Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two opposing teams who take turns batting and .
The game proceeds when a player on the fielding team, called the pitcher, throws a ball which a player on
the batting team tries to hit with a bat. The objectives of the offensive team (batting team) are to hit the
ball into the field of play, and to run the bases—having its runners advance counter-clockwise around four
bases to score what are called "runs". The objective of the defensive team (fielding team) is to prevent
batters from becoming runners, and to prevent runners' advance around the bases.[2] A run is scored
when a runner legally advances around the bases in order and touches home plate (the place where the
player started as a batter). The team that scores the most runs by the end of the game is the winner.

HISTORY:
Most cultures have some sort of stick and ball game, cricket being the most well-known. While the
exact origins of baseball are unknown, most historians agree that it is based on the English game of
rounders. It began to become quote popular in this country in the early 19th century, and many sources
report the growing popularity of a game called “townball”, “base”, or “baseball”.

Throughout the early part of that century, small towns formed teams, and baseball clubs were formed in
larger cities. In 1845, Alexander Cartwright wanted to formalize a list of rules by which all team could play.
Much of that original code is still in place today. Although popular legend says that the game was
invented by Abner Doubleday, baseball’s true father was Cartwright.

The first recorded baseball contest took place a year later, in 1846. Cartwright’s Knickerbockers lost to the
New York Baseball Club in a game at the Elysian Fields, in Hoboken, New Jersey. These amateur games
became more frequent and more popular. In 1857, a convention of amateur teams was called to discuss
rules and other issues. Twenty five teams from the northeast sent delegates. The following year, they
formed the National Association of Base Ball Players, the first organized baseball league. In its first year of
operation, the league supported itself by occasionally charging fans for admission. The future looked very
bright.

The early 1860s, however were a time of great turmoil in the United States. In those years of the Civil
War, the number of baseball clubs dropped dramatically. But interest in baseball was carried to other
parts of the country by Union soldiers, and when the war ended there were more people playing baseball
than ever before. The league’s annual convention in 1868 drew delegates from over 100 clubs.

As the league grew, so did the expenses of playing. Charging admission to games started to become more
common, and teams often had to seek out donations or sponsors to make trips. In order for teams to get
the financial support they needed, winning became very important. Although the league was supposed to
be comprised of amateurs, many players were secretly paid. Some were given jobs by sponsors, and some
were secretly paid a salary just for playing.

In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings decided to become a completely professional team. Brothers Harry
and George Wright recruited the best players from around the country, and beat all comers. The
Cincinnati team won sixty-five games and lost none. The idea of paid players quickly caught on.

Some wanted baseball to remain an amateur endeavor, but there was no way they could compete with
the professional teams. The amateur teams began to fade away as the best players became professionals.
In 1871, the National Association became the first professional baseball league.

Professional Baseball’s First Hundred Years

Professional baseball was built on the foundation of the amateur leagues that preceded it. Interest in
baseball as a spectator sport had been nourished for more than 25 years when the first professional
league began operation. The National Association fielded nine teams in 1871, and grew to 13 teams by
1875.

The businessmen demonstrated that professional baseball could be successful, and a rival league soon
emerged. In 1882, the American Association started to compete with reduced ticket prices and teams in
large cities. Rather than fight each other, the two leagues reached an accord, ratifying a National
Agreement. It called for teams in both major leagues and all of the minor leagues to honor each other’s
player contracts. In addition, the agreement allowed each team to bind a certain number of players with
the Reserve Clause. This clause granted teams the rights to unilaterally renew a player’s contract,
preventing him from entertaining other offers.

In 1914, yet another rival league tried to gain a foothold. The Federal League sought to establish its
presence both on the field and in the courtroom. They sued, contending that the American and National
Leagues constituted a monopoly. While the case languished in the legal system, the Federal League folded
after just two seasons. In 1922, the Supreme Court settled the matter by ruling that baseball was exempt
from anti-trust legislation. The Court unanimously acknowledged and confirmed baseball’s monopoly.

