THE ORIGINS OF BASEBALL
The origins of
Baseball are uncertain. Traces of a game played with a bat and
a ball date back to ancient Egypt and a ball used
over 2000 years ago is on display in the British
Museum in London. Games that may recall Baseball were
played in Walacchia, nowadays a part of Romania,(Oina: 2 Federations.
in Moldova and Romania, still play the game in
Europe) and Russia (Lapta) in the 14th century. A game played with a bat and a ball
was very popular amongst French Monks in the 1330's.In
the same period, a poem by William Pagula mentioned a game named Stoolball, originally played
by milkmaids, who used milking stools as wickets. Germans enjoyed a game named Schlagball (teams
were made by 12 players), that is still played in the Kiel area,
that hosts a couple of tournaments a year.
There is little
evidence that Baseball derives from Rounders.
Actually, a game that is an evolution of Rounders (in which you use posts and
not bases and can happen that a
hitter runswithout hitting the
ball first) was
played in America in the 19th century
and was called Town Ball. In any case, the first reference in
history to Rounders (that is still played in the British Islands and
his sanctioned by the Gaelic Athletic Association together
with Gaelic football and Hurling) is from 1744 and appeared in
a book for children printed by British publisher John Newbery and
named "A little pretty pocket book". The book also contains a
very popular rhyme in which the terms Baseballand Rounders are
confused. It seems more likely that Baseball and Rounders share
the same origin with Cricket, a game that was imported by Flemish
shepherds (krick in their
language means club or stick)
to England in the 14th century
but became an organized sport only in the 17th century.
On the other hand, there is clear evidence that in the 18th century
a game called Baseball was played in England.
In "Northanger
Abbey" (a book that was published posthumous in 1818, but was
written in the 1790's), British author Jane Austen describes
Catherine Morlan as a woman who prefers
cricket, baseball riding on horseback and running about the country
to books.German author Johann Gutsmuth wrote in 1796 a
book on popular pastimes in which he mentions a game called English
Baseball. This is not enough to conclude that the game we know today as Baseball is
a British game. Actually, there is a game named British Baseball.
It is still played in Wales and
features to teams of 11 players and there is no pitcher,
but a bowler as in Cricket .
Each teams plays 2innings and
an inning is complete when all 11 players have had a chance at bat. A run is
scored every time a
player gets to a base. Something
must have happened in the late 18th century, when
the game got to the Colonies. Al
Spalding, a former pitcher and a world known sport goods manufacturer,
found the perfect story: a man named Abner Doubleday (an army
officer who was an hero during the Seminoles Wars and was
going to be a General in the American Civil War) invented the game
of Baseball in 1839 in a city called Cooperstown,
the first one of the United States inhabited only by natives. A
story that is way too perfect and that Doubleday himself never claimed. The
invention of Baseball by Doubleday was probably invented
by Baseball, but there is little doubt that he contributed to the idea of
the field (or diamond) as
we know it know. The real inventor of the rules of the game is a book seller
from New York:Alexander Cartwright , who founded a team called The
Knickerbockers in 1839, wrote the rules in 1845 (and
the Congressin 1953 certified he did) and
organized the first game in the United States on 19th of
June 1846 in Hoboken, New Jersey.
The game was not the
first played in North America, though. The first game of Baseball played
in the New World dates
back toJune 1838 and was played in Ontario, Canada. In
a matter of years, Baseball became the first professional
sport. In 1850 the National Association of Baseball Players (NABBP)
was born, the National League was alive and kicking in 1876.
Americans tried immediately to make it a World Game. In 1878 a
professional player named Esteban Bellan introduced the game
in Cuba (that exported Baseball in the whole Caribbean)
and in 1870 bats and balls arrived in Japan (from
there quickly reached Korea and Taiwan) thanks to Horace
Wilson. Games were organized in Australia, New
Zealand and South Pacific in 1888 and 1889.
In February 1889 a tour organized by Albert Spalding
took the game to Italy. A championship was played in England in the
late 18th century. The game really became
international in the 20th century. By 1903 in
the USA the American League began challenging the National
League in the World Series. Organized Baseball Leagues started
spreading all over the World: 1922 in The Netherlands,
1934 in Australia, 1936 in Japan, 1938in
Puertorico, 1945 in Venezuela and Mexico, 1948 in Italy.
THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL BASEBALL
Although it is clear that modern baseball developed in North America, the exact origin of the game
is difficult to determine. Most scholars believe that baseball evolved from a variety of similar games that have been played
for centuries. A popular legend claims that Abner Doubleday, who became a Union officer in the American Civil War (1861-1865),
invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York, in 1839. Although there is little support for this story, the Baseball Hall of
Fame Museum is located there because of it.
