The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-15
Ole ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY OF BASEBALL - Bv 4

r HE american game Of baseball is
distinctly an American sport, of
American origin, and peculiarly
adapted to the temperament and char
acteristics of the American people.
From time immemoriaI. games Of ball
Of different kinds have been played. and
nearly every country has adopted some.
ball game, suited TO its needs and con-
ditions.
While there is more or less of a FAM
lily resemblance in all games of ball. [
consider baseball quite as much Amer
lean in its origin, development and evo-
luton as cricket is of English origin.
both being recognized as the national
games OF their respective countries
Some authorities claim that baseball
came Fs7n the old English juvenile
game of FOUNDERS but / am decidedly
of the opinion that it was a natural
eS olution from the Old colonial game of
zone old cat" one old cat was PLAYED
by three boye-a throver. catcher and
batsman- The latter, after striking the
ball ran 10 a goal about thirty feet dis
tant, and by returning to the batsman's
position without being put out, count
ed one run or tally"
How the Game Originated.
Two old cat was played by four or
more boys with two batsmen placed
L L
was played by six or more boys with
three batsmen. the ground being laid
out in the shape of a triangle. Four
old cat was played Ey eight or more
boys with ground laid out i'm shape of
u square. -Four old cat required four
1hrowers, alternating as catchers, and
four batsmen the ball being passed
from one corner to the next around the
square field. Individual scores or tai
1fas Cd IN ht. IN l.
ing the hit and running from one corner
TO the next. Some ingenious American
lad naturally suggested that one throw
er be placed III the center of the square.
which brought nine players into the
game. and which also made il possible
TO change the game into teams or sides
one side fielding and the other side bat
ting. This was for many years known
as the old game of town ball" from
which the present game Of baseball no
doubt had its origin, al d not from the
English children's picnic game of
FOUNDERS" which is FIRST cousin 10 that
other Juvenile pastime of drop the
handkerchief"
New York City may properly be
called the home of baseball. for it was
first played in that city in 1872 but i'm
81 desultory sort Of way, and without
any organization or printed playing
rules.
First Club Organized in 1S45.
In 1916 the first baseball club was or
ganized in New York City, known as
the Knickerbockers and this club for
n-ulated and published the fist rules Of
the game in that year. Five years later
the Gotham club of New York was or
ganized, and in 1854 the Eagles and EN-
liTes Of New York came into the game
and matches between these clubs were
played on the Elysian fields of Hobo
ken, n. J.. and attracted considerable
public interest The Knickerbocker
club continued TO make the rules of the
game until 1891, when a convention OF
ball players was held in New York City.
which resulted in the permanent organ
ization in 1883 of the National Asso-
citation of Baseball Players, consisting
of twenty-five charter club members
all from New York City and immediate
vicinity. This original association made !
the playing rules and governed the I
game until 1871, when the First Nation
al Association OF Professional Baseball I
Players was organized. and since that /
time the professional element has for
INFLATED the playing rules and governed /
the game.
Baseball clubs continued TO multiply