The Roaring Twenties were a great time for the United States and for baseball. A huge gambling scandal in
1919 brought sweeping reforms, and in the nation’s largest city, a legend was born. George “Babe” Ruth
had been a successful pitcher with the Boston Red Sox, but the New York Yankees bought his contract and
made him an outfielder. He was the most tremendous hitter the league had ever seen. Ruth
revolutionized the game with his prowess as a homerun hitter. He ushered in an era of economic
prosperity for baseball, and became one of the most popular individuals in American history.
EQUIPMENT AND GEAR:
 Baseball Bats.

 Baseball Gloves & Mitts.

 Baseball Apparel & Uniforms.

 Baseball Cleats.

 Baseball Training Aids.

 Batting Gloves.

 Baseball Protective Gear.

 Catcher's Gear & Equipment

TECHNICAL AND TACTICAL SKILLS:

From technical skills such as hitting, bunting, throwing, and fielding to tactical proficiencies like hit-
and-run, double-steal, and double-play defenses, every position is covered in depth.

RULES OF THE GAME:

Baseball is a sport that dates back as far as 1744 and formats of the game have been in place until
the modern era today. The game is predominantly big in North America, Canada and Japan. The game is
played worldwide with the pinnacle of sport coming from the World Series of Baseball. Ironically, this
event is only competed by North American teams.

To score, a batter must hit the ball with the bat into the designated fielding area and make it around all
four bases (before the fielding team is able to collect the ball and throw it to the base the batter is
running to). A player can score a mandatory point if they hit a home run, which usually means the ball has
left the playing area, often landing in the crowd. A player can stop at any base if they feel they might not
make it to the next base before being tagged out.

Players can score multiple points from one hit if more than one player is already on one of the bases.
When you hear the phrase 'the bases are loaded', this refers to the instance where there is a player on
every base. So, every time a batter successfully makes it to first base, the other players on the second and
third bases are able to trickle home, earning a point for their team each time. Depending on how many
players get around to home plate before being tagged will depend on how many points you score. A
maximum of four points can be scored on one hit.
OFFICIATING:
There are three basic tools of baseball: the ball, the bat, and the glove or mitt:

 The baseball is about the size of an adult's fist, around 9 inches (23 centimeters) in circumference.
It has a rubber or cork center, wound in yarn and covered in white cowhide, with red stitching. [6]

 The bat is a hitting tool, traditionally made of a single, solid piece of wood. Other materials are
now commonly used for nonprofessional games. It is a hard round stick, about 2.5 inches (6.4
centimeters) in diameter at the hitting end, tapering to a narrower handle and culminating in a
knob. Bats used by adults are typically around 34 inches (86 centimeters) long, and not longer than
42 inches (106 centimeters).[7]

 The glove or mitt is a fielding tool, made of padded leather with webbing between the fingers. As
an aid in catching and holding onto the ball, it takes various shapes to meet the specific needs of
different fielding positions.[8]

A baseball game is played between two teams, each composed of nine players, that take turns playing
offense (batting and baserunning) and defense (pitching and fielding). A pair of turns, one at bat and one
in the field, by each team constitutes an inning. A game consists of nine innings (seven innings at the high
school level and in doubleheaders in college and minor leagues, and six innings at the Little League
level).[3] One team—customarily the visiting team—bats in the top, or first half, of every inning. The other
team—customarily the home team—bats in the bottom, or second half, of every inning. The goal of the
game is to score more points (runs) than the other team. The players on the team at bat attempt to score
runs by circling or completing a tour of the four bases set at the corners of the square-shaped baseball
diamond. A player bats at home plate and must proceed counterclockwise to first base, second base, third
base, and back home to score a run. The team in the field attempts to prevent runs from scoring and
record outs, which remove opposing players from offensive action until their turn in their team's batting
order comes up again. When three outs are recorded, the teams switch roles for the next half-inning. If
the score of the game is tied after nine innings, extra innings are played to resolve the contest. Many
amateur games, particularly unorganized ones, involve different numbers of players and innings.

VINCENT ANDREI C. BEJOC II AMETHYST.