1. History of Baseball

2. Origin of Baseball The origin of baseball is unknown, but most historians agree it is based on the English game of rounders. A game that became quite popular in this country in the early 19th century, and many sources show the growing popularity of a game called "townball", "base", or "baseball".

3. Rules In 1845 Alexander Cartwright wanted to formalize a list of rules by that all teams could play. Much of that original code is still in place today. Although popular legend says that the game was invented by Abner Doubleday, baseball's true father was Cartwright.

4. 1 ST Game The first recorded baseball contest took place in 1846. Cartwright and his Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York City lost to the New York Baseball Club in a game at the Elysian Fields, in Hoboken, New Jersey.

5. Professional baseball It was built on the foundation of the amateur leagues that built up to it. Interest in baseball as a spectator sport had been in play for more than 25 years when the first professional league began operation.

6. Gambling The National Association was very short. The presence of gamblers undermined the public confidence in the games, and their presence at the games combined with the sale of liquor quickly drove most of their crowds away

7. Union league In 1884, they tried to form their own league, the Union Association. Many players left their teams for the freedom of the Union Association, but the league lasted only one season.

8. Strategy Game Through the first decade of the twentieth century, baseball remained a game of strategy. The game relied on contact-hitters, bunting, and base-stealing for its offense.

9. Baseball Today Baseball is still a game of strategy today. Today there is just nicer equipment and uniforms.