how has baseball changed america?
93408
Going back a bit in history, you could say that baseball proved that it was possible for sports to succeed economically in America, and it thus became possible for men to make a living by playing a sport. Baseball was really the first sport to do this. The first 'professional' team was the Cincinnate Reds, and they were formed in the 1860s. The National League was organized in 1876 (prior to that there was a league called, I think, the American Association, which lasted form 1871 to 1875).
282433
Baseball is thought to be a direct descendant of cricket, rounders, and town ball (which was much like rounders). The first explicit references to baseball appear to come from England. The earliest known mention of the sport is in a 1744 publication, A Little Pretty Pocket-Book by John Newbery. It contains a wood-cut illustration of boys playing "baseball" (showing a similar set-up to the modern game) and a rhymed description of the sport. Also, a British letter dating from 1748 by Lady Hervey describes how the then Prince of Wales diverted his time playing baseball.\n\nAnother early mention of the game can be found in an 1886 edition of Sporting Life magazine, in a letter from Dr. Adam Ford of Denver, Colorado, formerly of St. Marys, Ontario, Canada, who details a base ball game played in Beachville, Ontario, Canada, on June 4, 1838 -- Militia Muster Day.\n\nAlexander Cartwright had a hand in compiling and publishing an early list of rules in 1845 (the so-called Knickerbocker Rules) to meet the demands of the already popular sport, and today's rules of baseball have evolved from them.\n\nProfessional baseball began in the United States around 1865, and the National League was founded in 1876 as the first true major league, quickly producing famous players such as Honus Wagner. Several other major leagues formed and failed, but the American League, established in 1901 as a major league and originating from the minor Western League (1893), did succeed. While the two leagues were rivals who actively fought for the best players, often disregarding one another's contracts and engaging in bitter legal disputes, a modicum of peace was established in 1903, they began playing a World Series that year.\n\nCompared to modern times, games in the early part of the 20th century were lower scoring and pitchers were more successful. The "inside game", whose nature was to "scratch for runs", was played rather more violently and aggressively than it is today. Ty Cobb said of his era especially, "Baseball is a war!" This period, which has since become known as the "dead-ball era", ended in the 1920s with several rule changes that gave advantages to hitters and the rise of the legendary baseball player Babe Ruth, who showed the world what power hitting could produce and thus changed the nature of the game.\n\nDuring the first half of the 20th century, a "gentlemen's agreement" in the form of the baseball color line effectively barred African-American players from the major leagues (though not Native Americans, oddly enough), resulting in the formation of several Negro Leagues. Finally in 1947, Major League Baseball's color barrier was broken when Jackie Robinson was signed by the National League's Brooklyn Dodgers. Although it was not instantaneous, baseball has since become fully integrated.\n\nBaseball has often been a barometer of the fabled American "melting pot", as immigrants from different regions have tried to "make good" in various areas including sports. In the 19th century, baseball was populated with many players of Irish or German extraction. A number of Native Americans had successful careers especially in the early 1900s. Italians and Poles appeared on many rosters during the 1920s and 1930s. Black Americans came on strong starting in the late 1940s after the barriers had been lifted, and continue to form a significant contingent. By the 1960s, Hispanics had started to make the scene, and had become a dominant force by the 1990s. In the 21st century, East Asians have been appearing in increasing numbers.\n\nThe middle of the century led major league baseball to the West of the United States and also became a time when pitchers dominated. Scoring became so low in the American League, due to pitching dominance, that the designated hitter was introduced; this rule now constitutes the primary difference between the two leagues.\n\nDespi
692717
Baseball is a little more laid back.  There's such long periods of inactivity, it's hard to stay riled up.  \n\nGo to a game when it's crunch time, and the outcome of the game really matters.  You'll see a lot more hootin' and hollerin'.
