Although Abner Doubleday is credited with starting the game of baseball in 1839, in Cooperstown, NY, a man named Alexander Cartwright devised the modern rules. In 1845, Cartwright formed the Knickerbocker baseball club of New York. They played in the first recorded baseball match using Cartwright's rules. It took place June 19, 1846 at Elysian Fields in Hoboken, NJ. The New York club beat the Knickerbockers 23-1. Portrait of Alexander Cartwright

The popularity of amateur baseball soon led to the introduction of professional baseball. The first professional team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings. Their success against amateur teams provided incentive to create the first professional baseball league. Formed in 1871, the National Association of Baseball Players increased the popularity of baseball across America. But it was also surrounded by corruption and instability. In 1876, The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs was started with a set of new guidelines with which to reform baseball.

Charles Albert Comisky

Baseball continued to be a rowdy sport into the 1890s. Byron Banford "Ban" Johnson and Charles Albert Comiskey then founded a league based on good virtue and strong leadership. This became the American league, where games were not played on Sunday and women were encouraged to attend. At first, the National League scoffed at the American League. But after the American League lured top National League players away and attracted larger crowds of fans, the National League granted the American League with Major League status.

With this agreement came consistant scheduling, player contracts, and playing guidelines which would be shared by the two leagues. Another product of this agreement was the World Series, which pitted the National League champion against the American League champion in a nine game series (later shortened to seven) that would determine the World Champion of Baseball. The modern era of baseball began in 1903. There were sixteen teams set up in two leagues: The National League consisted of the Boston Braves, Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the St. Louis Cardinals. The American League was made up of the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, St. Louis Browns, Philadelphia Athletics, and Washington Senators. MORE

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