Base-ball. The American national game of base-ball is an evolution from the old English schoolboy game of Rounders; but unlike the boyish pastime from which it had its origin, it requires manly qualities to excel in it. In base-ball, as in rounders, the players use a bat and a ball, and run around bases, but there all resemblance between the two games ceases. As the game of base-ball is now played, it is full of excitement, and is engaged in with equal zest by schoolboys on an open field, and by trained professional experts on inclosed grounds, presenting to the latter full scope for the exercise of those mental and physical attributes which mark the intelligent and practised athlete.
Cricket and base-ball are coupled in Miss Austen's Northanger Abbey, which was written about 1798. In the States, the Knickerbocker Club was founded at New York in 1845, the Excelsior Club at Brooklyn in 1860; but it was not till 1865 that the game became universal.
The theory of base-ball may be briefly summed up as follows: A space of ground, in the form of a diamond, 90 feet square, is marked out on a level field of three or four acres in extent. Bases are placed on or within each angle of the diamond, and are called respectively home, first, second, and third bases. Each team consists of nine players; and the home team has the choice of first innings, its members taking the bat in regular succession. The man at the bat is termed the batsman, or striker, and his side may be regarded as the defensive force,
The diagram illustrates a diamond-shaped base-ball field. The four vertices of the diamond are labeled: 1st BASE (bottom right), 2nd BASE (top), 3rd BASE (bottom left), and HOME BASE (center). The center of the diamond is labeled PITCHER. The first base is labeled BATSMAN, and the home base is labeled BATSMAN. The second base is labeled 2nd BASEMAN, and the third base is labeled 3rd BASEMAN. The first base is also labeled 1st BASEMAN. The field is divided into sections: LEFT-FIELDER, CENTRE-FIELDER, and RIGHT-FIELDER. A SHORT-STOP is located between the 2nd and 3rd bases. A CATCHER is positioned behind the home base. A UMPIRE is located behind the catcher. A CATCHER'S FENCE is shown at the bottom of the field. Two BAT RACKS and PLAYERS' BENCHES are located on the left and right sides of the field. A SCALE at the bottom indicates distances from 0 to 100 FEET.
Fig. 1.—Diagram of Base-ball Ground.
the field side being the attacking party. The several members of the latter party are disposed as follows: The pitcher, near the centre of the diamond; the catcher, behind the home base; the first baseman, near the first base, to the right of the catcher; the second and third basemen, near the second and third bases; and about midway between these, the short-stop; with out-fielders at right, centre, and left fields, more or less in line with first, second, and third bases respectively.
When the fielding side take their positions and the play begins, the pitcher delivers the ball, a fair ball being one that passes over the home base, and not lower than the batsman's knee nor higher than his shoulder. Such a ball counts a strike, whether the batsman strikes at it or not, and after four fair balls the striker is obliged to run, or is put out; but, on the other hand, five unfair balls delivered by the pitcher entitle the batsman to a base. The batsman endeavours to send the ball out of the reach of the fielders, and far enough out in the field to enable him to make the round of the four bases without being put out, in which case he scores a run. Each base, however, is a resting-place, and he may stop on any base until either he sees an opportunity to steal to the next, or a succeeding batsman sends the ball far enough to enable him to run with safety—for, except when occupying a base, the runner touched with the ball by a fielder is out. All three bases may thus be occupied at once; but when the next batsman becomes a base-runner, the runner on first base must pass on to second base, which must be vacated to receive him, otherwise he is put out. This rule and another, obliging runners to return and touch the base last occupied when a striker's ball is caught before touching the ground, afford scope for 'double-play,' as a fielder may catch the striker out, and then throw the ball to a base-keeper before another of the same side who is running bases can return. A batsman can only run on a fair hit, which is a ball batted within the lines of the diamond between the home and first and third bases, or continuations of them marked in white on the grass; but he may be caught out on a foul hit just as on a fair, and if, after a fair hit or four strikes, the ball is fielded to first base before he arrives there, he is out. The first striker is followed by others in rotation at the bat, until three of the batting side are put out, when the field side take their turn at the bat. This goes on until nine equal innings have been played, and then the side scoring the most runs wins the game. It will be readily seen that the theory of the game is very simple, and it is this simplicity of construction which forms one of its chief attractions; and yet to excel in the playing of all the points of the game requires not only the possession of the physical attributes of endurance, agility, and strength, together with good throwing and running powers, and plenty of courage, pluck, and nerve, but also the mental powers of quick perception, thorough control of temper, and the presence of mind to act promptly in critical emergencies of the game.
The weight of the ball used is 5 to ounces, its circumference 9 to inches; and it is much more elastic than a cricket ball. The bat is round, not more than inches in diameter at the thickest part, and must not exceed 42 inches in length.
The ball is delivered by the pitcher with great swiftness, an underhand throw being allowable and very generally employed; and this high speed attained enables a skilful player to send the ball with such a twist or curve as will deceive the batsman, and make him think a fair ball bad and an unfair ball good. This effect is obtained by the resistance offered to the ball by the air, and a rotary motion of the ball on its own axis, supplied by the pitcher; and the direction of the curve is determined by the manner in which the ball is delivered from his hand. Curved pitching has been brought to considerable perfection of late years, but a certain want of accuracy makes it advisable for the catcher, when playing close behind the batsman, to wear a strong wire mask, and has produced a rule entitling a batsman who is struck by the ball to take his first base therefor. Prior to 1887, there were no less than four special professional codes of playing rules in use, besides those governing amateurs; but since the beginning of that year, the game has been played under a set of 'National Rules,' agreed to by all players.
The great popularity of base-ball in America has led to the establishment of regular stock-companies, employing a large amount of capital in the business of 'running' professional club teams, whilst the outlay each season reaches in the aggregate to over a million of dollars. The principal contests for the championship of the United States have sometimes led to gatherings of spectators numbering ten thousand or more, each paying half a dollar admission to the inclosed grounds; and in one instance, in New York City in 1886, over thirty thousand spectators witnessed one of the championship matches. The expense of organising a first-class professional team frequently reaches thirty thousand dollars. During 1886 nearly three thousand professional contests took place. What with the college clubs and the amateur organisations of the country, it is safe to say that hundreds of thousands of young men participate in base-ball games during each season, from April to October.