831938
Everyone outside America thinks its a great idea, the rules were a joke, designed by the baseball clubs to hurt the WBC.\n\nIt is a great idea to grow the game of baseball internationally, promote it to a new generation outside America, while giving players a chance to represent something they believe in.\n\nThe WBC showed some really great games, put new players and countries on the map (Matsuzaka and Korea) \n\nFor one of the more patriotic nations on earth, Americans seem really indifferent towards international sport.\n\nThe WBC is not at a high level as of yet, but it will be, as the game grows internationally. \n\nBaseball has never done as well as its doing now, and its because of the growth internationally of the sport, and the furthering of the talent pool, through international players making up large numbers in the majors.
1017742
I've yet to understand the popularity of baseball myself but hey to each there own.  When I ask my family about world cup and I have to tell them it's soccer. They roll their eyes and yawn.  To those that never played the game it is rather boring and you can catch all the action on the highlight reel of the late night news.  When you get down to it, when one doesn't know someone that's actually playing it's hard to spark interest.  Baseball players, basketball etc...have become household names and hence an increase of popularity.
128340
In my school, boys were required to play baseball at school until the fifth grade.  Here, we divided teams by grade to encourage teamwork amongst the teams to "fight for their own grade" and give the game some ownership.  It's been working well this way for about fifteen years.
399604
MLB was National only in its inception... When are you counting the start of major league baseball?  If you use 1901, the 1st year of the American and National Divisions the teams are as follows:  \n\nAmerican - Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, Milwaukee Brewers\n\nNational - Brooklyn Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, St Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, New York Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Braves
820953
Abner Doubleday is granted with the invention of baseball. He actually copied a game that was being played in Canada by the Indians there. He tweeked it a bit and called it baseball. I would say Canada was where baseball truly originated it.
125330
Baseball isn't number 1 in America, not anymore.  Football and basketball have both surpassed it, probably because there's not as much scandal in those sports, and they're more fun to watch.
144032
In the mid 1800s when baseball became popular, it was something for people to pass what free time they had. The more industrial a society, the more free time the citizens have. Baseball's history is entwined with the proliferation of a working class who needed entertainment whether playing or cheering. They didn't have televisions or radios, and allowed different towns cities and communities to interact with one another in a social competitive environment.
36220
In baseball, the American and National Leagues play by slightly different rules. The American League uses allows the designated hitter, the National League does not. There may also be differences in the way the umpires define the strike zone.\n\nIn football, the 10 teams from American Football League merged into the National Football League in 1970. The teams that were in the AFL became the American Conference while most of the original NFL teams went into the National Conference.
413339
Definitely. Baseball has been around a long time, and every record ever set has to be placed in the context of its era, but this is the first time a large number of statistics are called into question because of behavior that was banned shortly thereafter. People will forever assume that everyone who hit more than 60 homers since Roger Maris, did so with the help of chemistry, not just natural strength, hand-eye coordination and hard work.
1059579
Baseball.  It's more interesting to watch.  And baseball is pretty much worldwide too.
524123
Well, I feel that the reason that baseball and football are much more popular in the US is because they are both games that orginated in the US. Soccer, for instance, orgininated in European countries, and there in those countries, soccer is very popular. Sports that orginate stay the most popular in their country. Also, people sometimes dont enjoy sitting for 45 minutes straight, knowing that the second that they get up to go pee, they miss the only play of the game. And my third point is that there is much more action in both Baseball and Football than there is in soccer.
518746
Even though it's called "The Great American Pastime", it's not THAT great.  I think people like it because it is a leisurely game (one of the few games without a game clock) that is spiked by moments of intensity.  There is something about a set moment in a game - "bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, full count, runner on first, and here's the pitch..."  There are subtle strategies in the game that often times go unnoticed (field shifts, hitting strategies) and it is often said that the hardest thing to do in all of sports is to hit a fastball, sometimes traveling at 100mph/160kph.  Besides, there are many, many American kids who aspire to one day become a Major League pitcher.  Maybe the games take these people back to their childhood.
480495
Sadly I would have to agree with you and say that everyone was turning a blind eye to the steroid problem.  The strike of 1994/1995 struck a serious blow to the game that really it has not recovered from.  I hope the independant investigator takes a long look at Selig.
84255
What dose That Have To Do With Baseball?