Baseball

1. Baseball

2. Origins of Baseball • Baseball is defined as a competitive game of athletic skill played with a hard ball and a bat by two opposing nine-player teams. • It is widely regarded as the American national sport and is among the earliest professional games in the U.S. • Baseball is extremely popular in America and around the world.

3. Origins of Baseball • The game attracts millions of fans to parks and stadiums to watch games daily. • Millions more follow the games on television, radio or read about them in newspapers. • It is also played by millions – amateurs of all ages – high school, college, little league.

4. Origins of Baseball • The actual origins of the game are obscure – although the modern game developed in the U.S. • Most historians agree that baseball originated out of cricket – a game played in Great Britain. • Similarities exist – both have bat and ball and use bases.

5. Origins of Baseball • By the end of the 18th century, several versions of baseball were being played in the U.S. • The games were called “One Old Cat”, “Town Ball”, “New York Ball”. • At first, stakes were used for bases, but injuries led to the use of sand filled sacks.

8. Origins of Baseball • The sacks were nicknamed “bases” and thus the game earned a common name – “baseball”. • In 1839, Abner Doubleday then a cadet in the U.S. Military Academy established ground rules. • Set the field up in the shape of a diamond and placed the bases 60-feet apart.

11. Origins of Baseball • This first field was created in Cooperstown, New York – and is the current home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. • In 1845 – Alexander Joy Cartwright contributed to the rules of the game and developed it to how it is played today.

12. Origins of Baseball • Cartwright was a member of the New York Knickerbockers baseball team and played their first game on June 19, 1846. • Game was played in Hoboken, NJ – Knickerbockers lost 23-1 to the New York Nine. • Two years later, “plugging” was removed as a rule – or hitting a runner with the ball.

14. Origins of Baseball • In 1849, the Knickerbockers became the first team to introduce baseball uniforms. • Baseball became increasingly popular in the U.S. between 1850 and 1860. • In 1859 the first collegiate game was played between Amherst College and Williams College – Amherst won.

15. YOUR TURN TO WRITE • How is baseball defined? • Why was the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum established in Cooperstown, NY? • Who played in the first baseball game, who won? • Who played the first collegiate baseball game, who won?

16. Professional Baseball Grows • Professional baseball was introduced in 1869 by the Cincinnati Red Stockings. • Other professional clubs were organized in various parts of the country and in 1871 the National Association of Professional Baseball Players was organized.

17. Professional Baseball Grows • Teams were represented from Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Brooklyn, New York, and Cleveland among others. • Early in 1876, a new league, called the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs was established, causing the original Association to collapse.

18. Professional Baseball Grows • The National League (NL) still exists today and originally consisted of teams from Boston, Philadelphia, New York, St. Louis, Chicago and Cincinnati. • Other leagues formed, but represented smaller cities and towns and were referred to as “minor leagues”.

19. Professional Baseball Grows • In 1882 the American Association was created as a major league, and in 1884 the National League champion played the American Association champion in the first series of postseason games. • However, the American Association folded in 1891. In 1900, the American League (AL) was founded consisting of teams in Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Detroit, Washington, Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore.

20. Professional Baseball Grows • The AL demanded the NL recognize it as an equal. • The NL refused, causing the AL to raid their players. • The AL signed 111 NL players forcing the NL to recognize them as an equal.

21. Professional Baseball Grows • In 1903, the first playoff series between the champion of the NL and the champion of the AL in the first World Series. • The Boston Americans won that series 5 games to 3 over the Pittsburgh Pirates. • Boston was led by star pitcher Cy Young who won 511 career games – a MLB record.

22. Professional Baseball Grows • Young is also recognized today through the Cy Young Award which is given to the best pitchers in the AL and NL each year.

26. YOUR TURN TO WRITE • Review the notes – why is the National League sometimes called “The Senior Circuit”? • How did the American League force the National League to recognize it as an equal? • Who was Cy Young and what is his legacy?

27. Baseball Politics • Scandal hit Major League Baseball in 1919 World Series between Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds. • Eight Chicago players conspired with gamblers to bring about the defeat of their own team. • The subsequent so-called Black Sox scandal resulted in public demands for stricter control.

29. Baseball Politics • An Advisory Council was established headed by a commissioner. • The first commissioner was Kenesaw Mountain Landis – who held the position until his death in 1944. • Today, the MLB commissioner is Bud Selig who has served since 1992.

32. Baseball Politics • The baseball commissioner is elected by the club owners for a 5-year term. • The commissioner has the authority to investigate any action regarded as harmful to the sport of baseball. • Commissioner may also penalize with fines or suspensions the personnel involved.

33. Baseball Politics • Many players have been banned for life – among the more famous is Pete Rose who was banned for gambling. • There have been numerous attempts to unionize baseball. • One of the earliest successes was in 1946 when the American Baseball Guild was established.

34. Baseball Politics • The ABG negotiated with a team of owners for a number of reforms. • Including the establishment of a players’ pension fund that came from revenues from All-Star games and World Series. • Since 1966 players’ rights and benefits have been protected by the Major League Baseball Players Association.

35. Baseball Politics • Brief work stoppages occurred in 1985 and 1990 with few or no games being canceled. • However, on August 12, 1994 the players began what became the longest strike in the history of professional sports. • The main issue was the owners’ plan to impose a salary cap – which limits team’s salaries.

36. Baseball Politics • No settlement was agreed on and the remainder of the season was canceled. • For the first time since 1904 no World Series was played. • Owners fielded teams of replacement players who played exhibition games in spring of 1995.

38. Baseball Politics • Days before the start of the 1995 season a judge ordered an injunction that blocked the owners salary cap. • On April 2, the owners accepted an offer by the players to return ending the 234-day strike. • The 1995 season was shortened to 144-games.

39. Baseball Politics • To this day Major League Baseball has no salary cap leading to lopsided team payrolls around the league. • In 2008 the New York Yankees had a team payroll of $209 million – the Florida Marlins had $21 million. • The NFL, NBA and NHL all have salary caps.

40. YOUR TURN TO WRITE • What powers does the commissioner of baseball have? • What was significant about the players strike in 1994? • What scandal in 1919 changed the way baseball is governed?

41. Dead Ball Era • What was the dead ball era? – It was a time in baseball before the home run was king. • The dead ball era refers to a period in baseball characterized by extremely low-scoring games. • In fact, it was the lowest-scoring period in major league baseball history.

42. Dead Ball Era • Although baseball historians disagree of the exact dates the general consensus is that it began in about 1903 and continued until about 1919. • For example - 1906 Chicago White Sox won 93 games, took home the American League pennant, and eventually prevailed in the World Series.

44. Dead Ball Era • They did all this while batting just .230, and hitting a mere 7 home runs. • The Cubs won back to back World Series titles in 1907 and 1908 despite hitting just .248 and managing just 32 homers. • The two Chicago teams were more the rule than the exception.

49. Dead Ball Era • In St. Louis, the Cardinals had one of the worst three year offensive runs in baseball history from 1906 until 1908. • During that three year span, the team hit .235, .232 and .223. • They averaged just 15 dingers a year and scored a lowly 2.6 runs per game – no steroids here…

50. Dead Ball Era • There were three main factors contributing to the dead ball era. • The first factor is the ball - The baseball used by both leagues had a rubber ball at its center and was wrapped quite loosely compared to modern baseballs. • Most games were played with one ball – it became worn out.