Baseball is a game of skill, teamwork, and strategy. It’s also a game that can be played at all ages and even as an adult, it’s never too late to pick up a bat and ball and create your own field of dreams.
The sport was first conceived in the ashes of one of the nation’s darkest times, and quickly became a unifying force for a country reeling from Civil War. The professional game exploded in popularity shortly afterward, but the amateur game was well established even before then. The first baseball games were recorded as far back as the 1840s.
While many people think the game was invented in Cooperstown, New York, the history of the game goes back much further. Reporters described it as a mania back in the days of the Civil War, and soldiers on both sides used it to help relieve the tensions and stress of the bloodiest conflict in American history.
Today, the most popular version of the game is Major League Baseball, which was first organized in 1903. The league has grown from its original sixteen teams to thirty-two since that time.
Each MLB game is played in nine untimed innings. The top of the inning features one team at-bat on offense, trying to hit the ball and run the bases; the other team plays defense, throwing and fielding balls in the infield and outfield.
The defensive players wear a protective uniform, including helmets, batting gloves, and padded leg guards. The catcher, who stands behind home plate and catches any balls missed by the batter, wears a mitt that contains extra padding to help them catch the ball.
Pitchers use a variety of pitches to try to get the batter out. A fastball is thrown with great speed; a curveball is thrown at a slower pace and changes the batter’s sense of timing; and a changeup involves pretending to throw a fastball but actually throwing a different pitch, confusing the batter.
Once the ball is hit by a batter, the defensive players try to get to the base ahead of it. A double play happens when the runner reaches the first base and is passed to another runner on the next closest base before the batter can get out. A triple play is rarer but possible on line drive flyouts or if there are enough force outs available.
Learning about the game of baseball can be an immersive and educational experience. Watching sports talk shows, reading books like Zack Hample’s “Watching Baseball Smarter”, or watching Ken Burns’ miniseries about the sport are all good ways to start. Listening to the game on the radio is another great way to learn, and is perfect for long car rides or while doing chores around the house (like weeding or cleaning the basement).