Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-01-14
Its Origin and Evolution to IFS
Present Standing Re.
viewed.
BEGAN IN new YORK CITY.
The Game is as Thoroughly American
As Cricket is Eoslishvfirst
Rules in 1915

Lovers Of baseball the national game.
will find IT interesting and instructive to
peruse the review of the great game by
A. G. spalding. He says:
THE American game OF baseball *
distinctiyely an American sport, Of
American origin, and peculiarly adapt
cd to the temperament and character
lstics Of the American people. From
time immemorlal, games Of ball OF dif.
fcrcnt kinds have been played, and
nearly every country has adopted some
bah game, suited to It's needs and con-
ditlons."
"Whue there is more or less Of a.
family resemblance In all games Of ball.
consider baseball quite as mucn
American IN its origin, development
and evolution, as cricket is Of English
origin both being recognized as the ma
tonal games Of their respective coun-
tries, Some authorities claim that
baseball came from the old English ju-
yenile game Of Founders, but / am
a natural evolution from the old co..
lonlal game of one Old cat. one OIL
Cat was played by three boys-a throw
cr catcher and batsman, The latter,
after striking the ball, ran to goal
about thirty feet distant, and by re-.
turning to the batsman's position with
out being put out, counted one run or
tally"
After referring to the game Of one
Old cat, Mr.. SpaldMg says that New
York City Is really the home of the
game.
I'm 1916, the first baseball club was
OF gani2ed in New York city, known as
the Knickerbockers and this club
formulated and published the first rules
of the game In that year. Five years
later the Gotham club OF New York
was organized, and IN 1854 the Eagles
and Empires of New York came into
the game and matches between thesG
clubs were played on the Elysian fields
OF HobOken, N, j., and attracted con-
siderable public interest. The KniCker.
booker clue continued TO make the rules
of the game until 1851, when Conyeu-
ton of BAN players was held I'm New
York city, which resulted in the per-
manent organization, IN 1858, Of th4
National Association Of Base Bah Play
ers 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 game until 1871, when tho
Nrst National Association Of Pro-
lied, and since that time the profess
sional element has formulated the play
ing rules and governed the game.
After going into minute details Of the
games early history; how 1t grew and
extended and iourshed first In one city,
then another, until many strong leagues
were organized, Mr., Spalding conclud-
ed by saying;
Baseball Is the father or forerunner
of athletic sports I'm the United states
which were practically unknown TO this
country before the civil war. Forty
years ago it was a dlscredlt for a man
to be seen with any kind Of athletic inn
plement, but now II Is badge OF honor.
Baseball was the spark that brought
into action that natural, Unborn anglo
Saxon love Of AL kinds Of athletic
sports, and today the youth and young
men OF the United States can hold their
own with the leading athletics Of tho
world. There is today no greater moral
and uplifting force influencing the
youth Of this country chan athletics,
when kept within reasonable bounds
wellington said that the battle OF
Waterloo was won on the cricket fields
Of England aud President Roosevelt
Is credited with somewhat similar
statement that the battle Of san Juan
Hin was won ON the baseball and foot
bail fields Of America
THE spirit Of the baseball has per-
meated into every part OF our strenu-
Gus lifoi It exists In all business enter
prisos IL Is seen In our president, IN
the cabinet, In Congress, in the pulpit,
I'm the countin ghouse and factory ana
II renewed energy Ia sought, fresh en-
thuslasm or inspiration required Is any
OF these places, Il can always be
aroused by the utterance OF these two
well understood words-'Play ball.I