The history of baseball started in the eighteenth century during the American civil war. Prisoners on both sides would play the game to pass the time of captivity and guards allowed the play because it kept the prisoners occupied. When the war was over the game continued to be played and became popular in small and large cities around the country.
Ball teams were formed in towns, villages, and cities and each community boasted of having the best team around. Teams represented businesses, churches, and chambers of commerce, who would sponsor teams with financial backing. Once players were paid to play the game and spectators were charged to watch the baseball was never the same.
What was once a game played by civil war prisoners to pass time has evolved into a billion dollar industry that many say is the country's favorite pastime. There are many historical moments that standout such as the year the first World Series was played or when the first black player, Jackie Robinson, played in the major leagues.
One of the most well known movies about baseball is Pride of The Yankees which is a biographical movie about Lou Gehrig who played for the New York Yankees up until the nineteen thirties. Gehrig was a power hitter who hit many home runs over his career. He is best known for playing in more consecutive games than any other player until his record of over two thousand consecutive games was broken about seventy years after Gehrig's death.
Gehrig developed a debilitating and deadly disease which eventually took his life before he reached the age of forty. He is remembered for giving a heartfelt farewell speech in Yankee stadium to a packed house stating that he was the luckiest man on the face of the earth for having the opportunity to play baseball. This is only one of the many emotional scenes that have taken place on the ball field and it is emotion that makes this game so popular.
The excitement of the game keeps fans coming back for more because even though many people think that this game is boring it is really a very exciting game. One of the most exciting players of all time was Willie Mays who played for the New York and San Francisco Giants. In the World Series Mays made a remarkable catch of a fly ball that helped win the game and series for his team. Mays caught the long fly ball running at full speed with his back to the ball over his shoulder to the amazement of the fans in the stadium.
Baseball, which started in the days of the American Civil War is now considered by many to be the country's pastime and number one game. The interest in the game continues to grow each year because people simply love to play and watch baseball.
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Learn all about the history of football and who some of the best National Football League teams of all time are. Or find out about the culture of Ancient Greece and Greek goddesses such as Persephone and Athena.
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