1. HISTORY OF BASEBALL

2. EVOLUTION OF BASEBALL Bat and ball games date back several centuries in many different countries. Although the evolution of baseball has been debated most agree it evolved from the English game called “Rounders.” The game today is primarily a game for school children.

3. ROUNDERS A “bowler” throws the ball to a batsman from 28 feet away. After a batted ball the player tries to run around 4 posts to score a point or a “rounder.” 3 bad pitches allows the batsman to go to the second post called “half rounder” No foul territory 9 players on a team 9 outs per inning 2 innings complete a match Ways to get a player out… 1. Batted ball caught in the air 2. A fielder touches a runner with the ball between posts 3. The post that the runner is headed towards is touched by the ball

4. LITTLE PRETTY POCKET BOOK The first known reference to baseball is in a 1744 English publication called “A Pretty Little Pocket Book” by John Newberry. Although there are similarities to today’s game it contained noticeable differences. The first American reference to baseball was in 1791 in Pittsfield, Mass. The game was outlawed from being played near the town meeting house.

5. ABNER DOUBLEDAY For a long time Abner Doubleday was considered the “Father of Baseball” Doubleday fought in the American military. His most famous post was at Fort Sumter during the start of the Civil War. It was said he created in the game in 1839 in a cow pasture in Cooperstown, NY.

6. CREATOR OF BASEBALL Al Spalding, a premier pitcher, formed a panel of experts in 1907 stating that Doubleday was the creator of the game. Doubleday was enrolled in West Point Academy (Army) in 1839. Doubleday himself never claimed to have a major influence over the game. His obituary in the New York Times didn’t even mention baseball.

7. HENRY CHADWICK Immigrated from England at 12 yrs. old. A professional writer that usually covered games of Cricket. Helped publicize baseball with statistics for players and teams. Discredited Spalding’s idea that Doubleday was the inventor of the game.

8. HENRY CHADWICK He is credited with creating the “box score” used for baseball statistics. He is also credited with the creation of batting average, earned run average (ERA), and the abbreviation for a strike out (K). Served on the baseball rules committee. Elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame (Cooperstown, NY) in 1938.

9. ALEXANDER CARTWRIGHT June 19, 1846 – First recorded American baseball game in Hoboken, NJ. The “New York Nine” defeated Cartwright’s Knickerbockers 23-1. Cartwright generated a set of rules called Knickerbocker Rules.” One of the biggest changes was that runners had to be tagged with the ball while in a fielder’s possession to be “out”