history of baseball essay introduction

ARTS & CULTURE

A brief history of the baseball.

The development of the baseball, from shoe rubber and lemon peels to today’s minimalist, modernist object

Jimmy Stamp

From the fields and stadiums, to the uniforms, to the statistics, baseball is good design. There’s no better evidence of that than the iconic white and red ball. With its pristine white surface and high contrast red stitching, today’s baseball is a beautiful union of form and function, an almost ideal Modernist object. But it didn’t start out that way. The baseball didn’t emerge fully formed when the first batter stepped up to the first plate. Like the football , it’s hard to attribute its invention to one person, especially considering that in those heady, mustachioed, pre-professional days of baseball, balls were made by cobblers from the rubber remnants of old shoes, with rubber cores wrapped in yarn and a leather cover – if you were lucky. In some regions, sturgeon eyes were used instead of melted shoe rubber. In the 1840s and ’50s, it was anything but an exact science and pitchers often just made their own balls. Obviously, there was some variety in size and weight that resulted just from the nature of the handmade process and separate regional developments.

The differences extended from the center of the core to the surface of the leather wrapping. One of the more prominent cover designs wrapped the wound core in a single piece of leather tied off with four distinct lines of stitching, earning it the apt nickname “lemon peel.” These balls were smaller –about six inches in circumference compared to today’s nine- and they were lighter (in weight), darker (in color) and softer (in softness) than those used today. And the game was a little different too. In the earliest games, runners could be thrown out by getting “soaked,” or hit directly with a ball by a fielder – a rule still occasionally practiced on playgrounds and sandlots. These light, compact balls with rubber (or fish-eye) cores were much “livelier” than today’s balls – that is to say, the could be hit further and bounce higher. The result was a scoreboard that looked like something from a basketball game.

In the mid 1850s, ball clubs in the New York area elected to standardize the ball’s weight at 5.5-6 ounces and its circumference at somewhere between 8 and 11 inches, resulting in a larger, heavier, less lively ball. There was obviously some room for variety, but it was the first step toward regulation.

Throughout the 1850s and ’60s, the ball (and the rules) continued to evolve but there was still plenty of room for variation – more rubber in the core and a tighter winding resulted in a “live” ball while less rubber and a loose wind yielded a “dead” ball. Of course, home teams made the balls best suited to their own strengths and style of play. Ball selection was a key strategy and a critical benefit of home-field advantage. Visiting teams with big hitters would, more often than not, find themselves playing with a “dead” ball.

There is some debate about the origin of the 2-part “figure 8” cover that we we know today. Some baseball historians say it was first developed by a shoemaker’s son named Ellis Drake, who supposedly put the design together with some of his father’s scrap leather in an effort to create a more resilient cover. If this is true, Drake failed to patent his idea and others started producing similar designs. Others give credit to Colonel William A. Cutler, who may have invented the familiar stitching in 1858 and sold it to one of the first baseball manufacturers, William Harwood. Regardless of who created it, the figure 8 became the dominant ball thanks to Harwood & Sons, who built the first factory dedicated to baseball production in Natick, Massachusetts, and was the first to mass-produce the figure 8 design.

In the 1870s, the fluctuating size and weight of the fluctuating was stabilized to something very similar to the one we know and love today, which is officially,and rather vaguely, mandated by the MLB by rule 1.09:

The ball shall be a sphere formed by yarn wound around a small core of cork, rubber or similar material, covered with two strips of white horsehide or cowhide, tightly stitched together. It shall weigh not less than five nor more than 5.25 ounces avoirdupois and measure not less than nine nor more than 9.25 inches in circumference.

The year 1876 welcomed the first game in the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs and a standardization of rules and regulations – including a standard ball. That same year a Boston Red Sox pitcher by the name of  A.G. Spalding  retired after winning 241 of 301 games in just a four-year career. He pitched every game with balls he made himself. When he convinced the National League to adopt his ball as its standard, an empire was born. Spalding’s company would continue to produce the official baseball of the National League for 100 years.

Early professional baseball was marked by incredibly low-scoring games – thanks in large part to the ball. Balls were were soft and became softer during the course of a game and were used until they unraveled, resulting in fewer big hits and lower scores. This was the original “dead-ball” era of baseball.

In 1910 the cork-core ball was introduced into Major League play. As  Popular Mechanics  explained at the time, “the cork makes possible a more rigid structure and more uniform resiliency. It is said to outlast the rubber center balls many times over, because it will not soften or break in spots under the most severe usage.” More importantly though, it could be  hit . With the introduction of the livelier cork ball, league-wide batting averages jumped almost immediately. After a few years, however, pitchers began to adapt (and develop a few tricks) and numbers began to level out – until Babe Ruth started hitting balls out of the park; dead-ball era came to a final, stunning end. Ruth started something and baseball enjoyed a live-ball renaissance that actually had nothing to do with the ball, despite popular conspiracy theories that a new, more lively “rabbit” ball was secretly introduced into play in 1920 to increase hitting.

The next big innovation came in 1925 when Milton B. Reach patented the “cushion cork” center, in which a a sphere of cork is surrounded by a black semi-vulcanized rubber, which is then surrounded by  another  layer of red rubber. In 1934, the American League, which favored live balls and big hitters, and the National League, known to use thicker, looser balls that favored pitchers, agreed on a standard ball. As noted in a  great article on the baseball’s history  from  Bleacher Report , the composition of this new “medium ball” was revealed for the first time in  The New York Times :

Major league baseballs start with a core of cork mixed with a small amount of rubber. This is covered by a layer of black rubber, then by a layer of red rubber. It is then ready for the winding process, where yarn is added to the core. This is done on a revolving machine…in a humidity- and temperature-controlled room. Yarn windings consist first of 121 yards of rough gray wool, forty-five yards of white wool then 53 yards of fine gray wool and finally 150 yards of fine white cotton. After these layers have been added to the sphere, it is coated with rubber cement. Then two pieces of horsehide in the shape of the figure ’8′ are hand-stitched with red thread to cover the ball. ….Each ball has 108 hand-stitched double stitches in its cover. A finished ball weighs from 5 to 5 1/4 ounces and measures not less than 9, nor more than 9 1/4 inches.

With a few exceptions, the baseball really hasn’t changed that much since then.

Surprisingly, the process hasn’t changed much either. All 108 red stitches on Major League baseballs are all still  stitched by hand , although ball consistency has improved with new technology – materials are now stored in temperature controlled facilities and balls are wound under constant tension to eliminate “soft spots” and guarantee a uniform surface. Also similar to years past: every season is different from the last.  Some seasons see a lot of home runs while others see pitchers locked in battle.  So far this year, teams have  scored the fewest runs per game (4.22)  since 1992, when it was 4.12. Granted, the hot summer months where the balls soar through the humid air have yet to come, but it looks like the men on the mound have the upper hand.

“Evolution of the Ball,”  Baseball Digest  (July 1963); Peter Morris,  A Game of Inches: The Stories Behind The Innovations that Shaped Baseball  (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006); Josh Chetwynd,  The Secret History of Balls  (Penguin, 2011); Zack Hample,  The Baseball: Stunts, Scandals, and Secrets Beneath the Stitches  (Random House, 2011); Zachary D. Rymer,  “The Evoution of the Baseball from the Dead ball Era Through Today,”   Bleacher Report  (June 18, 2013);  19th Century Baseball

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Jimmy Stamp | | READ MORE

Jimmy Stamp is a writer/researcher and recovering architect who writes for Smithsonian.com as a contributing writer for design.

Baseball History: Timeline & How it started

February 14, 2024

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Dive into the world of Baseball History, a fascinating journey that has captivated fans for generations.

In this comprehensive exploration of baseball’s origins and growth, discover the key moments and figures that shaped the beloved American pastime.

Let’s play ball!

Table of Contents

Baseball History Summary

1920s – 1930s, who invented baseball, how did baseball become so popular, where did baseball originate.

• ⏳ Origins and Evolution: Baseball’s roots go back to early bat-and-ball games in England. In the mid-19th century, Alexander Cartwright formalized the game’s rules, making significant contributions that created modern baseball and distinguished it from its predecessors like rounders and town ball.
• 🚀 Rise to Prominence: Baseball’s growth in the late 19th and early 20th centuries is marked by iconic moments, such as the founding of the National League in 1876, the emergence of Babe Ruth, and the fierce rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Its status as America’s pastime was cemented through generations of fans, players, and historic moments.
• 🥇   Noteworthy Growth and Adaptation: Over the years, baseball has experienced milestones like the breaking of the color barrier by Jackie Robinson, the expansion of the league and the addition of new franchises, as well as ongoing efforts to increase player safety and fan engagement. The sport’s ability to adapt to societal changes and embrace technology has ensured its lasting prominence in American culture.

Baseball History Timeline

Alexander Cartwright, often referred to as the “Father of Baseball,” established the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club in New York. He played a crucial role in drafting the “Knickerbocker Rules,” which would serve as the basis for modern baseball. These rules included the use of a diamond-shaped infield and the concept of three strikes for an out.

Cartwright also introduced other important aspects of the game, such as nine players on each team and a 90-foot distance between bases. His contributions laid the groundwork for baseball as we know it today.

The Cincinnati Red Stockings, formed in 1869, were the first openly professional baseball team. They traveled across the United States, playing against various amateur clubs, and went undefeated in their first season. The Red Stockings’ success accelerated the growth of professional baseball and inspired other teams to adopt a professional status.

By the early 1870s, several professional leagues had formed, marking the beginning of organized professional baseball in the US. The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , established in 1871, became the first professional baseball league.

In 1876, the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs was founded, later becoming simply the National League (NL). It replaced the National Association as the highest level of pro baseball and started with eight teams, creating a more stable and competitive league.

The NL’s formation was a turning point in baseball history, as it developed into one of the sport’s enduring institutions and eventually became part of Major League Baseball.

