What Is Baseball?

A lot of people ask us, “What is baseball?” Here’s a quick explanation of the basics of the game.

Introduction

Baseball is a sport that is widely popular in North America. It is also played in parts of South America, Asia, and Europe. Baseball is a bat-and-ball game that is played between two teams of nine players each. The aim of the game is to score runs by hitting a ball and then running around a series of bases. The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins.

The History of Baseball

Although baseball is thought to be America’s pastime, the game actually has its origins in England. It is believed that English kids played a game called “Rounders” which was similar to baseball. The game made its way to America in the early 1800s, and it has been a popular sport ever since.

Early America

During the early 1800s, many different variations of the game we now know as baseball were being played throughout America. In 1845, Alexander Cartwright and a group of fellow New Yorkers codified the rules of the game and created what was then known as “The Knickerbocker Rules.” These rules were quickly adopted by many of the other baseball clubs that were popping up all over the country.

The popularity of baseball continued to grow throughout the 19th century. By the 1870s, professional teams had started to form and the first professional league, The National Association of Base Ball Players, was established in 1871. This league only lasted five years, but it laid the foundation for The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, which was founded in 1876 and is still in existence today.

Since its humble beginnings in early America, baseball has grown to become one of the most popular sports in the world.

The Civil War

In the 1860s, as the United States was plunged into the Civil War, baseball games became a welcome respite from the fighting. In 1862, soldiers from opposing sides even put aside their differences to play each other in a game in upstate New York.

By the end of the war, baseball had become so popular that it was being played all over the country. In 1869, a group of businessmen in Cincinnati, Ohio, formed the first professional baseball team and began paying players to play for them. Professionalism quickly caught on, and by 1870 there were professional teams in a number of cities.

The Modern Era

The modern era of baseball can be traced back to 1901, when the American League was established as a major league. The AL soon became home to some of the best players in the game, including future Hall of Famers such as Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner. In 1903, the first World Series was played between the AL and National League champions. The Boston Americans (now the Red Sox) defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in what would become one of baseball’s most storied rivalries.

During the first two decades of the 20th century, baseball grew in popularity and became America’s national pastime. In 1920, Babe Ruth hit his then-recordsetting 54th home run of the season, helping to power the Yankees to their first World Series title. That same year, a new era dawned in baseball as African American player Jackie Robinson broke the sport’s color barrier. In 1947, Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first black player in Major League Baseball. His courageous actions paved the way for other minorities to join baseball’s ranks, and by 1959 all racial barriers had been removed from MLB.

Today, baseball is played at all levels across North America and around the world. Major League Baseball is comprised of 30 teams--29 in the United States and one in Canada--and attracts some of the best players from countries all over globe. The game is also popular among youngsters; thousands of kids play organized baseball through Little League and other youth programs every year.

The Rules of Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players each, who take turns batting and fielding. The game proceeds when a player on the fielding team, called the pitcher, throws a ball which a player on the batting team tries to hit with a bat. The objective of the game is to score runs by hitting the ball and running around the four bases on the field. When a player reaches home plate, they score a run.

The Field

The baseball field is a diamond shaped. The perimeter of the field is surrounded by an outfield fence. The distance from home plate to each of the outfield fences varies by ballpark. In Major League parks, the minimum distance from home plate to the nearest fence in the outfield is 325 feet (99 m). The farthest point from home plate in any Major League park is in center field and is 420 feet (130 m) from home plate. Most of the fields used by Major League teams are between 340 and 370 feet (104 and 113 m) to the fences in foul territory.

The Equipment

In order to play baseball, you need a few basic pieces of equipment. First, you need a bat. Bats are typically made of wood, but they can also be made of metal. The bat is used to hit the ball.

Second, you need a ball. Baseballs are typically made of leather and are filled with either cork or rubber.

Third, you need gloves. Gloves are worn by both the batter and the fielders. They help protect the hands from injury and help the players grip the ball better.

Fourth, you need a helmet. Helmets are worn by batters and base runners to protect their head and face from injury.

Finally, you need cleats. Cleats are shoes with spikes on them. They help players keep their footing on the field and prevent them from slipping.

The Players

Each baseball team has nine active players on the field at one time. The game cannot begin unless both teams have at least nine players. The batting team tries to score runs by hitting the ball and running around the bases, while the fielding team tries to stop them by catching the ball and getting players “out.” Three outs ends an inning. There are nine innings in a regulation game.

The batting team is up when it is their turn to hit. There can be no more than three strikes or four balls on one batter. Once there are three outs, the teams switch roles — the fielding team bats while the other team fields. If both teams have batted through their lineups (three outs for each player), but the score is tied, then they play extra innings until one team is ahead when both have had their turn at bat.

Conclusion

Baseball is a sport that is enjoyed by millions of people around the world. It is a game that is played between two teams, each composed of nine players, who take turns hitting a ball with a bat and then running around a diamond-shaped field. The object of the game is to score runs by hitting the ball and then running around the bases before the other team can get you out.