced to also play their full schedule instead of forfeiting some games once they were not in the running. The gambling on some games, which put in doubt the results was immediately put to a halt.
This is when the African-Americans could no longer play in the major league games, which lasted till 1947. Some players were even saying they were Indian or from Central or South America just to play. Even though it is said that Jackie Robinson the first African-American to play in the majors, actually was not because in 1880 two brothers could not play any longer on the teams for being African-American. So in reality Robinson was the first after a long gap. Boy lots of baseball history that I did not even know.
More to come about Baseball. I will write another to continue from where I left off. Did I mention that my favorite team is the Chicago Cubs? They have been since 1977.
If you like other sports I have that too. Check out other items in sports. Like something about Soccer or a great activity with Fishing. Check the page HERE. And also HERE. Find more on the other categories as well.
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