The American League (AL) was founded in 1901 as a response to the National League’s dominance. In 1903, the first modern World Series took place between the champions of AL and NL. The Boston Red Sox (then known as the Boston Americans) defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, marking a new era of championship play.

The World Series became an annual event, fueling the intense rivalry between the leagues and their teams, and establishing it as the pinnacle of professional baseball competition.

The “Golden Age” of baseball was characterized by legendary players such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Ty Cobb. In this era, the game captivated fans with outstanding performances, record-breaking feats, and intense rivalries like that between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.

During the 1930s, the introduction of night games and the first All-Star Game in 1933 added even more excitement to the sport. Baseball’s popularity continued to soar despite the economic challenges posed by the Great Depression.

Jackie Robinson made history by becoming the first African American to play in Major League Baseball, breaking the color barrier. Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, paving the way for other talented African American players to enter the league. His achievements on and off the field made him a symbol of courage and perseverance.

Robinson’s significant impact on baseball and society continues to be celebrated today, with every MLB player wearing his iconic number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day each year.

Roger Maris of the New York Yankees broke Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record, hitting 61 home runs in 1961. This incredible feat captured the attention of the nation and sparked a debate that would last for decades regarding the validity of the record due to the lengthening of the season.

Nonetheless, Maris’ achievement remains one of the most memorable moments in baseball history and a testament to the ever-evolving nature of the game.

The 1998 season featured an exhilarating home run race between Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs. Both players were chasing the single-season home run record held by Roger Maris. McGwire ultimately finished the season with 70 home runs, while Sosa hit 66, garnering widespread attention and reigniting interest in the sport.

Despite later controversies surrounding performance-enhancing drugs, the 1998 home run race remains an iconic moment that captivated baseball fans and the general public alike.

The origins of baseball, discussed in ‘ Who Invented Baseball? ‘, set the stage for the sport’s historical journey detailed here.

Trace the evolution of the game from its origins to the modern era, and see how this has influenced the development of baseball equipment by visiting our baseball equipment list .

Abner Doubleday is traditionally credited with inventing baseball. However, modern consensus among historians is that baseball evolved from various stick-and-ball games played in the United States.

Baseball’s popularity surged due to its accessibility, as it requires minimum equipment and playing fields. Its cultural significance, idolized players and legendary games also greatly contributed.

Baseball originated in the United States, specifically rounders, a popular game among children in 18th century Britain and Ireland, which transformed into modern baseball through adaptations and refinements over time.

Max is a sports enthusiast who loves all kinds of ball and water sports. He founded & runs stand-up-paddling.org (#1 German Paddleboarding Blog), played competitive Badminton and Mini Golf (competed on national level in Germany), started learning ‘real’ Golf and dabbled in dozens of other sports & activities.

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Early years

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• Table Of Contents

The term base-ball can be dated to 1744, in John Newbery’s children’s book A Little Pretty Pocket-Book . The book has a brief poem and an illustration depicting a game called base-ball. Interestingly, the bases in the illustration are marked by posts instead of the bags and flat home plate now so familiar in the game. The book was extremely popular in England and was reprinted in North America in 1762 (New York) and 1787 ( Massachusetts ).

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Many other early references to bat-and-ball games involving bases are known: a 1749 British newspaper that refers to Frederick Louis, prince of Wales , playing “Bass-Ball” in Surrey , England ; “playing at base” at the American army camp at Valley Forge in 1778; the forbidding of students to “play with balls and sticks” on the common of Princeton College in 1787; a note in the memoirs of Thurlow Weed , an upstate New York newspaper editor and politician, of a baseball club organized about 1825; a newspaper report that the Rochester ( New York ) Baseball Club had about 50 members at practice in the 1820s; and a reminiscence of the elder Oliver Wendell Holmes concerning his Harvard days in the late 1820s, stating that he played a good deal of ball at college .

The Boy’s Own Book (1828), a frequently reprinted book on English sports played by boys of the time, included in its second edition a chapter on the game of rounders . As described there, rounders had many resemblances to the modern game of baseball: it was played on a diamond-shaped infield with a base at each corner, the fourth being that at which the batter originally stood and to which he had to advance to score a run. When a batter hit a pitched ball through or over the infield, he could run. A ball hit elsewhere was foul, and he could not run. Three missed strikes at the ball meant the batter was out. A batted ball caught on the fly put the batter out. One notable difference from baseball was that, in rounders, when a ball hit on the ground was fielded, the fielder put the runner out by hitting him with the thrown ball; the same was true with a runner caught off base. Illustrations show flat stones used as bases and a second catcher behind the first, perhaps to catch foul balls. The descent of baseball from rounders seems indisputably clear-cut. The first American account of rounders was in The Book of Sports (1834) by Robin Carver, who credits The Boy’s Own Book as his source but calls the game base , or goal , ball .

In 1845, according to baseball legend , Alexander J. Cartwright , an amateur player in New York City , organized the New York Knickerbocker Base Ball Club, which formulated a set of rules for baseball, many of which still remain. The rules were much like those for rounders, but with a significant change in that the runner was put out not by being hit with the thrown ball but by being tagged with it. This change no doubt led to the substitution of a harder ball, which made possible a larger-scale game.

The adoption of these rules by the Knickerbockers and other amateur club teams in the New York City area led to an increased popularity of the game. The old game with the soft ball continued to be popular in and around Boston; a Philadelphia club that had played the old game since 1833 did not adopt the Knickerbocker or New York version of the game until 1860. Until the American Civil War (1861–65), the two versions of the game were called the Massachusetts game (using the soft ball) and the New York game (using the hard ball). During the Civil War, soldiers from New York and New Jersey taught their game to others, and after the war the New York game became predominant.

In 1854 a revision of the rules prescribed the weight and size of the ball , along with the dimensions of the infield, specifications that have not been significantly altered since that time. The National Association of Base Ball Players was organized in 1857, comprising clubs from New York City and vicinity. In 1859 Washington, D.C., organized a club, and in the next year clubs were formed in Lowell, Massachusetts; Allegheny, Pennsylvania; and Hartford, Connecticut. The game continued to spread after the Civil War—to Maine, Kentucky, and Oregon. Baseball was on its way to becoming the national pastime. It was widely played outside the cities, but the big-city clubs were the dominant force. In 1865 a convention was called to confirm the rules and the amateur status of baseball and brought together 91 amateur teams from such cities as St. Louis; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; Washington, D.C.; Boston; and Philadelphia.

Professional baseball

Two important developments in the history of baseball occurred in the post-Civil War period: the spread of the sport to Latin America and Asia (discussed later) and the professionalization of the sport in the United States . The early baseball clubs such as the New York Knickerbockers were clubs in the true sense of the word: members paid dues, the emphasis was on fraternity and socializing, and baseball games were played largely among members. But the growth of baseball’s popularity soon attracted commercial interest. In 1862 William Cammeyer of Brooklyn constructed an enclosed baseball field with stands and charged admission to games. Following the Civil War, this practice quickly spread, and clubs soon learned that games with rival clubs and tournaments drew larger crowds and brought prestige to the winners. The interclub games attracted the interest and influence of gamblers. With a new emphasis on external competition, clubs felt pressure to field quality teams. Players began to specialize in playing a single position, and field time was given over to a club’s top players so they could practice. Professionalism began to appear about 1865–66 as some teams hired skilled players on a per game basis. Players either were paid for playing or were compensated with jobs that required little or no actual work. Amateurs resented these practices and the gambling and bribery that often accompanied them, but the larger public was enthralled by the intense competition and the rivalries that developed. The first publicly announced all-professional team, the Cincinnati (Ohio) Red Stockings , was organized in 1869; it toured that year, playing from New York City to San Francisco and winning some 56 games and tying 1. The team’s success, especially against the hallowed clubs of New York, resulted in national notoriety and proved the superior skill of professional players. The desire of many other cities and teams to win such acclaim guaranteed the professionalization of the game, though many players remained nominally in the amateur National Association of Base Ball Players until the amateurs withdrew in 1871. Thereafter professional teams largely controlled the development of the sport.

The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was formed in 1871. The founding teams were the Philadelphia Athletics; the Chicago White Stockings (who would also play as the Chicago Colts and the Chicago Orphans before becoming the Cubs—the American League Chicago White Sox were not formed until 1900); the Brooklyn (New York) Eckfords; the Cleveland (Ohio) Forest Citys; the Forest Citys of Rockford, Illinois; the Haymakers of Troy, New York; the Kekiongas of Fort Wayne , Indiana; the Olympics of Washington, D.C.; and the Mutuals of New York City. The league disbanded in 1876 with the founding of the rival National League of Professional Baseball Clubs . The change from a players’ association to one of clubs was particularly significant. The teams making up the new league represented Philadelphia, Hartford (Connecticut), Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville (Kentucky), St. Louis, and New York City. When William Hulbert, president of the league (1877–82), expelled four players for dishonesty, the reputation of baseball as an institution was significantly enhanced .

137 Baseball Essay Topics & Examples

Want to write an essay on baseball? Described as a national religion of the US, this sport is definitely worth exploring!

⚾ Baseball Research Topics

🏆 top baseball essay examples, 🧢 best baseball essay topics, 🥎 interesting baseball topics to write about, 🏏 baseball research paper topics, 👟 baseball argumentative essay topics, 🎓 simple & easy baseball essay titles, ❓ baseball research questions.

Developed from folk games in early Britain, baseball has become the most popular bat-and-ball game in the world. About half of Americans claim to be its fans. In your paper about baseball, you might want to focus on its history. Another interesting idea is to talk about cultural impact of baseball. Whether you have to write an argumentative, descriptive, or informative essay, our article will be helpful. It contains baseball topics to research and write about. You can use them for a paper, presentation, or any other assignment. Best baseball essay examples are added to inspire you even more.

