Sport
Baseball
Also Known As America's Pastime A popular epithet for the sport in the United States, not a formal alternate name.
Bat-and-Ball Sports
Baseball is a bat and ball game played between two teams of nine, one batting and one fielding at any moment, over nine innings (each a turn at bat for each side). A member of the batting team scores a run by hitting a pitched ball and circuiting all four bases, first, second, third and home, without being put out; the side with more runs after nine innings wins, extra innings being played if the score is tied. The Abner Doubleday origin story is a documented myth with no contemporary evidence behind it (see the recorded dissent on this entity's origin-year fact). The Knickerbocker Rules, codified by Alexander Cartwright in New York in 1845, are the earliest organized modern ruleset; the game itself descends from older English bat and ball games, principally rounders and stoolball, played in America since colonial times. The fielding team stations a pitcher and catcher (the battery), four infielders (first, second and third basemen and a shortstop) and three outfielders (left, center and right field); a batter is put out chiefly by striking out (three strikes), by a fielder catching a batted ball before it touches the ground, or by a fielder holding the ball while touching a base ahead of a runner forced to reach it (a force out) or tagging a runner not on a base. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Disputed
Origin YearThe Abner Doubleday origin story is a documented myth with no contemporary evidence behind it. The Knickerbocker Rules, codified by Alexander Cartwright in New York in 1845, are the earliest organized modern ruleset; the game itself descends from older English bat and ball games, principally rounders and stoolball, played in America since colonial times. Originating RegionUnited States, developed from English bat and ball games 3 International Governing BodyWorld Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) 3 Identity
SymbolA ball pitched by the pitcher and struck with a bat by the batter. 1 Classification
Olympic Programme Status Baseball
Filter Results1 entry
Connections
Ancestor Of
Source Softball - Wikipedia
Associated With
Source Wikipedia, Baseball
Featured In
Source Wikipedia: International Amateur Baseball Tournament
Source Wikipedia, 1992 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia, 1996 Summer Olympics
Source Major League Baseball (Wikipedia)
Left the programme after 2008 and reinstated for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Source Wikipedia: Olympic sports
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Governed By
Source Wikipedia, World Baseball Softball Confederation
Long-Form Articles
Played By
Source Stan Coveleski (National Baseball Hall of Fame)
Source Tim Lincecum (Wikipedia)
Source Tony Fernandez (Wikipedia)
Source Baseball Hall of Fame: Wilbert Robinson
Showing 51 to 59 of 59 in Played By, page 2 of 2.
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Wikipedia, Baseball
Wikimedia FoundationIntroduction
Baseball's American origins, as well as its reputation as a source of escapism during troubled points in American history such as the American Civil War and the Great Depression, have led the sport to receive the moniker of "America's Pastime"; since the late 19th century, it has been unofficially recognized as the national sport of the United States, though in modern times is considered less popular than other sports, such as American football.
lead section
a player on the batting team, called the batter, tries to hit with a bat
Associated With: Cricket, Distinctive elements
The comparison between cricket and baseball demonstrates that many of baseball's distinctive elements are shared in various ways with similar sports.
View the Source 2. Baseball at the Summer Olympics (Wikipedia)
3. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Wikipedia, History of baseball
Origins sectionQuote, Origins section
The once widely accepted story that US Army officer Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York, in 1839 has been conclusively debunked by sports historians.
Wikipedia, World Baseball Softball Confederation
WikipediaGoverned By: World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), Lead section, scope of governanceView the Source Wikipedia: Olympic sports
Featured In: Olympic Games, Changes between 2000 to 2030Quote, Featured In: Olympic Games, Changes between 2000 to 2030
Baseball and softball, before their reinstatement for the 2020 Olympics, were last included in 2008
Softball - Wikipedia
Ancestor Of: Softball, Early history sectionQuote, Ancestor Of: Softball, Early history section
Envisioned as a way for baseball players to maintain their skills during the winter
Wikipedia: International Amateur Baseball Tournament
Featured In: 1968 Summer Olympics, Lead sectionQuote, Featured In: 1968 Summer Olympics, Lead section
The International Amateur Baseball Tournament was held in Mexico City in 1968 between four different national baseball teams.
Wikipedia, 1992 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1992 Summer Olympics, Sports overviewQuote, Featured In: 1992 Summer Olympics, Sports overview
After being demonstrated in six previous Summer Olympic Games, baseball officially became an Olympic sport.
