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The Evolution of Baseball (Infographic)

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The Evolution of Baseball (Infographic) The Evolution of Baseball (Infographic) Baseball, that glorious sport we all love to spend a sunny afternoon watching. What shaped the game we know and love before we had the MLB and the technology rolled into it? Let’s take a step back through the history of the sport to find out its origins. As with all modern sports, fans should know the story of what made baseball what it is today. The Beginning Baseball finds itself rooted in the English game of Rounders. The responsibility for the original rules falls to Alexander Cartwright, who first documented them back in 1837. Cartwright was a member of the New York City-based Knickerbocker Club, although there is a little controversy about that one. His rules have survived for the most part, but a lot of things have changed too. Would we recognize the baseball of 1837 if we had a chance to catch one of the games today? Competition The story of competitive Baseball takes us back to the foundation of the core leagues. The first of these was the National League, formed in 1876 following the massive interest in the sport from the population at the time. The Second League They started with eight teams going it alone until 1901 and the formation of the American League. That was the start of the cross-league rivalry we see today, although if anything back then, this was a much more fraught relationship. Now, as we know, most teams save that rivalry for the World Series. Bats and Balls The Baseball we know today came into action back in 1976, but there is a story to tell previous to that change. The balls used to be loosely round, allowing pitchers to add substances such as tar and even saliva to change the ball’s movement. This was outlawed in the 1920s after a ‘spitball’ killed batter Ray Chapman. Catching Balls While in the Stands The number of balls used in a match has also changed. 6 or 7 balls used to be enough, but now fans like to keep balls hit into the stands so that number can be as high as 80 per game. In the past, players could choose their bat width. Bats today are the same length as they were in 1876, but the width is now a standard 2.61 inches. Technology and Designated Hitters Brought in to add to the excitement, designated hitters took away the easy-outs of the past and added another layer to the game. American League batters could not have been happier about it as it also meant longer careers for them. The Rise of Video-Assisted Referee Then, there is the big one, technological advancement. Imagine if that was the case today when you have put your hard-earned money on Betway for a team to win. VAR has saved fans both heartbreak and money, and it continues to do so with more accuracy every season. What’s Next? Baseball’s popularity continues to rise, and the game has much more to offer. What will change over the coming years, and will we lose the roots of this fantastic game? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure; Baseball is here to stay..
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