• The evolution of baseball form older bat-and-ball games
• History of baseball in the US
• The Massachusetts game and modern baseball: compare & contrast
• Baseball at the age of steroids
• Baseball in the US culture
• British and Finnish baseball: compare and contrast
• Baseball in the world literature
• Women in baseball
• Comparison of baseball and cricket
• The role of individual players in baseball
• Which Is More Profitable, Baseball or Football? There are other sports which are more profitable than the two but the argument here boils to which sport between the two is more profitable. In regard to the ticket price, baseball becomes more profitable […]
• Fences: On Stubbornness and Baseball Even the play’s title, Fences, is a reference to “swinging for the fences” in addition to the literal and metaphorical fences Troy builds that keep the other characters out or in.
• Fraud Within the Tallahassee Beancounters Baseball Team An additional impetus for the audit of the company’s accounts was the granting of a mortgage to the company for the construction of a new training facility.
• History of Baseball and Its Impact on American History It is possible to hypothesize that the regional roots of baseball emphasize the special place of the rural culture in the construction of the contemporary American identity and promote the traits that the rural population […]
• The Role of Ezol’s Journal in Miko Kings: An Indian Baseball Story Outwardly the journal features the history of Ezol’s life, Ada’s citizens, and the Twin Territories; however, in truth, it goes beyond that and has a much deeper symbolic meaning. Ezol’s journal serves as a portrayal […]
• Koprince’s “Baseball as History and Myth in August Wilson’s Fences” Although the connection between baseball and the thematic development of the play might seem tangential at first, a closer analysis of the manner in which the game I mentioned in the novel will show that […]
• Factors that influence Major League and Minor League Baseball This perhaps leads to the appreciation of the significance of considering the team’s quality in determining the attendance of major and minor Baseball league.
• Baseball and Urbanization For instance, at the very beginning of the nineteenth century, the urban population in the United States was 5% of the total population.
• Social Injustice in Negro League Baseball The lack of equal pay for African American players in the Negro Leagues during the 1920s and 1930s was a significant social injustice that exposed and sought to improve the inequality within the baseball industry.
• Linear Regression Applied to Major League Baseball Applying regression techniques by drawing a scatter plot of real-world data of MLB payroll amounts and win totals copied to the Excel spreadsheet, it is practical to establish the nature of the relationship between the […]
• Jackie Robinson, an American Baseball Player Robinson reached significant heights in baseball, becoming the first recipient of the MLB Rookie of the Year Award, becoming the National League’s Most Valuable Player, and being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• Promotional Campaign Plan for Sault Ste. Marie Baseball It will be a moment to harness the youthful talents of Sault Ste. The youths of Sault Ste.
• Geometry Web Quest for Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Golf, Volleyball and Pool Field for golf is the biggest and made of grass, sand and water and is the biggest and it has no fixed shape. Soccer field is made of grass or synthetic material and is the […]
• Benefits of Baseball League However this research is perhaps better placed in capturing the impact of baseball league because it is not subject to the different errors that are said to be experienced in the assessment of economic development […]
• Mechanics of the Baseball Swing During the game, the ball is to be hit hard by the batting team and the “hitter” to stop at a base before proceeding to other bases.
• Baseball Game Rules and Age Limit In the game of baseball or any other form of the game, the play of a boy corresponds to the work of an over-aged player.
• Baseball Career Personal Experiences Though I was nowhere near the standards of the so called best players, my interest and willingness to give my best, pleased the coach and I was mostly in the starting team.
• The Use of Steroids in Baseball The use of steroids may be used to improve the performance of the baseball teams but this comes at a great cost to the individual’s health and the integrity of the game.
• “Life in Baseball’s Negro Leagues” by Donn Rogosin This is the particular phase of racism that has made the dominance so very concrete that the title in itself declares the actual picturesque about the foregrounding towards this dominance.
• Negro Baseball League and Professional Players The work clearly tells the reader the saga of the tribulations and humiliations that a black player has to undergo because of the color difference, and the author points out how the game of baseball […]
• Professional Baseball Operation Strategy in Taiwan But when it comes to the professional market, the low attendance rate shows the dilemma of the league operation. To review the development and history of the free agency system in MLB.
• Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Team’s Sport Marketing The team competes in Major League Baseball and represents the American League East division, and it is the only club in MLB that is not from the United States.
• William Ellsworth Hoy, a Deaf Baseball Player In the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century, the overall social environment and a widespread hostile public attitude toward disability provided many obstacles to a successful career for any person with a disability.
• The 1994 Major League Baseball Strike and Conflict Although the strike was sometimes claimed to be the one that had the most significant impact on Major League Baseball, the result of the negotiations was not satisfactory to both parties. The conflict between the […]
• Steroid Impact on Baseball Game and Players Furthermore, the creation of the team sport contributed to the significant improvement of its visual appeal and attracted the new audience.
• Oakland Athletics: Successful Baseball Team It is necessary to understand that this measure is crucial, and it can be combined with a slugging average to determine the capabilities of a particular player.
• Baseball in Sociological Research and Its Features This is followed by a careful determination of the research design to use while conducting a research. It also makes sure that the sociologist is in line with ethical standards of conducting a research in […]
• Media and Negative Ethnicity in Baseball The stakeholders in the game of baseball have made concerted effort to promote integration of major league baseball in the United States.
• Baseball Players’ Salaries Analysis This meant that the salaries of LA Dodgers players were evenly distributed relative to average salary with above-average distribution in NY Yankees and a weak distribution in NY Mets.
• The Financial Problems of Major League Baseball Meanwhile, as the players faced the problem of losing their salary for the last weeks of the season, the owners encountered a big problem since the World Series were wiped out for the second period.
• Data Collection of Major League Baseball The fact that the total population of the players in the Major League Baseball is relatively large made the researcher choose the sampling method to determine the salary that a player should earn.
• Major League Baseball’s Data Set General overview: after choosing the topic, the research team decided to review the available information to ensure that the base of the problem was wide and comprehensive; at this stage, the researchers were concerned with […]
• Major League Baseball Players Association The association also has a role in the modern world of negotiating the salaries of its players. The major league baseball association is a union that is of great help to the baseball players.
• Kansas City Zephyrs Baseball Club, Inc. The main reason for the contentious issues is the profitability disbursement to between the club operations and players. The owners want to maximize their interest through reduction of taxes yet the players want to get […]
• Steroids in Baseball The rejuvenated use can be traced back to the role of the media in promoting sports as a form of entertainment.
• Technologically Advanced Baseball Bats Research The purpose of this research study is to investigate the advantages of using technologically advanced, or high priced, baseball bats in the Little League Baseball.
• Unions and Compensation in Major League Baseball This paper will discuss concepts of the unionization of professional baseball, impacts of the unionization of the game to players, managers and the game in general.
• 1919 World Series: How It Changed Baseball Forever?
• 2011 Major League Baseball National League Most Valuable Player Individual or Team Award?
• Comparison Between the Games of Baseball and Fastpitch Softball
• Comparison of American Pastime in Baseball and Football
• How Baseball Helped Me Coup Up with the Struggles of My Life?
• African Americans in Baseball
• Analysis of David Brook’s Baseball or Soccer
• Analysis of the Official Website of Major League Baseball
• Analysis of Baseball: An Important Part of American Pop Culture
• Analysis of Baseball Stadiums
• Analysis of the Economic Structure of the Major League Baseball
• Analysis of the Minor League Baseball
• New York Yankees, the Most Successful Franchise in Baseball History
• Baseball Hats Boost Employee Motivation And Job Performance
• Compare And Contrast Baseball And Basketball
• Differences And Similarities Between Baseball And Softball
• How African Americans Helped Shape The Major League Baseball
• How Baseball Has Changed My Life?
• How Baseball Survived the Great Depression?
• How Did Baseball Affect Cuba In The Mid Twentieth Century?
• How Television Has Changed The Game Of Baseball?
• How The Civil War Helped Formed Baseball Into The Great Game?
• How to be a Healthy Baseball Player?
• How To Play Fantasy Baseball?
• Salaries In Major League Baseball
• Stopping on Nine: Evidence of Heuristic Managerial Decision‐Making in Major League Baseball Pitcher Substitutions
• What Is The Status Of Steroids In Baseball?
• Why Baseball Is The Most Amazing Sport?
• Who Integrated Major League Baseball Faster Winning Teams or Losing Teams?
• Why Is Baseball My Favorite Game to Watch?
• A Bad Day in My Baseball Career
• A Background of America’s Favorite Pastime Baseball
• Biography and Life Work of Jack Roosevelt Robinson, a Professional Baseball Player
• Biography and Life Work of Joseph Jefferson Jackson, an American Baseball Player
• Life and Work of Roberto Clemente Walker, a Puerto Rican Baseball Player
• Biography of Babe Ruth
• Achievements of Baseball Legend Ted Williams
• Advertising in Baseball Stadiums
• History of African Americans in Major League Baseball
• History of Baseball in the American Civil War
• History of Steroid Use in the Major League Baseball
• History of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League in America
• Anabolic Steroids are Ruining Major League Baseball
• Evaluation of Customer Satisfaction for Fans Attending Baseball Games at Yankee Stadium
• Baseball and the Civil War of the United States
• Attendance and the Uncertainty-of-Outcome Hypothesis in Baseball
• Baseball, Football, and Basketball: Models for Business
• Baseball Revenue Sharing
• Cheating in the Game of Baseball
• Impact of the Globalization of Baseball
• Myth in Baseball
• National Pastime to Dismal Science: Using Baseball to Illustrate Economic Principles
• Pay and Performance in Major League Baseball: The Case of the First Family of Free Agents
• Physics Of Baseball
• Professional Baseball Stadiums ‘Old’ New Construction Trends
• Risk Management for the Use of a City Baseball Stadium
• Economic Impact on the Dominican Republic of Baseball Player Exports to the USA
• Twenty First Century Baseball and Economics
• Women’s Baseball Leagues in Historical Context
• Work Incentives And Salary Distributions In Major League Baseball
• How Did Racism Impact the Game of Baseball?
• Are Baseball Players Paid Too Much?
• How Did Babe Ruth Change Baseball?
• Does the Baseball Labor Market Contradict the Human Capital Model of Investment?
• How Has Baseball Changed Their Rules?
• Did Abner Doubleday Invent the Game of Baseball?
• How Did Baseball Survive the Great Depression?
• Can Women Really Play Baseball?
• How Was Baseball Changed by Jackie Robinson?
• Does the Baseball Labor Market Properly Value Pitchers?
• How Did Baseball Affect Cuba in the Mid-Twentieth Century?
• Are Major League Baseball Players Overpaid?
• Why Has Baseball Benefited From the New York Yankees?
• How Did Baseball Influence America?
• Does Option Theory Hold for Major League Baseball Contracts?
• How Has the Game of Baseball Been Affected by the Increase in Technology Over the Past Decades?
• Should Baseball Ban the DH?
• How Did Steroids and HGH Destroy Baseball?
• Should Baseball Players Who Used Steroids Be Allowed in the Hall of Fame?
• How Did Television Has Change the Game of Baseball?
• Were Major League Baseball Doubleheaders a Mistake?
• Why Are Americans Addicted to Baseball?
• How Do Baseball Players’ Mental States Influence Their Career?
• Should Baseball Expand the Use of Instant Replay to Review Close Plays on the Bases?
• Does Baseball Lose to Soccer in Some Us States?
• Should Baseball Be Financed by Is Citizens’ Taxes?
• Can Baseball Alleviate Mental Illness Symptoms?
• Should the Pricing Policy for Baseball Tournaments Be Reviewed?
• What Countries Can Complete With the USA in Baseball Ratings?
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Introduction

