A Short Baseball History
The game of baseball is said to have begun in the early 19th century, but that's just half the truth. The game was played much before but the first baseball clubs were formed around that time. An Englishman named Alexander Cartwright in the year 1845 devised the first set of rules baseball. In fact, many of the rules listed out then are still used in the game.
In the year 1858, a group of amateur players came together to form the first baseball league - known as the National Association of Baseball Players. Right from the first year, the National Association of Baseball Players began charging for admission to baseball games.
At the turn of the century, the American League of baseball came into being and began playing in 1901. The game of baseball was still very much a game of strategy. The game depended on bunting, base stealing and contact hitters. With the invention of the cork centered baseball, all that changed. Because the new baseball allowed for more home runs baseball's popularity took off--and so did the cost of admissions.Throughout the early 20th century, the game of baseballrelied more and more on the hitting of home runs, and lesson strategy. This was thanks to great baseball players like Babe Ruth, who completely revolutionized the game with hisprowess at hitting home runs. It is largely due to the "Babe" that baseball became one of the most popular sports in America. And it didn't hurt future baseball players that people were willing to pay to see Babe Ruth play.
Even as late as 1960, rival leagues tried to make their way into American baseball. All of them failed to leave any significant mark, and the game is still ruled today by the National and American leagues. And throughout the last part of the 20th century, baseball became both a game of strategy and hitting. Pitching and home run hitting, though, are the baseball benchmarks of today. Baseball teams are either big winners or big losers, depending on the strength of their bullpens and their home run hitters. And the cost of admission still continues to rise.
In the early 20th century the concentration was more on hitting the home runs. Babe Ruth changed the course of the game with his magical abilities to achieve home runs. It was due to sportsmen like Babe Ruth that baseball achieved the levels of popularity that it did. The popularity of Babe Ruth also helped in improving the money in the game, since people just went to watch Babe Ruth in action.
Rival leagues kept trying to break into American baseball even as late as 1960. Of course, they all failed to leave any significant mark, and could not challenge the supremacy of the National and American leagues that rule the game till date. Baseball became a game of strategy and hitting throughout the last part of the 20th century. However, pitching and home run hitting are the baseball benchmarks of today. Depending on the strength of their bullpens and their home run hitters, baseball teams are either big winners or big losers. The one thing that is consistent is that the cost of admission still continues to rise.
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About The Author
Regan Shaors is the creator and editor of Fleer Baseball, Inc. one of the leading information resources on the subject of baseball available on line.For more insight, and immediate access to his articles library, visit http://www.fleerbaseball.com.
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This article was posted on October 08, 2005
