| Baseball is a sport played with a bat and ball. It is | | | | By the late 1800's, the game of baseball as we |
| between two teams, each of which has nine | | | | know it, had become the national pastime. |
| players. The winner of the game is the team that | | | | Baseball has also become a world sport, being |
| has scored more runs at the end of nine innings. | | | | played amateurs and professionals alike in North |
| Runs are scored by hitting a thrown ball with the | | | | America, parts of Central and South America and |
| bat and then running to touch as many bases as | | | | the Caribbean, and parts of East and Southeast |
| possible before the ball can be caught and thrown | | | | Asia. The game is sometimes referred to as |
| back. The bases are arranged in a 90-foot square | | | | hardball as compared to the game of softball |
| called a baseball diamond. | | | | which uses a larger ball and is played by teams |
| The batting team takes turns facing the pitcher | | | | with more players. |
| of the opposing team who stands in the middle of | | | | In North America, professional Major League |
| the diamond on the pitcher's mound. The pitcher is | | | | Baseball is played by teams that are divided into |
| backed by the other eight players on his team | | | | the National League (NL) and the American |
| who are arrayed in such a way as to retrieve the | | | | League (AL). |
| ball quickly after it is hit. Their goal is to stop | | | | Each league has three divisions: East, West, and |
| players from getting on base (or advancing once | | | | Central. Every year, the champion of Major |
| they have gotten there). | | | | League Baseball is determined by playoffs that |
| The goal of the batter is to advance all the way | | | | climax in the World Series. |
| around the diamond and eventually come back to | | | | Each league produces four teams that make the |
| home plate, scoring a run. He can do this on his | | | | playoffs. These teams are made up of the three |
| own (by hitting a home run) or by scoring on | | | | regular season division winners, plus one team |
| subsequent batters' hits. One side wins when they | | | | (the "wild card team") that has the best record of |
| have scored more runs than the other at the end | | | | the non-Divsion leaders. |
| of nine innings. | | | | Each league plays by a slightly different set of |
| One turn at bat for each team constitutes an | | | | rules. In the National League, the pitcher is |
| inning; nine innings make up a baseball game. The | | | | required to bat, per the traditional rules. In the |
| teams switch between batting and fielding | | | | American League, there is a tenth player, a |
| whenever the fielding team gets three outs on | | | | designated hitter, who bats for the pitcher, and |
| the batting team. | | | | who does not take the field when the opposing |
| Baseball is related to more than a few other | | | | team bats. |
| games that involve bats and balls. An early | | | | Each major league team has a "farm system" of |
| version of baseball, called rounders, was being | | | | minor league teams at various levels. These |
| played in England over 250 years ago. As the | | | | teams allow younger players to develop as they |
| English and Irish immigrants came to America, | | | | gain on-field experience against opponents with |
| they brought the game with them. | | | | similar levels of skill. |