Playing Area and Equipment

A raised, circular mound is located in the middle of the infield diamond. A player called the pitcher throws the ball toward home plate from a spot on the mound. The spot is known as the rubber. In professional baseball the rubber is 60 feet, 6 inches (18.4 meters) from home plate.

A baseball has a core made of cork and rubber. Yarn is wrapped around the core. The cover is made of two strips of white leather that are sewn together. Players hit the ball with a bat. A baseball bat is a smooth, rounded stick made of wood or aluminum. To catch the ball, each player wears a leather glove.

Playing the Game

The two teams in a baseball game take turns being batters (playing offense) and fielders (playing defense). The batting team, also called the team at bat, tries to score runs. It does this by advancing its players around the bases. The fielding team tries to prevent the batting team from scoring.

The pitcher can get a batter out by throwing three strikes. This is called a strikeout. An umpire behind home plate calls each pitch either a strike or a ball. A strike is a pitch that passes through the strike zone. The strike zone is an imaginary rectangular box above home plate. From bottom to top, it extends from the batter’s knees to about the middle of his chest. The umpire calls a strike if the batter fails to swing at a pitch thrown in the strike zone. The batter also gets a strike for swinging at the ball and missing.

If a pitch is outside the strike zone and the batter does not swing, the umpire calls a ball. If the umpire calls four balls during a batter’s turn at bat, the batter receives a walk. A walk lets the batter go to first base. The batter also goes to first base if a pitch hits him.

If the batter hits the ball onto the field, he tries to run to first base or farther without making an out. The fielders can get the batter out in a variety of ways. For example, they can catch a hit ball before it bounces. They can also scoop up the ball and throw it to first base before the batter gets there. With the ball in hand, a fielder may also tag the batter out. If the batter safely gets to first base or farther, he is said to have gotten a hit.

After a batter reaches a base, he becomes a base runner. He tries to advance from base to base around the diamond. Usually he does this as the next batters get hits of their own. The batting team scores a run when a base runner goes all the way around the bases and returns to home plate.

After three batters have made outs, the fielding team takes its turn at bat. A period of play called an inning is completed after both teams have batted. After nine innings, the team with the most runs wins. If a game is tied, the teams play extra innings until the tie is broken.

Historians once thought that Abner Doubleday, a U.S. Army officer, invented baseball in 1839 in Cooperstown, New York. Now, though, most historians agree that baseball developed from an English game called rounders. English children played rounders in the 1700s. The game was quite similar to modern baseball. It had nine-member teams and a diamond-shaped infield with bases on the corners.

In 1845, Alexander Cartwright organized the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club in New York City. The club was made up of amateur players (players who were not paid). The club put together a set of rules for playing the game. Many of those rules are still used today.

Today the National and American leagues are combined in the organization called Major League Baseball. There are 30 professional teams divided between the two leagues. Since 1903 the best teams from each league have competed in a championship called the World Series.

The teams of Major League Baseball are all in North America. But the sport is popular in other parts of the world as well. There are professional leagues in Latin America, East Asia, Europe, and Australia. In Latin America, baseball is popular particularly in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. Players from the United States play on teams in those countries, and many players from outside the United States play for major league teams.

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The New York Times

The learning network | common core practice | narrative, argumentative and informative writing about baseball.

Common Core Practice | Narrative, Argumentative and Informative Writing About Baseball

Common Core

Teaching ideas based on New York Times content.

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The 2013 major league baseball season began this week, and Sarah Gross, Jonathan Olsen and their New Jersey students — many among them passionate Yankees or Mets fans — couldn’t pass up the opportunity to explore America’s pastime for this week’s writing prompts .

Narrative Writing

Sports: “ Don’t Let Your Signed Memories Turn Into a Plot Twist ” Common Core Standards: RI3, RI4, W3, W4, RH4, WHST4, WHST10

You know the plot: the main character has a valuable signed baseball that he, or she, cherishes. And then something happens. Maybe the dog eats it, maybe a child takes it outside in the mud. But the result is always the same — a lost piece of memorabilia and a devastated collector.

Your Task : Compose a one- or two-paragraph scene in which a valuable signed baseball is destroyed. Be sure to use precise words and phrases, telling details and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the events.

Before you do the task, you might…

• Brainstorm a list of ways that a signed baseball might be lost. Try to think of the most humorous ways it might happen.
• Make a list of descriptive words about your setting. Be sure to use precise words and sensory details.
• Find a way to describe why the baseball was so important to its owner. Why was this object cherished?

Extension Activity:

Argumentative Writing Sports: “ Era of Modern Baseball Stats Brings WAR to Booth ” Common Core Standards: RI4, RI5, RI10, W1, W4, RH1, WHST1, WHST4

Statistics like WAR, VORP and B.A.B.I.P. have swept through baseball over the past decade, becoming part of the fabric of the game and an object of growing fascination to its fans, writes the Times sports reporter Steve Eder.

This embrace of cold calculations, known as sabermetrics, is now making its way onto radio broadcasts of baseball games. However, radio broadcasts of games have traditionally featured homespun baseball wisdom and not talk about terms like “ultimate zone rating.” How will this new emphasis on advanced statistics affect baseball broadcasts?

Your Task : Should baseball announcers include more advanced statistics in their broadcasts or stick to the tried-and-true stories from the clubhouse? Include a quote from the article and one classmate’s opinion in your response.

Check out this response from one of our students, Sean K. (And you can read more of Sean’s writing on his blog .)

Ever since I was introduced to Moneyball and Strat-o-matic, I’ve been enchanted with baseball statistics. In the past two decades, the sabermetrics craze has been introduced into nearly every professional baseball club, cementing the sport’s position as the most statistically advanced game in the world, and turned leisurely hobbies like fantasy baseball into global phenomenons. Even with the recent stat explosions, should this complex data make its way to baseball commentary? Baseball is known for its radio legends as much as it is for statistics, with immortal names such as John Sterling, the long-time voice of the Yankees. Says Sterling on the subject, “The more numbers you keep giving to the fans, the more people don’t know what you’re talking about.” Television has readily adopted new sabermetric stats such as WHIP and OPS, and ESPN has a complete love affair with WAR. On the other side, radio has been slower to adopt numbers into play-by-play usually handled by one voice, unlike the multi-commentator crews on national TV. Kyle W., a supporter of tradition, believes that “Americans prefer simplicity and would prefer clubhouse stories.” Simple new stats such as WHIP, OPS, and B.A.B.I.P. would no doubt support intuitive fans and front office staff alike, so long as it’s merely sprinkled here and there. However, this is a much better move for television, which can add a devoted statistician to the crew and insert on-screen graphics. Having interactive television broadcasts or classic radio play-by-play would then give fans the best of both worlds, offering a choice between tradition and the future.

• Go through the article to underline the reasons statistics should be included in the broadcast and circle the reasons stories should be the focus of down time in game broadcasts.
• Using your notes, choose a side and pick one quotation to include in your argument.
• Interview a classmate for his or her take on the topic.
• When writing your argument, be sure to identify who the speakers for both quotations are, and remember to put their words in quotation marks .

Create your own radio show with your friends. RadioLovers.com is a database with hundreds of old radio shows. Check out some of the classics like “Buck Rogers,” Flash Gordon” or Gunsmoke.” Note how the shows introduce characters and use sound effects to help tell a story. Then choose a topic, write a script and perform your show. If you have a computer with a microphone, record your show with a program like GarageBand and add as many sound effects as you can.

Informative Writing

Sports: “ With New Move, Jay-Z Enters a Sports Agent State of Mind ”

Common Core Standards: RI2, RI10, W2, W4, W5, RH2, WHST2, WHST4

Jay-Z has long been in the inner circle of A-listers like Alex Rodriguez and LeBron James, using their names in his lyrics and their star power to enhance his own. Now he is making a move to turn those relationships into big business in a more formal way.

On Tuesday he announced he was opening his own sports agency, and that he was stealing the Yankees star Robinson Cano from the most powerful agent in baseball. Jay-Z is now poised to become one of the most powerful men in sports and music.

Your Task: In a paragraph, summarize this move by Jay-Z from musician to agent. Be sure to include relevant and sufficient facts from the article.

