| Prior to 1845, the standardized rules for modern | | | | while the other stick - the "dog" tried to keep the |
| baseball did not exist. 1845 saw the formation of | | | | cat from the hole by hitting it away. If the dog |
| the New York Knickerbockers, a base ball club | | | | successfully batted the cat away, they would |
| that gathered together to play a game that "they | | | | then try to get a ball into the hole. |
| had been playing for some time" - most likely a | | | | Stool Ball was a game played in America as well |
| game that had been invented by urban children of | | | | as Europe, which involved a pitcher trying to hit a |
| the time. Alexander Cartwright is officially | | | | target with a ball, and a batter defending the |
| recognized as the first to write down the modern | | | | target by batting the ball away. After successfully |
| rules of baseball, though is contested against for | | | | hitting the ball, the batter then runs between the |
| being called the inventor of baseball. He was part | | | | bases to get to "home". |
| of the Knickerbockers base ball club, but it's | | | | That baseball is based on English and Gaelic games |
| entirely possible he was the secretary, as it's | | | | such as cat, cricket, and rounders is difficult to |
| widely believed the rules were a group effort. | | | | dispute. For a time, people claimed the sport |
| In 1857, sixteen clubs from New York City sent | | | | began in their country, but most of their |
| delegates to standardize the rules of baseball. It is | | | | supporting evidence was based largely on |
| agreed that they simply modified the original | | | | patriotism. Common theory is that there is no one |
| Knickerbockers rules. | | | | origin of baseball, but rather that it is a culmination |
| 1865 saw the ending of the Civil War, and with | | | | of bat, base and ball games played by children in |
| the return of prisoners of war saw the spread of | | | | urban settings where there were plenty of people |
| baseball to other parts of the nation, where it | | | | of different origins coming together and sharing |
| quickly became popular. | | | | ideas. |
| The evolution of baseball as we know it today is | | | | "Vintage Baseball" - a game using the 1857 rules, |
| debated by history experts and sports aficionados | | | | modified from the Knickerbocker's rules, is still |
| alike. Earliest mention of a baseball-like sport (a | | | | played today by hundreds of baseball clubs, some |
| sport containing a bat, a ball, bases, or at least | | | | of which dedicate themselves to period |
| two of the three elements) being played are | | | | reenactments by wearing the same style hats |
| from the 1300s in Russia, but many variations on | | | | and uniforms as well as adopting the behaviors of |
| the idea are wide-spread. It is difficult to really | | | | the people of that era. |
| track down the origins of the game, as most | | | | The very first all-pro baseball team was the |
| towns and villages had their own rules for it, | | | | Cincinnati Red Stockings, later called the Cincinnati |
| mostly depending on what they had available to | | | | Reds. It was founded as an amateur club in 1863, |
| play with. A variation called "Cat and Dog" involved | | | | but became fully professional in 1869. |
| trying to get one stick - the "cat" - into a hole | | | | |