Major League Baseball

2008-06-02T03:08:00.000-07:00

History and Origin of Baseball

Since time immemorial, “stick and ball” games have been a part of every civilization. Baseball, which is now the national sport of America and an important part of American culture.

* Baseball sports originated from a stick and ball game.
* Is said to have been invented in 1839 by Abner Doubleday who belonged to Cooperstown, a small village in New York.
* However, there has been documentation of baseball game in many literary texts and stories much earlier than that.
* baseball initially known as the “New York Game”.
* Alexander J. Cartwright, a member of the New York Knickerbocker Club, laid the rules of the baseball game for the first time.
* In June 19, 1846 first official baseball game was held.

International Popularity for Major League Baseball Sports
Being one of the world’s top-ten popular sports, base ball has avid fans and followers in the following regions:

* United States of America(Major League Baseball)
* South America
* Caribbean
* East and South-east Asia

Evolution of the Major League Baseball Sport

Since the 1950’s Baseball has undergone a number or transformations to become the sport as we know it today. Here is a comparison of some of the baseball game rules then and now
Past(before 1950's) Present(After 1950's)
Batters “out” after 4 strikes Batters “out” after 3 strikes
Pitchers could change the ball Pitchers cannot change the ball.
Strike zone extended from armpits to above the knees. The strike zone is much smaller now
Pitching was more relaxed If a pitcher throws four balls the batter gets a free run.

Other rules in modern-day Major League Baseball are

* Wearing a protective helmet is compulsory
* There are two equal divisions in the Major league baseball as American League (AL) and Major League Baseball National League (NL).
* Each major league baseball comprises of three divisions- East, West and Central.
* In American league of Major League Baseball, a set-off player only gets to hit but not field.
* The highest scoring second place team gets to participate in the play-off matches.
* Four teams participate in the play-offs from each league out of which three are the regular season division winners and one is the wild-card team.
* Play-offs finally culminate into the World-Series.
* According to the tradition in Major League Baseball National League, the pitcher is requires to bat.
* In the Major League Baseball American League an extra player bats in place of the pitcher.
* Every Major League Baseball has several minor leagues under it in order to encourage new talent.

Major League Baseball 2009 Championships

Major League Baseball