• Plan your essay before you begin to write by organizing your thoughts and any evidence you intend to use.
• Analyze the article to determine the key points that are emphasized by the author. Be sure to incorporate these in your writing.

Choose either the Yankees’ or the Mets’ home opener and imagine if the game had had a different outcome. (As New York baseball fans know, the Yankees lost their home opener while the Mets won.)

Be creative and rewrite the article with the opposite result of what is reported in the newspaper, but writing in the same style used by the Times sports reporters David Waldstein and Andrew Keh. Think of creative but plausible ways for your recap to achieve the new alternate outcome. You can use images from this opening day slide show for inspiration.

Working With Any Day’s Times

Any Day’s Times: Using Our Postcards Activity

Common Core Standards : WHST 9, RI 10

Directions: Postcards, one of the exercises from our Any Day’s Times collection , invites students to choose a New York Times article as a jumping-off point, then write and illustrate postcards they imagine could be sent to or from anyone mentioned in the article. What would that person say? Why? What image would he or she choose for the front of the card?

We can’t help but think of how well that exercise would work with a recent article about baseball history, “Echoes of Ebbets Field as It Turns 100.”

Just a short list of who might write to whom could include:

• Jackie Robinson writing to a friend or relative about his first game.
• A Dodgers fan expressing his feelings to the owner, Walter O’Malley, about the team’s move to Los Angeles from Brooklyn.
• A Dodgers player or fan writing to someone living in the Ebbets Field apartments who doesn’t know or care much about the site’s history.

Whom would you add? What would he or she say? Why? Use evidence from the text to make sure you have the content and tone of your postcard right.

You can do this same exercise with nearly any Times article, of course, but it might work especially well with feature articles like this one that include many characters and points of view.

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The LaGuardia and Wagner Archives at LaGuarda Community College/CUNY published a curriculum on immigration and one of the lessons (see page 30) is about a young Dominican boy and his dreams of playing baseball. //www.laguardiawagnerarchive.lagcc.cuny.edu/ShowCUNY_Curricula.aspx?CurrLink=FILES_DOC/CURRICULA_FILES/City_of_Immigrants.pdf

I love baseball

I missed Opening Day because I was driving through France. I’m still not home yet but this piece brings me a little closer. Thank you!

(From Montpelier, France)

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Sports — Baseball

Essays on Baseball

Brief description of baseball.

Baseball is a beloved sport that has been an integral part of American culture for over a century. It is a game of strategy, skill, and teamwork, with a rich history and traditions. Baseball has the power to bring people together and inspire a sense of community and camaraderie.

Importance of Writing Essays on This Topic

Essays on baseball are significant for both academic and personal exploration. They allow students to delve into the history, sociology, and cultural impact of the sport. Additionally, writing about baseball can be a way for individuals to connect with their own experiences and memories related to the game.

Tips on Choosing a Good Topic

• Consider exploring the impact of baseball on American society and culture
• Look into the history and evolution of the sport, including key moments and influential figures
• Explore the psychological and emotional aspects of being a baseball player or fan

Essay Topics

• The Evolution of Baseball Equipment
• The Impact of Baseball on American Culture
• The Role of Race and Ethnicity in Baseball History
• The Psychological Benefits of Playing Baseball
• The Business of Baseball: Major League vs. Minor League
• The Influence of Baseball in Literature and Film
• The Cultural Significance of Baseball Stadiums
• The Debate on Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Baseball
• The Importance of Baseball in Building Community
• The Rise of International Baseball Leagues

Concluding Thought

Exploring baseball through essay writing can be an enriching and rewarding experience. Whether delving into its history, impact on society, or personal connections, there are countless opportunities for critical engagement with this beloved sport.

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Essay On Baseball

Table of Contents

Short Essay On Baseball

Baseball is a sport that has been loved by millions of people for generations. It is a game of strategy, skill, and athleticism that requires players to work together as a team in order to achieve success.

The game of baseball has a rich history that dates back to the mid-19th century. It is said to have originated in England and was brought to the United States, where it evolved into the sport that we know today. Baseball quickly became popular, and by the early 20th century, it was a staple of American culture.

In baseball, two teams of nine players each take turns playing offense and defense. The objective of the game is for the offense to score runs by hitting a ball thrown by the pitcher and running around the bases, while the defense tries to prevent this by getting three outs per inning.

One of the things that makes baseball unique is the fact that it is a sport that requires both mental and physical skill. Players must be able to think critically and make split-second decisions, as well as have the athleticism and hand-eye coordination to execute plays effectively. Whether it is a pitcher making a crucial pitch, an infielder making a diving stop, or an outfielder making a running catch, the sport requires players to bring their best every time they step onto the field.

Another aspect of baseball that has made it so popular is the sense of community and tradition that surrounds the sport. From the peanut vendors and hotdog stands of old-fashioned ballparks, to the chants and cheers of passionate fans, baseball has a unique culture and atmosphere that is unlike any other sport.

In conclusion, baseball is a sport that has captivated millions of people for generations. With its combination of strategy, skill, and athleticism, its rich history, and its unique culture and traditions, it is a game that continues to be loved and enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you are a player, a fan, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of the game, there is something special about baseball that makes it a true American pastime.

Long Essay On Baseball

Baseball is an integral part of American culture and history, with a devoted following of fans from all walks of life. In this essay, we will explore the unique aspects of the game that make it so beloved by millions around the world and discuss why it continues to be a favorite among people of all ages.

Introduction to Baseball

Since baseball is considered as America’s pastime, it is only right to have an essay on the said sport. Baseball has been around for a long time and has undergone different changes throughout the years. It is a bat-and-ball game that is played between two teams, each composed of nine players. The objective of the game is to score runs by hitting a ball that is thrown by the pitcher and then running around four bases which are arranged in a diamond shape. Although there are different variations of the game, the basic rules remain the same.

History of Baseball

Baseball has been around for a long time and has been enjoyed by people of all ages. It is America’s pastime, and has been played by some of the greatest athletes in history. The game has evolved over time, but the basic rules have remained the same.

Baseball was first played in England in the early 1800s. It was brought to America by immigrants, and quickly became popular. The first professional baseball team was formed in 1869, and the first World Series was played in 1903.

Since then, baseball has continued to be one of the most popular sports in America. It is played at all levels, from Little League to Major League. Baseball is also a popular sport internationally, with many countries having their own professional leagues.

Popularity of the Sport in America

Baseball is America’s pastime. It is a sport that is enjoyed by people of all ages, from young children to adults. Baseball is a game that can be played by anyone, regardless of their skill level. There are many different levels of baseball, from Little League to the Major Leagues. Baseball is also a very popular spectator sport. Millions of people watch baseball games every year, either in person or on television.

The popularity of baseball in America has declined in recent years, but it is still one of the most popular sports. According to a poll conducted by Gallup in 2019, baseball was the third most popular sport in the United States, behind football and basketball. This is down from the first place spot that baseball held in 1972. Despite the decline in popularity, baseball remains an important part of American culture.

Rules and Regulations of Baseball

In baseball, the rules and regulations are designed to create a fair and competitive environment for the sport. There are strict rules governing all aspects of the game, from how the field is set up to how the players must behave. These rules ensure that all players have an equal opportunity to play the game and be successful.

One of the most important rules in baseball is that each team must have nine players on the field at all times. This rule ensures that both teams have an equal number of players to compete with. If one team has more players than another, it would give them a significant advantage over their opponents.

Another important rule is that each player must bat in turn. This means that everyone on the team gets a chance to hit the ball and score runs. If one player was allowed to bat out of turn, they would likely get more hits and score more runs than their teammates. This would give them an unfair advantage.

The fielding team also has strict rules to follow. They must position themselves in specific areas of the field so that they can best defend against the batter hitting the ball. They also must throw the ball in a specific way so that it is difficult for the batter to hit it. If they do not follow these rules, they could give up easy runs to their opponents.

All of these rules work together to create a fair and balanced game of baseball. Without them, one team could easily dominate another and make it difficult for anyone to enjoy the game. The rules are designed to keep the game competitive and fun for all players.

Equipment Needed to Play Baseball

In order to play baseball, there are several pieces of equipment that are necessary. These include a bat, a ball, gloves, cleats, and protective gear.

The bat is perhaps the most important piece of equipment for a baseball player. It is used to hit the ball, and comes in a variety of sizes and materials. The size of the bat depends on the height and weight of the player, as well as their personal preference. Common materials used for bats include aluminum, wood, and composite.

The ball is another essential piece of equipment for playing baseball. It is made out of leather and has stitches around the circumference. The size of the ball also varies depending on the league that the game is being played in. For example, a major league baseball is larger than those used in little league games.

Gloves are worn by all players on the field, with the exception of the pitcher and catcher. They help players grip the bat and catch fly balls. Cleats are also worn by all players on the field and help them get traction while running.

Protective gear is worn by all players to help prevent injuries while playing baseball. This includes helmets for batters and base runners, as well as chest protectors for catchers. Pitchers also wear special gloves to help protect their hands from being hit by batted balls.

Benefits of Playing Baseball

Baseball has been around for over a hundred years and is one of America’s favorite pastimes. Playing baseball can have many benefits for kids, including improved hand-eye coordination, increased fitness, and teamwork skills.

Hand-eye coordination is essential for baseball players as they need to be able to hit the ball with the bat. By playing baseball, kids can improve their hand-eye coordination as they learn to track the ball and hit it in the right direction.

Fitness is another important benefit of playing baseball. Baseball requires players to run around the diamond, which helps them to get some exercise and fresh air. Additionally, playing baseball can help kids to develop their stamina and endurance as they need to keep going even when they are tired.

Finally, teamwork skills are essential for any successful baseball team. By working together, kids can learn how to communicate effectively and support each other on the field. They will also learn how to take turns and share responsibility, which are valuable life skills.

Different Types of Baseball Leagues

There are many different types of baseball leagues, each with its own unique set of rules and regulations. The most popular type of league is the Major League Baseball (MLB), which is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada. Other popular professional leagues include the Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and the Independent Leagues.

