Baseball is definitely one of the most exciting and fun sports today. Because of its different interesting aspects, it is even considered as the national sport of the U.S. Furthermore, it has become a highly anticipated event in other places such as East Asia, the Caribbean and South America. One of the leading international sports organization involved in the game today is Major League Baseball, where outstanding players from all over the world converge and compete against each other.
The Invention of Baseball
Who invented baseball? Because of his major contributions in the establishment of some of the most important rules and aspects of the sport, the invention of the game was credited to Alexander Cartwright. In fact, on June 3, 1953, the U.S. Congress even recognized him as the inventor of modern baseball. The game was invented some time in 1845. In addition, he was also recognized as the founder of the pioneer baseball organization called the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club.
Additional Facts and Other Important Information
Unknown to baseball fans, a myth once emerged that the person who actually invented the game first was named Abner Doubleday. According to the details of the story, he was able to invent the sport in 1839, when he was in Cooperstown, New York. However, due to numerous inconsistencies, sports historians were able to see loopholes in that story. These inconsistencies eventually led to the debunking of such myth.
When playing this game, there are necessarily three basic tools, namely the glove, bat and ball. The glove serves the purpose of holding and catching the ball. Meanwhile, the bat is basically made out of solid wood, the purpose of which is to hit the ball. In terms of measurement, the ball must have a circumference of about 23 centimeters or 9 inches. Batters are usually required to wear helmets for the purpose of protection.
A typical baseball team should have a total 25 players. This is true particularly for Major League Baseball teams. The lineup must include eight position players comprised of three outfielders, four infielders and a catcher. Aside from these individuals, a team must also include a total five a backup catcher, six relief pitchers and five starting pitchers. Moreover, a team is said to be incomplete without a specialist pinch hitter, a couple of backup outfielders and a couple of backup infielders. Other important personnel involved in the sport are umpires, coaches and managers.
In terms of game strategy, there are four basic kinds of pitches, namely the slider, curveball, changeup and fastball. Because of the popularity of the game, it has been featured a lot in films. Some of the most memorable baseball movies of all time include “Field of Dreams” in 1989, “The Natural” in 1984 and “The Pride of the Yankees” in 1942.