From Rounders to Baseball: The History of a Bat-Swinging Sport -

Often considered America’s favourite pastime, baseball has a long history with roots that date back centuries and to another continent entirely. From its earliest roots to its continued popularity and evolution today, here is the sport’s history.

Baseball’s Origins: The English Game Rounders

It’s widely believed that the origins of baseball are from the game rounders, which became popular across England in the mid-1700s. The first written record of the game appeared in 1744 in A Little Pretty Pocket-Book. Rounders is still played today and varies from baseball in a few key ways.

Rounders is not set up in a diamond shape like baseball is. Instead, it has five key points of play: the batter’s starting place and four posts that operate similarly to bases. The game does not require batters to hit the ball. The batter runs to the first post after a pitch, whether their swing is successful or not.

Rounders also does not allow the use of gloves and has a shorter bat and a different ball. The style and rules of the game laid the foundation for baseball as we know it today, and it didn’t take long for early versions of baseball to be known and referenced in literature and other publications. Some of the earliest references to baseball are found alongside those of rounders from the mid-1700s and throughout the 1800s. The similar time frames for references to rounders and baseball are why it’s not set in stone that one sport came from the other; it is instead a commonly held belief rather than fact.

The Immigration of the Sport: Baseball Finds Its Way to the US

As the English travelled to the Americas, they brought many habits and activities from their homeland, including games like rounders and baseball. The games spread across the United States during the Civil War and, over time, evolved into the rules and layout we associate with baseball today.

Industrialisation & War: Baseball Explodes in Popularity Across the Country

A significant catalyst for the popularity of baseball was the increase in factory jobs. The Library of Congress theorizes that “workers found leisure in a sport that was likely much less physically demanding than their own jobs.” It was also a game that could be played with minimal expense for the working class, giving it yet another allure for many Americans. Baseball became an activity that allowed people to blow off steam and fostered community without demanding too much from its players.

The first professional baseball club opened its doors in 1869, and the Major League Baseball (MLB) was formed in 1876.

During World War I and II, the game was played by military forces to boost morale. This naturally increased awareness of the sport by introducing it to more people.

Trials & Tribulation: Baseball’s History of Discrimination

Despite the game’s broad appeal, as it became an organized, professional sport, major leagues did not allow equal access to the game. For decades, people of colour were denied the opportunity to join professional teams or leagues.

On April 15th, 1947, the segregation of the sport ended with Jackie Robinson stepping onto the field as a Brooklyn Dodger in the major leagues. However, it wasn’t without protest. Robinson faced backlash from baseball fans and other major league players. The process for baseball and its fans to accept players of colour was painfully slow.

Globalisation: Baseball’s Popularity Across the World

American professor Horace Wilson is credited with bringing the sport to Japan in the 1870s and helping to kickstart the sport’s popularity there. A few years after Wilson introduced it to his students, baseball became more formally organized, and eventually, professional leagues were formed.

Another major factor in the sport’s popularity in Japan was the MLB All-Star team that toured Japan in 1934. The MLB team played against Japan’s professional teams. This brought attention to baseball in Japan from American and Japanese fans alike, helping the sport gain prominence.

While baseball’s roots can be traced to England, the sport is not nearly as popular there as it is in the United States. There are professional leagues, but they do not garner the same attention or interest as other sports like football or cricket (another popular bat-and-ball game). However, that doesn’t mean there is no interest in baseball at all.

In 2019, two American MLB teams, the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, played a game on UK soil, and the event gained significant attention from Brits and Americans. There are also diehard fans of American baseball in the UK, and the country’s national team is dedicated to the game on the world stage—despite having to pay out of pocket to play.

Since its earliest days, baseball has gradually made its way to different corners of the globe. The sport is now played worldwide, with large fan bases in North America, South America, and East Asia. It draws spectators, bidders (including those hoping to get a free no-deposit bonus and free spins through online platforms), and dreamers who hope to play for their favourite team someday.

Conclusion

From the 1700s to today, baseball has undergone major changes, but one thing has remained constant: it has always entertained its spectators and players. While its overall popularity has ebbed and flowed, it continues to maintain strength as a widely recognized sport—with some even firmly believing it will gain traction again as the popular choice among sports entertainment.