The MLB is divided into two parts: the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). Each league consists of three divisions: East, Central, and West. The AL has 14 teams, while the NL has 16 teams. The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the champions of the AL and NL.

The MiLB is a hierarchical system of minor league baseball that helps develop players for eventual major league play. There are four levels of minor league baseball: Triple-A, Double-A, Single-A, and Rookie Ball. Players who perform well at lower levels may be promoted to higher levels, while those who struggle may be demoted to lower levels.

Independent Leagues are not affiliated with any major league team and often have their own unique set of rules. These leagues provide an opportunity for players who were not drafted by a major league team or who were released by a major league team to continue playing baseball at a high level.

To conclude, baseball holds a special place in many people’s hearts. It is an integral part of American culture and has been for generations. Baseball teaches us about commitment, teamwork, and sportsmanship in addition to providing an enjoyable form of entertainment. For those reasons and more, baseball will always be one of America’s favorite pastimes!

Manisha Dubey Jha is a skilled educational content writer with 5 years of experience. Specializing in essays and paragraphs, she’s dedicated to crafting engaging and informative content that enriches learning experiences.

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Baseball in japan and the us: history, culture, and future prospects.

The essay that follows, with a primary focus on professional baseball, is intended as an introductory comparative overview of a game long played in the US and Japan. I hope it will provide readers with some context to learn more about a complex, evolving, and, most of all, fascinating topic, especially for lovers of baseball on both sides of the Pacific.

Baseball, although seriously challenged by the popularity of other sports, has traditionally been considered America’s pastime and was for a long time the nation’s most popular sport. The game is an original American sport, but has sunk deep roots into other regions, including Latin America and East Asia. Baseball was introduced to Japan in the late nineteenth century and became the national sport there during the early post-World War II period. The game as it is played and organized in both countries, however, is considerably different. The basic rules are mostly the same, but cultural differences between Americans and Japanese are clearly reflected in how both nations approach their versions of baseball. Although players from both countries have flourished in both American and Japanese leagues, at times the cultural differences are substantial, and some attempts to bridge the gaps have ended in failure. Still, while doubtful the Japanese version has changed the American game, there is some evidence that the American version has exerted some changes in the Japanese game.

Baseball in the United States is essentially a nineteenth-century sport that has made the necessary adaptations to survive in the modern era. The first recognizable teams appeared in the 1850s and 1860s. Professional teams emerged with the formation of the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869 and the team that became the Boston (now Atlanta) Braves in 1871. The first organization of professional teams came with the creation of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1871, which would become the National League (NL) in 1876, and the NL is still part of Major League Baseball (MLB) today. By the late 1800s and early 1900s, baseball had developed a strong national following and became the most popular sport in the country. Horace Wilson, an American English teacher at the Kaisei Academy in Tokyo, first introduced baseball to Japan in 1872, and other American teachers and missionaries popularized the game throughout Japan in the 1870s and 1880s. Popularity among Japanese grew slowly and led to the establishment of Japan’s first organized baseball team, the Shimbashi Athletic Club, in 1878. The convincing victory of a team from Tokyo’s Ichikō High School in 1896 over a team of select foreigners from the Yokohama Country & Athletic Club drew wide coverage in the Japanese press and contributed greatly to the popularity of baseball as a school sport. The rapidly growing popularity of baseball led to the development of high school, college, and university teams throughout Japan in the early 1900s. Important rivalries developed at the high school and university levels, highlighted by the intense battles between Keio University and Waseda University—which started in 1903 as an annual competition between the two schools and continues to this day. Photographs from 1903 onward show large crowded stadiums as Waseda, Keio, and the Imperial universities fought for the annual championship. High school tournaments also gained popularity in the early 1900s and remain immensely popular today. Despite their cultural differences, the growing popularity of baseball in Japan encouraged Japanese university teams and other baseball clubs, led by a team from Waseda University in 1905, to travel to the United States in the early 1900s to study American baseball more closely and play exhibition games against American teams. In return, American professional teams made annual trips to Japan between 1908 and 1935 after the World Series to play Japanese teams. Japanese baseball teams rarely prevailed against their American counterparts, but their improvement was steady.

Professional baseball in Japan began slowly in the 1920s, and the first professional team, The Great Japan Tokyo Baseball Club, was formed in 1934 by a prominent Japanese newspaper Yomiuri

Shimbun publisher, Shōriki Matsutarō. The club’s success against an all-star American team of professionals that included Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, and Charlie Gehringer encouraged the development of the first professional baseball league in Japan in 1936, the Japanese Baseball League (Nihon Yakyū Renmei). The league disbanded briefly in 1944 due to Allied bombing of Japan, but it resumed play during the Allied Occupation following the war. In 1950, the league would become Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB; Nippon Yakyū Kikō) and was large enough to divide into two leagues: the Central League and the Pacific League. NPB still exists today, and the best-known teams in the Central League are the Tokyo-based Yomiuri Giants and the Osaka-based Hanshin Tigers. The most famous Pacific League team is the Tokyo region-based Seibu Lions.

It was only in the 1960s that Japan had enough players to compete seriously against the best in America. American teams again began visiting Japan as early as 1949 with the minor league San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League (PCL), soon followed by visits of MLB teams, including the Brooklyn Dodgers, who played in exhibition games against Japanese teams. Japanese baseball rules allowed each Japanese team to sign a maximum of two foreign players (later raised to four). The result has been a steady flow of American players coming to play in Japan since the early 1950s.

Americans continue to play on Japanese teams today, though a growing number now come from other Asian countries such as Taiwan and South Korea. No Japanese players attempted to join Major League Baseball until 1964, when a young pitcher, Masanori (“Mashi”) Murakami, made a sensational debut with the San Francisco Giants. By 2015, over fifty Japanese players had played in the major leagues.

American and Japanese Baseball Relations

American-Japanese baseball historian Robert K. Fitts identifies three players who had key roles in developing a strong baseball relationship between the United States and Japan: Babe Ruth (1895–1948), Wally Yonamine (1925–2011), and Masanori Murakami (b. 1944).

Ruth was long past his prime in 1934 when Shōriki Matsutarō announced that he wished to sponsor a tour of American all-stars in November. The editor wanted to boost his paper’s sagging circulation with the publicity such a tour featuring Ruth, who was as famous in Japan as he was in the United States, might bring. Prominent citizens in both countries, such as American Ambassador Joseph Grew and Japanese Prime Minister Reijirō Wakatsuki, worried by the already-tense relations between their governments, hoped a goodwill visit by Ruth and other star players would be a critical exercise in soft-power diplomacy that would ease tensions.

In his 2012 book Banzai Babe Ruth, Fitts describes the huge and warm reception the Americans received when they arrived in Tokyo. Over a half-million Japanese watched the Americans as they made their way in an open-car motorcade from Tokyo Station to the Imperial Hotel where they stayed. The Japanese all yelled, “Banzai [long live] Babe Ruth!” and treated him almost as a god. The American players obliged, playing very well and showing maximum courtesy to their hosts and the

Japanese ball players. Ruth was an outstanding cultural diplomat, willing to embrace the Japanese players, people, food, and drink. His towering home runs brought warm cheers from spectators. The Japanese people were thrilled when Ruth made many warm comments and gestures about the host nation, and the success of several Japanese players such as pitcher Eiji Sawamura (1917–1944) brought on a wave of national pride. The success of the 1934 tour did much to further popularize baseball in Japan.

Manager Connie Mack (1862–1956) later called the four-week tour, which included eighteen games in twelve cities, one of the greatest peace measures in the history of nations. However, the goodwill eventually wore off. Fitts notes sardonically that several of the Japanese players such as Sawamura went on to serve in the Japanese army in World War II and developed strong anti-American feelings. Sawamura’s pitching arm came in handy when hurling grenades at American troops before his transport ship was sunk by an American submarine, with no survivors.

General Douglas MacArthur ordered the reintroduction of the game at the very start of the Occupation he directed, beginning in 1945. MacArthur noted that baseball had been hugely popular before the war and that playing ball might divert the attention of Japanese from the misery of living in a war-ravaged land.

A key figure in the resurgence of Japanese baseball was Hawaiian-born Japanese-American athlete Wallace “Wally” Yonamine. Fitts in his 2008 biography of Yonamine credits this superb athlete as playing an important role in bringing about reconciliation between the United States and Japan in the immediate postwar period. Yonamine was a natural athlete. Yonamine played one season for the San Francisco 49ers in 1947, becoming the first Japanese-American to play in the National Football League (NFL). He also became one of the first Americans to make it big playing baseball in Japan. His natural ability and starring role with the preeminent Japanese baseball franchise, the Tokyo-based Yomiuri Giants from 1951 to 1960, helped create both sporting and cultural bonds between the United States and Japan that remain to this day.

Yonamine was a hero in other ways, too. He came to Japan at the end of the American Occupation, when some Japanese still harbored anger at the United States. Feelings were especially strong against Nisei like Yonamine, a second-generation ethnic Japanese born in the United States. Even in 1950, five years after Japan’s surrender, living conditions in Tokyo were still harsh by Amercan standards. High-quality food was difficult to obtain, and fuel for heat was scarce. Some Japanese viewed Nisei as traitors for not joining their mother country during the war. Furthermore, many of the Giants’ stars were war veterans. Would they accept an American as a teammate?

Fans and fellow players showered Yonamine with a cascade of insults and occasional rocks and trash, but like Jackie Robinson in the United States, he endured these attacks with a quiet and positive demeanor. He played hard and introduced a hustling and brash form of base running common in the United States but unheard of in Japan. Aggressive moves like sliding into a second baseman to break up a double play were routine in the US, but not in Japan. Yonamine demonstrated raw talent that invigorated and brought quick success to the Giants.

