1840’s BaseballAmerican Baseball History

I. Early Baseball 1840’s

Before 1846 baseball was a folk game

Cricket clubs existed before baseball clubs

Only six games in a season

Irregularity is what marks the game:Not a set schedule

Made up rules as they went along

I. Early Baseball 1840’s cont…

1830’s Baseball evolves into two groups:Massachusetts Game - Town Ball

New York Game

II. Massachusetts Game

Massachusetts Game (i.e., Town Ball):

II. Massachusetts Game cont…

Ball = smaller than a tennis ball:2 ½ inch diameter

wood

II. Massachusetts Game cont…

Bases = wood stake

Score a “round”

4 ft. batter’s box:Catcher’s interference common

II. Massachusetts Game cont…

35 ft. distance from pitcher to home

Put a player out with a one bounce catch

One out = switch inning

Tallies, aces, rounds = runs

“100 Tallies” = game over

Player cannot quit unless disabled:No substitutes

III. New York Game

Open to anyone - particularly the middle class

1846 became more formal game

Social value – middle class players

Rules written down

Nine players on a side

“Gentlemen’s Game”

Teams composed of players with the same occupation

III. New York Game

Offense important

“21 aces” = game over

NY and Mass. Game compete with each other

NY is successful compared to Mass.:More commercial activity in NY

Larger population

III. New York Game

Field dimensions: