Changes

[[Image:Busch Stadium.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A baseball game at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri.]]

[[Image:Busch Stadium.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A baseball game at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri.]]

Originally created by an unknown person this game consists of nine players on each team--except for those teams having designated hitters.

'''Baseball''' is a [[game]] originally created by an unknown person, consisting of nine active players on each [[team]] (except for those teams having [[designated hitter]]s) who take turns playing defense on the field and batting one at a time.  The object is for the batters to hit a ball thrown by the [[pitcher]] into "fair" territory such that it is not caught in the air and gives the batter time to run to a base.  The offense strives to advance these baserunners until they circle the three [[infield]] bases in order and get to the fourth base, called "home".  This results in the scoring of a run.  Failing to reach a base during their batting attempt results in an out, and the offense is only allowed three outs before they must take the field once again.  Each team is allowed nine of these "innings" during the course of the game, an exception being that a team does not bat a ninth time if they are winning after the other teams ninth attempt.

==History==

==History==

A well-publicized tradition holds that the game was invented by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, New York in 1839. In fact, the origins of the game are unknown. Famous baseball writer Henry Chadwick stated that the game evolved from the British game of "rounders."<ref>[http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/about/history.htm The Origins of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]</ref> In response, Albert G. Spalding, another baseball pioneer, urged the formation of a commission to determine the game's origin; one was formed, and in due course issued a report on December 30, 1907 stating "the first scheme for playing baseball, according to the best evidence obtainable to date, was devised by Abner Doubleday at Cooperstown, N.Y. in 1839." This well-publicized tradition led to the 1939 founding of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in that city.<ref>The National Baseball Hall of Fame was inspired by the Hall of Fame for Great Americans in New York. Established in 1901, with a 600-foot colonnade ultimately containing bronze busts of 98 great Americans, the Hall of Fame was at one time a major landmark, and the additions of honorees to it was a national news event. Ironically, the Hall of Fame for Great Americans has itself passed into obscurity; today, the phrase "Hall of Fame" has practically come to mean the National Baseball Hall of Fame.</ref>   

A well-publicized [[tradition]] holds that the game was invented by Abner Doubleday in [[Cooperstown]], [[New York State|New York]] in 1839. In fact, the origins of the game are unknown. Famous baseball writer Henry Chadwick stated that the game evolved from the British game of "rounders."<ref>[http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/about/history.htm The Origins of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]</ref> In response, Albert G. Spaulding, another baseball pioneer, urged the formation of a commission to determine the game's origin; one was formed, and in due course issued a report on December 30, 1907 stating "the first scheme for playing baseball, according to the best evidence obtainable to date, was devised by Abner Doubleday at Cooperstown, N.Y. in 1839." This led to the 1939 founding of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in that city.<ref>The National Baseball Hall of Fame was inspired by the Hall of Fame for Great Americans in New York. Established in 1901, with a 600-foot colonnade ultimately containing bronze busts of 98 great Americans, the Hall of Fame was at one time a major landmark, and the additions of honorees to it was a national news event. Ironically, the Hall of Fame for Great Americans has itself passed into obscurity; today, the phrase "Hall of Fame" has practically come to mean the National Baseball Hall of Fame.</ref>   

"Base-ball" or "base ball" was being played, under that name, during the Civil War:

"Base-ball" or "base ball" was being played, under that name, during the [[Civil War]]:

:Captain Kimberly was an experienced and skillful player and base ball player and took the lead in inaugurating a series of games of base ball.<ref>Nash, Eugene Arus (1910) ''A History of the Forty-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, in the Civil War, 1861-1865'', [http://books.google.com/books?vid=0Tt8agPo9LwQQsMG9YEqtf&id=L1eQYSRFhIQC&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=base-ball+civil+war&as_brr=1 p. 166]</ref>

:Captain Kimberly was an experienced and skillful player and base ball player and took the lead in inaugurating a series of games of base ball.<ref>Nash, Eugene Arus (1910) ''A History of the Forty-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, in the Civil War, 1861-1865'', [http://books.google.com/books?vid=0Tt8agPo9LwQQsMG9YEqtf&id=L1eQYSRFhIQC&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=base-ball+civil+war&as_brr=1 p. 166]</ref>

:The air seemed full of heavy shot, and as the flew they could be seen as plainly as a base-ball in one of our games.<ref>Johnson, Robert Underwood and Clarence Clough Buel (1888), ''Battles and Leaders of the Civil War,'' Volume IV, [http://books.google.com/books?vid=0veexS1IQVEWthmLI7jQgT3&id=rSwOAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=base-ball+civil+war&as_brr=1 p. 37]</ref>

:The air seemed full of heavy shot, and as the flew they could be seen as plainly as a base-ball in one of our games.<ref>Johnson, Robert Underwood and Clarence Clough Buel (1888), ''Battles and Leaders of the Civil War,'' Volume IV, [http://books.google.com/books?vid=0veexS1IQVEWthmLI7jQgT3&id=rSwOAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=base-ball+civil+war&as_brr=1 p. 37]</ref>

A 1902 book about Philadelphia says that "base-ball" was simply a new name for an older game:

A 1902 book about [[Philadelphia]] says that "base-ball" was simply a new name for an older game:

:During the Civil War there was an interesting athletic development when the old game of "town-ball" was rechristened "base-ball." It is believed that the first town-ball club, called the Olympic, was established in 1833.<ref>Edmond, Franklin Spencer, ''History of the Central High School of Philadelphia'' [http://books.google.com/books?vid=0z6LOHidtNQ5hb4rcxNHUcc&id=wogWAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA251&lpg=PA251&dq=base-ball+civil+war&as_brr=1 p. 251]</ref>

:During the Civil War there was an interesting athletic development when the old game of "town-ball" was rechristened "base-ball." It is believed that the first town-ball club, called the Olympic, was established in 1833.<ref>Edmond, Franklin Spencer, ''History of the Central High School of Philadelphia'' [http://books.google.com/books?vid=0z6LOHidtNQ5hb4rcxNHUcc&id=wogWAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA251&lpg=PA251&dq=base-ball+civil+war&as_brr=1 p. 251]</ref>

In 2004, a baseball historian made national news with the apparent discovery of 1791 bylaw of the town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, stating that

In 2004, a baseball historian made national news with the apparent discovery of 1791 bylaw of the town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, stating that