Wikipedia, 1996 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1996 Summer Olympics, Sports contested list with event countsQuote, Featured In: 1996 Summer Olympics, Sports contested list with event counts
Baseball (1)
Darts - Wikipedia
Associated With: Darts, Variants, DartballQuote, Associated With: Darts, Variants, Dartball
Dartball is a darts game based on the sport of baseball
Ichiro Suzuki (Wikipedia)
Played By: Ichiro Suzuki, Lead paragraph, first sentenceQuote, Played By: Ichiro Suzuki, Lead paragraph, first sentence
is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder
Tim Lincecum (Wikipedia)
Played By: Tim Lincecum, Lead section, first sentenceQuote, Played By: Tim Lincecum, Lead section, first sentence
professional baseball pitcher
David Wells (Wikipedia)
Played By: David Wells, Lead paragraph, sportQuote, Played By: David Wells, Lead paragraph, sport
professional baseball pitcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball
Curtis Granderson (Wikipedia)
Played By: Curtis Granderson, Lead paragraph, first sentenceQuote, Played By: Curtis Granderson, Lead paragraph, first sentence
an American former professional baseball outfielder
Andre Dawson (Wikipedia)
Played By: Andre Dawson, Lead paragraph, first sentenceQuote, Played By: Andre Dawson, Lead paragraph, first sentence
an American former professional baseball outfielder
Elston Howard (Wikipedia)
Played By: Elston Howard, Lead paragraph, first sentenceQuote, Played By: Elston Howard, Lead paragraph, first sentence
was an American professional baseball player
Roger Clemens (Wikipedia)
Played By: Roger Clemens, Lead sentence, description of the athleteQuote, Played By: Roger Clemens, Lead sentence, description of the athlete
an American former professional baseball pitcher
Ozzie Smith (Wikipedia)
Played By: Ozzie Smith, Lead section [plays]Quote, Played By: Ozzie Smith, Lead section [plays]
is an American former professional baseball player
David Price (baseball) (Wikipedia)
Played By: David Price (baseball), Lead section [plays]Quote, Played By: David Price (baseball), Lead section [plays]
is an American former professional baseball pitcher
Baseball Hall of Fame: Home Run Baker
Played By: Home Run Baker, About Home Run BakerQuote, Played By: Home Run Baker, About Home Run Baker
Baker led the AL in home runs and RBI in both 1912 and 1913
Baseball Hall of Fame: Wilbert Robinson
Played By: Wilbert Robinson, About Wilbert RobinsonQuote, Played By: Wilbert Robinson, About Wilbert Robinson
Robinson was the catcher
Branch Rickey (National Baseball Hall of Fame)
Played By: Branch Rickey, About, career summaryQuote, Played By: Branch Rickey, About, career summary
Rickey's life in baseball began as a player for the St. Louis Browns and New York Highlanders from 1905-07.
Stan Coveleski (National Baseball Hall of Fame)
Played By: Stan Coveleski, About, career summaryQuote, Played By: Stan Coveleski, About, career summary
Stan Coveleski took his baseball seriously
Ace Parker (Wikipedia)
Played By: Ace Parker, Lead [plays 2]Quote, Played By: Ace Parker, Lead [plays 2]
Parker also played in the Major League Baseball (MLB) during 1936 and 1937 with the Philadelphia Athletics.
Tony Fernandez (Wikipedia)
Played By: Tony Fernandez, Lead paragraph, sportQuote, Played By: Tony Fernandez, Lead paragraph, sport
Dominican professional baseball player
Major League Baseball (Wikipedia)
Featured In: Major League Baseball, Lead paragraph 1 [scope]Quote, Featured In: Major League Baseball, Lead paragraph 1 [scope]
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada.
Denny Bautista (Baseball-Reference.com)
Played By: Denny Bautista, Page header, Major League Players listingQuote, Played By: Denny Bautista, Page header, Major League Players listing
Major League Players > B Listing > Denny Bautista Statistics and History
Wikipedia: Hank Aaron
WikipediaPlayed By: Hank Aaron, IntroductionQuote, Played By: Hank Aaron, Introduction
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 - January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976.
Wikipedia: Lou Gehrig
WikipediaPlayed By: Lou Gehrig, IntroductionQuote, Played By: Lou Gehrig, Introduction
Henry Louis Gehrig ( GAIR-ig; born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig; June 19, 1903 - June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees.
Wikipedia, Cy Young
WikipediaPlayed By: Cy Young, IntroductionQuote, Played By: Cy Young, Introduction
Denton True "Cy" Young (March 29, 1867 - November 4, 1955) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher and manager.
Wikipedia: Pete Rose
WikipediaPlayed By: Pete Rose, IntroductionQuote, Played By: Pete Rose, Introduction
Peter Edward Rose Sr. (April 14, 1941 - September 30, 2024), nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", was an American professional baseball player and manager.
Jackie Robinson (Wikipedia)
Played By: Jackie Robinson, IntroductionQuote, Played By: Jackie Robinson, Introduction
Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 - October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era.
Chief Bender (Wikipedia)
Played By: Chief Bender, Lead, disciplineQuote, Played By: Chief Bender, Lead, discipline
professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball
George Foster (baseball) (Wikipedia)
Played By: George Foster (baseball), Lead, sportQuote, Played By: George Foster (baseball), Lead, sport
professional baseball player
Dissenting Readings (1 dissenting reading)
Origin Year
Sporting-goods magnate Albert Spalding, wanting to refute the theory that baseball derived from the English game rounders, called in 1905 for an investigation into the sport's origins. A commission chaired by Abraham G. Mills received a letter from mining engineer Abner Graves, who claimed to have watched Abner Doubleday sketch a baseball diamond and lay out rules in Cooperstown, New York. The commission's 1908 report named Doubleday the game's inventor and 1839 its invention year, and that account, not the documented one, is what this atlas treats as the debunked position for its origin-year fact. It does not survive scrutiny: Doubleday was a first-year cadet at West Point in 1839, where new cadets were rarely granted leave, making a trip to Cooperstown implausible; Graves was five years old in 1839 and later made other demonstrably false claims about his own life; and Doubleday, who died in 1893, mentioned baseball only once across his surviving letters and diaries, never as something he invented. The Knickerbocker Rules, codified by Alexander Cartwright in 1845 from rules developed by William R. Wheaton in 1837, remain the earliest secure documented codification, and evidence such as an 1791 Pittsfield, Massachusetts ordinance banning baseball near the meeting house shows the game already existed well before 1839 in any case.
A dissenting reading, from Mills Commission (1908 report), chaired by Abraham G. MillsWikipedia, Doubleday Myth, Wikipedia
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