A Brief History of Professional Baseball

A look at the origins and evolution of professional baseball, from its humble beginnings in the 19th century to the multi-million dollar industry it is today.

Early baseball

Baseball is a sport that has been around for centuries. The game has evolved over time, but the basic rules have stayed the same. Early baseball was played in England and the United States. The first professional baseball team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings, who were founded in 1869.

Origins

The game of baseball has long been thought to have its origins in the English game of rounders. The first recorded mention of baseball in the United States was in a 1792 Pittsfield, Massachusetts, town by-law prohibiting the playing of the game within 80 yards of the town meeting house. By the early 1830s, three New York City practitioners of rounders-soon to be known as base ball–Alexander Joy Cartwright, Abner Doubleday, and Egbert Budding adapted rounders for play on elongated playing fields and thereby created the basis for the modern game.

The first professional teams

The first professional baseball team was the Cincinnati Reds, who were founded in 1869. The first professional game was played between the Reds and the amateurs of the Brooklyn Athletics on June 10, 1871. The game was a success, and other cities quickly followed suit, forming their own professional teams.

The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was founded in 1871 and is considered by many to be the first major league. However, it was not without its problems. The quality of play was uneven, as some teams were made up of entirely professional players while others were still largely amateur. In addition, the financial stability of the league was suspect, as clubs frequently folded or were expelled for failing to meet obligations such as paying players’ salaries.

The National League was founded in 1876 in an effort to address these issues. It consisted of eight teams located in cities with a strong baseball tradition: Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Hartford, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis. The NL quickly became the premier baseball league, a position it has held ever since.

The modern era

The history of professional baseball has its origins in the 19th century, when a few players made a living by playing the game. In the early 20th century, the number of professional teams increased, and the quality of play improved. The modern era of professional baseball began in the 1920s, when a number of important changes took place.

The first professional league

The first professional league was founded in 1871, and it was called the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. This league only lasted for five seasons, but it did lay the groundwork for future professional leagues. In 1876, another professional league was founded, called the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs. This league is still in existence today and is commonly referred to as simply the National League.

The modern day game

The modern day game of baseball has its roots in the late 19th century. In 1869, the first professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, was formed. Professionalism quickly caught on and by the early 1870s there were several professional baseball clubs in existence.

The National League, which is considered to be the first professional baseball league, was founded in 1876. The American Association, another early professional baseball league, was also founded that same year. In 1884, yet another professional league, the Union Association, was formed but it only lasted for one season.

The modern day World Series traces its origins back to 1903 when the Boston Americans (now the Red Sox) faced off against the Pittsburgh Pirates in what was then known as the “World’s Championship Series.” The Boston Americans won that initial series five games to three.

Over the next few decades, professional baseball continued to grow in popularity and by the early 1930s there were 16 teams in Major League Baseball. Today, there are 30 teams in Major League Baseball: 15 teams in the National League and 15 teams in the American League.