Yonamine’s positive attitude and sheer talent eventually bought both players and fans to appreciate him. His aggressive style was adopted by more and more Japanese players, whose overall skills improved. He became a very popular goodwill ambassador and a clear bridge between the two former adversarial nations. Other American players were soon invited to play on Japanese teams.

While American players thrived in Japan in the 1950s and early 1960s, no Japanese national played in the MLB until 1964, when a young pitcher for the Nankai Hawks, Mashi Murakami, made a successful debut as a late-season roster addition for the San Francisco Giants. That year, Mashi was only supposed to play in the American minor leagues, but the San Francisco Giants were so impressed with Mashi that they called him up for the last few weeks of the season.

Mashi’s historic moment came on September 1, 1964, against the then-lowly New York Mets. He struck out two and completed a full inning of relief. Mashi’s impressive debut drew attention in the American and Japanese press because it was the first time that a native Japanese player had played in the majors—and had been successful, to top it off. Mashi continued his hot streak and appeared in relief eight more times before the season ended in early October. He was a hot commodity with a strong record of strikeouts of opposing players.

Mashi’s success created instant demand for his services in 1965 from both the San Francisco Giants and Nankai Hawks. Each team claimed Mashi, and although he appeared in spring training with Nankai, by the start of the 1965 season, Mashi was back in San Francisco. His full season in the majors was again successful—Mashi appeared in forty-five games, had a respectable ERA of 3.75, and was credited with four wins and only one loss. The Giants were so impressed with their star Japanese pitcher that they wanted him back in 1966, but pleas from his parents to come home and Mashi’s sense of responsibility to the Nankai Hawks convinced him to return to Japanese baseball for good.

Although Mashi was good for a short time, thirty more years would pass until the first Japanese superstar, pitcher Hideo Nomo (b. 1968), made his 1995 debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nomo would become an all-star, win National League Rookie of the Year, lead the league in strikeouts in his debut season, and have a successful thirteen-season career in the MLB with various teams. His

success would help bring future Japanese stars to MLB, including Suzuki Ichirō, who debuted in 2001 for the Seattle Mariners. Ichirō, still an active major league player in the US, holds both MLB records for hits in a single season with 262 and the longest consecutive season streak of 200-hit seasons at ten.

Cultural Differences between Baseball in Japan and the United States?

One of the most widely known and interesting treatments of the cultural differences between the way baseball is played in the United States and Japan is Robert Whiting’s 1989 book, You Gotta Have Wa. According to Whiting, despite virtually identical rules, American players arriving in Japan very quickly notice big differences in how the game is played and organized in Japan. The emphasis in the United States is on the role of the individual, but that is not as much the case in Japan, where the focus is on the strength and harmony of the group. The same rules apply for the worker on the assembly line as for the baseball player. Whiting insists that the key difference is wa—team spirit or unity. There is a much greater sense of playing for the team and much less emphasis on individual success in Japan than the United States. Whiting has compared the typical Japanese player’s ethos to that of samurai in earlier periods of the nation’s history. Whiting’s strong assertions regarding cultural differences have not gone unchallenged and are the subject of some controversy. Yale University Professor James Kelly, who has published extensively on Japanese baseball, recognizes

Whiting’s extensive knowledge of the game. He agrees that some professional baseball in Japan fits the samurai stereotype, “not entirely, not convincingly, not uniquely, but enough to feed the press mills and the front offices and the television analysts.” In fact, he says, this “spin” is part of the game. Our job is “not to dismiss this commentary as misguided (though much of it clearly is)” but to ask who is putting these ideas about, who is believing them, and why they are appealing: “The myths are essential to the reality. . . .” Japanese baseball is “not a window onto a homogenous and unchanging national character, but is a fascinating sight for seeing how these national debates and concerns play out—just as in the United States.” 1

Controversies notwithstanding, famous stars in Japanese baseball receive far lower salaries than in the US and are said to be valued for their contributions to their teams rather than for their individual exploits. Salaries in Japan for NPB players in 2014 ranged from US $44,000 to US $6 million, while the range in the United States for MLB players in the same year went from US $500,000 to US $26 million. 2

Most Japanese professional teams are owned by major corporations for public relations purposes. Team names reflect their owners rather than the cities the teams call home. For example, the Tokyo-based Yomiuri Giants are owned by Japanese media conglomerate, the Yomiuri Group. There is another downtown Tokyo team, the Yakult Swallows, who are owned by dairy probiotic drink company Yakult Hansha Co. Ltd. The Hiroshima Tōyō Carp are owned by the Tōyō Kōgyō Co. Ltd., the owners of Mazda. In a rather unique case, Japanese electronics and entertainment software company Nintendo was majority owner of the Seattle Mariners of the MLB in a similar fashion from 1992 to 2016.

When Americans come to play in Japan, they are often startled by the amount of time that they are expected to stay at the ballpark for what seems to them to be endless practice sessions that could last every day for ten or more hours. Players are expected to push themselves to the limit even when they have a day off and have to practice. Even injured American players are told to go out into the field with the team. Not to do so would, some say, destroy the team’s quintessential wa. Whiting feels that while Americans “play” ball, the Japanese really “work” at it, and suggests that a key difference between American and Japanese baseball is the idea of individual initiative. While American players certainly exhibit some team spirit, they are also playing for their own benefit. If they get a high average, win a lot of games pitching, or hit a ton of home runs, they can earn much higher salaries than are possible in Japan. Many American players are said to lack team loyalty and move on to new teams that offer better salaries and playing conditions. Japanese players at home show far greater team loyalty by playing with the same team much of the time. There are trades and the like, but there is far less emphasis on players changing teams.

The lure of American salaries has altered this tendency since many stars leave or consider abandoning their Japanese squad for the higher salaries and greater fame possible in the MLB. NPB teams have countered this through establishing a posting system between their league and the MLB, where MLB teams must pay a Japanese player’s team a fee in addition to negotiating the player’s contract for their team after the NPB team has made that player available to the MLB. This allows NPB teams to receive compensation for players leaving to play in the MLB.

However, Kelly and others have justifiably pointed out that in a game where individual statistics can make or break a player, there is always tension between personal and team goals. Also, as is the case in the US, different professional organizations have contrasting expectations and organizational styles that reflect the personalities of their owners. 3

Despite differences that preclude sweeping generalizations, Japanese teams are more regimented than their American counterparts. Many Japanese players see their team as family and are expected to show utmost respect and loyalty to their team. The team manager has absolute authority, and it is a major sin for any player to disobey or criticize the manager. Players who show a lack of wa, even if they are winning a lot of games with home runs or fine pitching, can be relegated to the bench or even removed from the team.

Although Whiting’s book was written in 1989, he feels that little has changed today. In 2012, he wrote:

Besuboru—or “yakyū” (field ball), as it is also called—is the national sport of Japan, but it is not the game that Americans know and love. Take a trip to a Japanese ballpark such as the Tokyo Dome, home of the Yomiuri Giants, and a completely different baseball culture will reveal itself. It’s not just the sake and squid and the beer girls in short shorts carrying draft beer kegs. It is the values of group harmony and discipline that mirror the society at large. Besuboru strategy focuses on tactics like the sacrifice bunt, something most American managers eschew. There is a decided lack of the hard slides and brushback pitches typical of Major League Baseball: A pitcher who accidentally hits a batter will politely tip his cap in apology. 4

Bobby Valentine’s Difficult Managing Experience in Japan: A Clash of Cultures

Bobby Valentine was a very successful Major League Baseball manager in the 1990s. He gained respect for his ability to turn mediocre teams into pennant contenders. His success in the United States persuaded Japanese baseball team The Chiba Lotte Marines to hire him to manage the team in 1995. Valentine’s experiences in Japan clearly illustrate several key cultural differences between American and Japanese baseball cultures. 5

The Marines had been perennial losers for a great many years, but the management hoped Valentine could transform them into championship contenders. Unfortunately, upon arriving in 1995, Valentine almost immediately clashed with a coaching staff determined to maintain the rigorous training program that dated back to the nineteenth century, when baseball was first introduced to Japan. It was a system that featured dawn-to-dusk spring training camps that were three to four times longer than in the US. Coaches focused on so-called “guts” drills, where players were made to field balls to the point of exhaustion and on occasion entailed corporal punishment for slackers.

Valentine introduced his own hybrid approach brought from his experience in the United States. During spring training, he conducted short, snappy practices limited to three hours a day, not nine, as in other camps. Valentine contended that the long drills during spring training so exhausted the players that their play suffered when the season began in April. During the season, he reduced the time spent in pregame workouts to conserve players’ energy for the games. He reduced the number and length of pregame meetings, and discouraged the use of the sacrifice bunt—long a favorite tactic of most Japanese managers—believing that a sacrifice was just a waste of an out.

Although the overall play of the Marines improved markedly in 1995, the clash between Valentine and his coaches grew in intensity. As the season ended, the coaches complained to management that Valentine did not make enough of an effort to comprehend the psychological value of the traditional approach to Japanese baseball. Management sided with the coaches and fired Valentine.

Although Valentine returned to Japan for another successful stint of managing the Marines from 2004 to 2009, including winning the Nippon Series in 2005, the traditionalist approach to management still appears to dominate Japanese baseball today. By 2009, Marines team management felt Valentine was not performing up to his expensive contract, and the team was losing money after making substantial upgrades to their stadium, including large, HD video screens. One Japanese critic claimed that Valentine’s easygoing American approach and lack of discipline had backfired and were destroying team harmony (or wa).

The Japanese professional leagues also tried a novel experiment with foreign umpires in 1997, when they hired a young but experienced American umpire, Mike DiMuro, to work in Japan. DiMuro immediately encountered trouble in Japan because his American interpretation of baseball rules often differed from those employed in Japan. His interpretation of the strike zone and what constituted a balk enraged Japanese players and management, and soon led to DiMuro’s firing.

