Baseball is known as "the national pastime" because it became very popular in the United States. Baseball began with the game called rounders. It was the same as baseball, except you had to hit the batter with the ball to get him out. They eventually changed the rules after a group met in New York in 1845. Now you just had to tag the batter to get him out. Russia also had a game similar to baseball called Lapta. The history of baseball is important, from Babe Ruth to Jackie Robinson and up to the present day. Baseball is very popular in the United States and around the world. Baseball can be played by anyone rather than football and basketball. The Cincinnati Red Stocking was the first professional team. They traveled the world playing as a team and won 60 matches without losing a single one. The first professional baseball league was established in 1871. Most teams were from the eastern United States. They were divided into national and American league. It was close to what today's game looks like, except back then there were no divisions or playoffs. The team with the best record in each league would be the winner of the pennant. The two winners would meet and play in the World Series. Whoever wins four out of seven games would win the World Series. Finally, in 1950, the western United States got teams. Alexander Cartwright is credited with creating the rules of baseball. Cartwright played for the Knickerbockers and his teammates helped him create some of the rules. Some rules are still used today. The three strikes and three outs per inning, nine players on the field and 90 feet between the bases are still used today. Abner Doubleday is considered the creator of baseball, but he never said he...... middle of paper ...... dare and Shoeless Joe Jackson would probably be in the Hall of Fame without them are prohibited. There have been 306 people elected to the Hall of Fame. There are 240 players, 23 managers, 10 referees and 33 executives in the Hall of Fame. Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and others are very important to baseball history. Baseball is one of the three major sports, along with football and basketball. It's the great American pastime. During the Civil War, the North and South played baseball after a hard day of war. Jackie Robinson's crossing of the color line in 1947 opened baseball to other African Americans, but it also allowed African Americans to be able to play football, basketball, and other sports. Baseball is a sport where you have to have fun with the game. Baseball will always be remembered in the United States because it was so popular here..