Norwich bulletin., 1919-09-30
BASEBALL, ITS ORIGIN
 AND PROGRESS

Chicago Sept 2s-with the com ing of the Worlds Series baseball takes paramount place in the thoughts of many persons. The word baseball designation for the national pastime came into existence in the thirties of the last century, according to historians, and is the ev olution Of the name ''roundbaI which later became "townbaur' because the game was played a town meetings
 There are two schools of thought on the origin of the old English game of 'rounders' while others is strictly American origin Writers of the first group say the game of round CTS" can be traced to the Netherlan and in turn to Egypt. even going so far as to suggest that the Sphinx may have been the first umpire
 Those who favor the idea that the game originated with Amercians, by Americans and for Americans are in the majority however, and 10 Alexan der J Cartwright, a New York man the credit for origina ting the game as now played is given by many writ CTS
 In 1s42 it is written. Cartwright broke in on a game of one old cat" in playing on the Murray Hill grounds and with a stick scratched a diamond in the dust, telling the boys this was the game they should play and suggesting a player for each base, three scouts" in the outheld a pitcher and a catcher CT In the early days when the game resembled cricket and any ball hit by the batter was fair the catcher had a scout to assist him
 The game as suggested by Cart wright took form quickly and on Sep tember g. 1S45, the knickerbocker club n New York was formed, hay ing the honor of being the first base ball club. according to historical writers of the game The first con- test of the new game was played be- tween the Knickerbocker club and an other New York team on the Elysian fields, Hoboken, N. J. The New York team won B to l. The first tabuIated score ever kept of the game, histories York Clipper. July Is. 1853. The con test was played on July 5, of that year between the Knickerbocker and the Gotham teams.
 Tn the early days runs were call ed aces" and a team had to make 21 to have enough to win Rule one of the early set of rules. copies of which have been preserved. says that all players must be punctua1 and ob serve the time for the commencement of the game" This precaution was necessary because in those days no bases on balls were possible and it was not uncommon for the pitcher to throw for half an hour before the batter de-
 
 Very few changes in the basic prin- ciples of the game as set forth in the original twenty rules. made in 1S45 have been made. In rule two of the original set it is provided that before the commencement of the game the president shall appoint an umpire who shall keep the game in a book and note all the violations of the rules" and rule seventeen states that there shall be no appeal from the unpire's decisien in case of . dispute. In 1s4S a rule making it necessary for a play CT to be touched out'' was. added to the original code and at this time slid ing to the bases made it's appearance Other changes were made from time to time making the principles of the game the same as they stand today - Beginning with the Knickerbockef and Gotham clubs other organisations sprung into being and pioneer con- vention of baseball clubs. wng heSd in May, 1857. The next year twenty live clubs sent delegates to New York and 4AThe National Association of Baseball Players" was formed.
 In the late fifties the game spread to Boston; Portland, Maine took up the pastime in 1858 and Buffalo and Rochester. New York followed. Chi cago started the game in 1856 and two