Origins
There is evidence that people played games involving a stick and a ball since the early days of civilization.
Ancient cultures in Persia, Egypt, and Greece played stick-and-ball games for recreation and as part of certain ceremonies.
Games of this type had spread throughout Europe by the Middle Ages and became popular in a variety of forms. Europeans brought
stick-and-ball games to the American colonies as early as the 1600s. They were widely considered children's games, however,
through the 1700s.
By the early 1800s, a variety of stick-and-ball
games had become popular in North America. Most of these games originated in England. Many people in north-eastern cities
such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia played cricket. However, an English game called rounders, which was eventually
played in rural and urban communities throughout North America, most resembled modern baseball.
Rounders called for a batter to strike a ball and run around bases without being put out. Balls that
were caught in the air, or in some cases after one bounce, were commonly outs. Rounders also involved the practice of plugging,
in which fielders could put runners out by throwing the ball at them as they ran between bases. The rules of rounders varied
widely from place to place, and people used various names to describe it, including town ball, one o' cat, and, eventually,
baseball.
Baseball around the World
Baseball, which is now an Olympic sport, is played in many other countries, especially in Latin America
(particularly Cuba), Europe, and Japan where it has a huge following. It was first introduced to Japan by an American, Horace
Wilson, in 1872. The professional game has existed for some 50 years. There are two leagues, Central and Pacific, and a total
of 12 teams. American clubs often tour Japan at the close of the regular season. At school and university level, it is extremely
popular. Each summer 4,000 secondary schools take part in the All Japan Baseball Tournament, which is held near the city of
Osaka. And it is played in India too…...
History
and Activities of the Amateur Baseball Federation of India
Baseball
game was introduced in our country by the Amateur Baseball Federation of India. The Federation was established
in December 1983 with an object to promote this game. On 11th December 1983 some Baseball lovers from Delhi,
Manjpur, Haryana, Gujarat, M.P and West Bengal met at Rohtak (Haryana) and agreed to form a baseball federation to promote
baseball game through out the country. The Baseball Leaders also agreed that the Federation should become a member of Asian
baseball Federation and International Baseball Association. The leading persons at that time were Mr.P.C. Bhardwaj
( Delhi ) and Mr. E.Bijoy Singh (Manipur). Mr.P.C.Bhardwaj (Delhi) was appointed as Hony. Secretary and given responsibility
to approach Asian and International Baseball Authority for membership.
On 16th
Sept. 1984 a seminar was organized to discuss the basic bylaws and to hold the Ist National Baseball Championship to
popularize this game, An application was moved to International Baseball Association for Affiliation. An extraordinary Congress
and 13th Baseball Asia Championship Series was to be held from 19th Jan. 1985 to 31 Jan. 1985 at Perth (Australia).
Mr. P.C Bhardwaj Hony.Secretary A.B.F.I Attended the 13th Asian Baseball Championship Series at Perth.
ABFI was approved as a member of B.F.A on 19th Jan 1985 at Seoul. Indian Olympic Association also recognized Amateur Baseball
Federation of India.
Ist National Baseball Championship was organized by Baseball
Association, Delhi from 25th Feb to 28th Feb 1985 at New Delhi. The Federation also introduced this game for women. A.B.F.I
was deeply grateful to B.F.A for providing the Baseball equipment.
The
Federation is determined to promote Baseball game through out the country. At present 26 States/UT are the affiliated member
of the Federation. The federation has organized 24 Senior National Baseball Championship, 21Junior
National Championship, 19 Sub-junior National Championship, apart from 11 National Little League
Tournament between 11-13 years age group. The Indian team won Bronze medal in 1995 & Silver
medal in 1999 in the Asian Cup Baseball championship at Internationals Level. Indian team also participated in “AA”
and “AAA” Championship held at Seoul and Taiwan in which Indian team performance was
appreciable. The federation has been sending participants under 11 years in the world children Baseball Fair on the invitation
from WCBF. The Indian woman team recently participated in 3rd woman world cup at Matsuyama, Japan in 2008.
The Baseball game has been included in the school game by the School Games Federation of
India since 1998. The Federation succeeded to introduced Baseball game at Grass Route Level. Sports Authority of
India has introduced certificate course for Baseball Coaches at N.I.S Patiala.
A.B.F.I.’s most urgent task is to make Baseball Tremendously popular in India. The Federation will do its level
best to achieve the goal.
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