Baseball’s Future in Japan and the US

Baseball will remain a highly popular sport in Japan and the US for a long time, but scholars, sportswriters, and, most importantly, sports fans know whether they admit it or not that the sport is no longer “the national pastime” in either nation. Japan is today experiencing a soccer boom, and many Japanese college students seem to prefer J1-League soccer over baseball. Japanese overall still regard baseball as the most popular sport, but the popularity of soccer is growing rapidly. According to one survey in 2005, 52 percent of respondants rated professional baseball as the most popular sport in Japan with only 23 percent of respondents selecting soccer. The same survey in 2013 showed 48 percent supporting baseball and 36 percent in favor of soccer. Today, soccer has replaced baseball as the favorite sport among middle school students in Japan according to surveys by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.6 The overall popularity of Japanese baseball is further diminished by the fact that many Japanese leading baseball stars have left for the “greener pastures” of Major League Baseball.

Football today is more popular than baseball with the American public. It is clear that the National Football League (NFL) dominates fan interest in the United States. For example, the 2014 AFC Wild Card game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Indianapolis Colts was watched by more people (27.6 million) than the World Cup Final (26.6 million), the NBA Finals (15.6 million), the World Series (13.8 million), and just about every other televised sporting event of 2014.7 In 2016, it is estimated that 111.9 million viewers tuned in to the 2016 Super Bowl 50 game, while only 14.7 million watched any part of the 2015 World Series. To make matters worse for Major League Baseball, the median age of Americans watching the World Series is approaching fifty-five, while the median age for the NFL’s Super Bowl is well under forty-five.8

The situation is somewhat better in Japan. Baseball remains the most popular team sport in Japan, with high school, university, and professional games attracting the public and dominating the media during the spring and summer months. However, as is the case in the United States, other sports such as professional soccer are attracting increasing numbers of younger viewers and fans.

Nevertheless, there is evidence that the “grand old game” will continue to thrive in both Japan and the United States. The recent surge of interest in baseball in South Korea, Taiwan, and even China has sparked further interest in Japan, especially when national teams play each other in tournament games. In the US, professional baseball, despite its secondary status compared to professional football, continues to be popular, and there is encouraging evidence Little League baseball is growing for the first time in many years in inner-city neighborhoods. The game is here to stay in both nations.

SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Fitts, Robert K. Wally Yonamine: The Man Who Changed Japanese Baseball. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2008. —. Banzai Babe Ruth: Baseball, Espionage, and Assassination during the 1934 Tour of Japan. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2012. —. Mashi: The Unfulfilled Dreams of Masanori Murakami, the First Japanese Major Leaguer. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2015. Hayford, Charles W. “Samurai Baseball vs. Baseball in Japan.” Asia Pacific Journal: Japan Focus 5, issue 4, no. 0 (2007): 1–10. Available at http://tinyurl.com/hsvfz42. Whiting, Robert. Chrysanthemum and the Bat: Baseball Samurai Style. New York: Avon Books, 1983.

NOTES 1. See Charles W. Hayford, “Samurai Baseball vs. Baseball in Japan,” The Asia Pacific Journal: Japan Focus 5, issue 4, no. 0 (2007): 1–10. Available at http://tinyurl.com/ hsvfz42. 2. Statistics for player salaries are used from NPB Tracker (www.npbtracker.com) and Yakyubaka (www.yakyubaka.com) for NPB while MLB data is from Spotrac (www. spotrac.com) and Statista (http://tinyurl.com/hexvyft). 3. Professor James Kelly, conversation with Lucien Ellington, June 24, 2016. 4. Robert Whiting, “Diamond Diplomacy,” The Wall Street Journal, April 13, 2012. 5. Much of the material in this section is derived from Robert Whiting’s article “Valentine’s Philosophy Brought Marines Glory, Money,” The Japan Times, January 24, 2010. 6. See “Explore Japan: Sports,” Kids Web Japan, accessed September 8, 2016, http:// tinyurl.com/zxhng5s. 7. Marissa Payne, “NFL Dominated Sports Fans Television in 2014,” The Washington Post, February 11, 2015. 8. Jonathan Mahler, “Bad News for Baseball: World Series Viewers Are Getting Older and Older,” Deadspin, last modified October 23, 2013, http://tinyurl.com/hh4wzk7.

DANIEL A. MÉTRAUX, Professor of Asian Studies, has been teaching in his field for forty years, thirty-three at Mary Baldwin College. His specialty is modern Japan and Korea, but he teaches a full spectrum of Asian Studies courses. Métraux is the author of fourteen books, and many book chapters and articles. He served as Editor of the Southeast Review of Asian Studies and as President of the Southeast Chapter of the Association for Asian Studies. He is Editor of the Virginia Review of Asian Studies. Twice a Fulbright Scholar, he has lived, taught, and studied in Japan for over five years. He received his doctorate in East Asian Studies from Columbia University. Métraux has also taught at Doshisha Women’s College in Japan and was a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University in 2002.

Additional Reading:

Japanese Baseball Collectibles

Much like in America, collecting baseball memorabilia became a popular hobby for Japanese as the sport grew in Japan. The first baseball card made in Japan appeared in 1897 as a circular cardboard disc for Menko, a game with cards displaying images from Japanese popular culture where players attempt to flip a flat-laying card with their own card. The card displayed a generic baseball player and is the only known piece of Japanese baseball collectible dated from the nineteenth century.

In the early 1900s, Japanese baseball clubs commonly produced postcards of their team as advertising, selling packs of cards featuring players posing, action game shots, and full team images. By the 1920s, Menko was on the rise again after a lapse in popularity and new card shapes were developed, including rectangles similar to typical American baseball cards and cards in the shape of their subject, such as an animal or a popular baseball player (for example, a giraffe card is shaped like a giraffe). Other popular baseball collectibles that emerged in the 1920s were bromides, mass-distributed photographs ranging from small and large sizes of popular singers, actors, and athletes; and furoku, large magazine inserts that measure up to a foot long.

In 1950, Japanese gum and candy stores, mirroring a US trend, began producing and packing Nippon Professional Baseball player cards with their products. Baseball cards became the most popular baseball memorabilia in Japan, especially as the popularity of Menko waned. While only two major gum companies in the US, Bowman Gum and Topps Chewing Gum, were granted rights to produce baseball cards by the MLB, a wide variety of Japanese candy manufacturers produced their own cards. Dagashiya, cheap Japanese candy stores, popularly distributed lower-quality baseball collectibles.

The Japanese company Kabaya Leaf produced the first large set of baseball cards in Japan in 1967, featuring 105 players, and only produced for one year. In 1973, the Calbee Food Company produced its first modern baseball card set of ninety-one cards. The company includes a baseball card in every pack of potato chips they produce—a trend they continue today. Calbee card sets have ranged in size from 1,436 in 1975–1976 to 144 cards in 1993, and remain the most widely collected baseball cards in Japan today.

MATTHEW TORMEY AND JEFFREY MELNIK

SOURCES Rob Fitts, “Vintage Japanese Baseball Cards,” Rob Fitts Baseball History, accessed July 11, 2016, http://tinyurl.com/zm6tkz2. John Gall and Gary Engel, Sayonara Home Run!: The Art of the Japanese Baseball Card (San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2006). Dennis King, “A History of Japanese Baseball Cards,” Japanese Baseball Card Quarterly (1991).

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Essay on Baseball

500+ words essay on  baseball.

Baseball is a bat-and-ball game that two opposing teams play. To put it into simpler words, it is one of the most loved games of America. It is as big as cricket in India. Americans are crazy about this game. Therefore, one might wonder what makes this game such a big hit amongst Americans? This essay will aim to clear that by describing the game.

All About Baseball

There are nine periods of play in a baseball game. Each of these periods is known as an inning. Similarly, when an inning ends, the team with the highest runs becomes the winner. In this game, the pitcher will throw a ball towards the batter who will be playing from the opposing team.

The batter will attempt to hit the ball into the field. When they hit the ball and run around a series of bases, they will score runs. However, this must be done before a field player puts them out.

So, you see that it might look like just any other ball game. It has a ball, bat as well as players. But, the people of America don’t consider it just that. They do not wish to bring this game down to simply as a ‘hit and run’ game.

While a five-year-old child will easily understand the meaning of this game, there also lies a subtlety. This very same subtlety is what attracts older people as well. While some may find it to be slow, Americans believe that the slow pace is what makes it interesting.

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Baseball- Not Just a Sport but a Passion

Baseball is not simply a sport for people, especially Americans. It is much more than that, it’s their passion. If people are not watching it live, they’re watching it in pubs or at their homes. The sound of the cracking gloves and ball hitting the bat is like a melody to the fans of the sport .

The game which entertains most people is that has a low score or no score until late in the game. Moreover, the homerun is one of the most anticipated events of the match. The home run is not simply about the great hit but also the speedy running and sacrifice.

In other words, this game gives an adrenalin rush to Americans. You can view it as an opera. The buildup is quite systematic that will occupy you till the very end. The climax is the ultimate reward which is incomplete without a slow buildup.

Alternatively, it is also about strategy. For a lot of Americans, it is a tradition. People spend time with their loved ones at baseball games. Kids look forward to going to the games with their fathers .

Moreover, it also has the ability to bring an end to long-time rivalries. All in all, it’s about the great feeling it brings for one and all. Baseball got its community status from Americans only. Thus, it went on to achieve a national identity.

Everything ranging from baseball caps to tee shirts is a common sighting in America. In New York, there is a Baseball Hall of Fame that is known for immortalizing the great players of the game from the past to the present.

Thus, the game is all about passion. It can make a passerby standstill on their feet to watch the homerun. Similarly, it can diminish rivalries and bring people together. It is a passionate game with passionate fans.

FAQ on Essay on Baseball

Question 1: Where is Baseball most popular?

Answer 1: Baseball has the most popularity in the United States. The people are ardent lovers of the game in America and have made it a popular game.

Question 2: Baseball is the national game of which country?

Answer 2: It is the national game of the Dominican Republic.

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