Baseball

Baseball was a team sport that originated on Earth in the 19th century and gained worldwide popularity during the 20th century, becoming a national obsession around the 1940s. () During this time, professional leagues organized around the sport on several continents. The game continued to be played in the 21st century but its popularity began to decline until 2042, when the final World Series was played and the professional stage of the game came to a close. ()
== History ==
Despite its wane in popularity, the lexicon and history of the game endured and by the 24th century, the sport had become popular among Humans again for its grace and simple elegance. At this time, the names and achievements of many of its greatest players were still known and cherished by many people including Jack R. Crusher and Paul Stubbs. Crusher later taught his son, Wesley how to play the game. () Benjamin Sisko and his son Jake were notable baseball fans; so were Kasidy Yates and her brother on Cestus III, one of the few locations where the sport was still practiced in the 24th century. By the early 2380s, baseball seemed to have become mainstream on Earth again, as the London Kings played a game against the Buffalo Solar Knights that year, and lost. By the end of the century, the London Kings had signs that advertised their team in Greater Boston. ()
Commander Sisko used the game of baseball to help the Prophets to understand linear time when he first encountered them. He explained that the reason the game was worthwhile was that corporeal beings like Humans didn't know what the outcome would be. "Every time you throw this ball a hundred different things can happen in the game." ()
Sisko also kept a on his desk in his office aboard Deep Space 9 and encouraged an interest in the game among his senior staff, including accepting a challenge to a game by the crew of the in 2375. ()
In the initial days of the Federation administration of Deep Space 9, Quark believed a knowledge of baseball might be a business opportunity. He therefore made a study of the game, learning some of the names most associated with the sport, such as Tris Speaker, Ted Williams and Buck Bokai. While he did not appear to attain a detailed knowledge of the game, he did assess that the game represented a fundamental shift in the nature of the services he would need to provide to his newest clientèle. For Quark, Sisko's obsession with baseball represented a need to expand into the area of family entertainment – a realization that inspired Quark to attempt to expand his holosuite space. ()
After traveling back in time to 1947, Quark mentioned baseball to Lieutenant General Denning as an example of his knowledge of Human culture. This was a bluff to cover his lack of knowledge. ()
Baseball was typically listened to on the radio, and in 1957, two Vulcans, Mestral and T'Mir, overheard a portion of a game while they were stranded in Carbon Creek. ()
== Gameplay ==
=== Equipment ===
* 
* Baseball cap
* Baseball bat
* Baseball glove
* Baseball uniform
=== Paraphernalia ===
* Baseball field
** (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
** Baseline
** Home plate
** Pitcher's mound
=== Personnel ===
;Baseball team:
* Fielder
** Catcher
** 
** Infielder
*** First baseman
*** Second baseman
*** Shortstop
*** Third baseman
** Right fielder
** Center fielder
** Left fielder
* Hitter
** Designated hitter
** 
;Other:
* Coach
* Umpire
=== Rules ===
* Calls
** 
** Out
** 
** 
* Chapter 25: "The infield fly rule is invoked in instances where, with both first base and second base occupied, or with first, second and third base occupied... [..] And fewer than two out, the batter hits a high fly which in the judgment of the umpire can readily be caught by an infielder or the pitcher or catcher inside fair ground. The batter is then called out regardless of whether the ball is subsequently caught or not. An attempt to bunt, however, under the conditions noted above, which results in a fair fly shall not be regarded an infield fly." 
* Rule No. 4.06, Subsection A, Paragraph 4: "No player shall at any time make contact with the umpire in any manner. The prescribed penalty for the violation is immediate ejection from the game." 
=== Strategy ===
* Backswing
* Batted ball
* Bunt
* Curve ball
* Grand slam
* Home run
== Notability ==
=== Players ===
;See also:
* Baseball card
=== Teams ===
;Named
* Atlanta Braves
* Boston Red Sox
* Buffalo Solar Knights
* Cestus Comets
* Chicago Cubs
* Cleveland Indians
* Crenshaw Monarchs
* Gotham City Bats
* Logicians
* London Kings
* Los Angeles Dodgers
* New York Giants
* New York Yankees
* Niners
* Pike City Pioneers
* San Francisco Giants
;Unnamed
* Doylestown team
* ' hometeam
* Seibu's hometeam
* Four unnamed teams on Cestus III
=== Stadiums ===
* Dodger Stadium
=== Leagues ===
* Major League Baseball
* Planetary Baseball League
** Planetary Baseball League, Inc.
== Appendices ==
=== Appearances ===
*
**
**
=== Background information ===
A baseball cap worn by Nana Visitor in the episode was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. The cap has interior labels of "American Needle" and "Black Diamond Authentic Series" inside. 
Plek'et, a Trill game similar to baseball, was referred to in the first draft script of but has not been established in canon.
In , the fact that the London Kings are still being advertised in places like Boston, seems to suggest that professional baseball (likely Major League Baseball) returned to Earth.
=== Apocrypha ===
The Pocket TNG novel Fortune's Light attributed the fall of baseball to monetary and labor issues, while the Pocket DS9 novel The 34th Rule also partially blamed the death of .
According to the novel The Pandora Principle, still had an intramural baseball team in the 23rd Century; Cadet Saavik, attempting to understand Human games better, agreed to try out and was immediately recruited because of her surprisingly powerful pitching ability (earning her the Academy nickname, "The Photon Torpedo", much to her chagrin).
=== External links ===
* 
* 
* at 
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Category:Earth
Category:Sports