The Game of Baseball was invented in the in the 1800's by Alexander Cartwright. Back in the 1800s different people were coming with ideas of how to play the game but it was alexander ideas that became the more popular. He formalized the rules of baseball. It wasnt until 1869 that Major League Baseball was created. At first there were two different leagues, the American League and the National Team. The first ever pro team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings.
The reference to baseball as national past time came from the New York Mercury newspaper in the 1856. The game was played in New York primarily by immigrants. New commers refined the game and took over. The game of baseball had no obsticles even during world War the game continue its normal course, some player had to leave the game to attend to the war.
Baseball as a Business
William A. Hulbert the owner of the Chicago White Stockings passed away and left his second hand man A. G. Spaulding in charge. Spaulding was the person that came up with the idea that players should be paid like entertainers. He created the Spauldings sporting goods. This goods included balls, bats, gloves and uniforms. This brand still a business of baseball now a days many player use this equipment. A. G. Spaulding now a days is known as the person that created the business of baseball.
National League and American League
In the 1876 the National League was formed, the owner of the Chicago White Stocking along with five other players formed the National League, there were only seven teams in the league: Boston, Cincinnati, St.Louis,Louisville,Hartford, New York and Philadelphia. The owners ruled the league with an iron fist and fired any player that complained. In 1877 four players of the Louisville Grays were accused of gambling. The players allegated that they had thrown the games because the owners of the teams wouldnt payed them.
There Were tow other leagues trying to challenge the dominance of the national league. These leagues were the American Association and Player League. It wasnt until the 1900 that Byron Dan Johnson created the American League with four teams in the league. Johnson signed unemployed players that were fired by the National League. in 1903 a national agreement was signed creating the National Baseball Comission. It was then that Major League Baseball was born. The comission assigned two presidents for each league. In the Fall of 1903 the first ever World Series was played with one team from ech league.
The Black Sox
In 1919 one of the most talked events in baseball history occurred. 8 Players of the Chicago White Sox were occused of gambling and throwing away the World Series versus the Cincinnati Reds. Players were promised alot of money for throwing away the World Series but at the end they only got $20,000. After the players received the money they decided to go ahead and win the series but then mobster Arnold Rothstein sent one of his goons and threatened pitcher Lefty Williams of killing him and his family if the players chose not to throw the series. Williams had no choice to lose the final game of the series. Major League Baseball then decided to ban the eight players involved in the gambling. This ban meant that all eight players cannot enter the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Minor Leagues
In the year 1920 the team of St.Louis Cardinals were struggling with money and they couldnt put a decent team on the field. The Organization decide that instead of buying player for high amount of money they should buy minor league teams and promote their players to the big league team when ready to produce. This idea wasnt accepted by many teams some even called it unamerican. Howver later more teams started to do the same as the St.Louis organization. By the end of the 1920's three of ten players started playing in the major leagues through their teams farm system. Branch Rickie the man behind this idea has never been remembered for this accomplishment.
Night Baseball
There were struggles of attendance because of the depression. The owner of the cincinnati Reds came up with the idea of night baseball to increase fan attendance. The Reds installed lights on their stadium(Crosley Field) so that the team could play baseball under the lights. After that all Major League team started adding lights to their ballparks. The only team that wouldnt included the lights were the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs installed the lighting later on 1988. The Reds general manager not only came up with night baseball he also started the idea of broadcasting games on radio.
Jackie Robinson
In 1946 Branch Rickie with the idea of improving his club decided to sign Jackie Robinson to his minor league squad( Montreal Royals). The signing was the most controversial at the time because Robinson was the first black person to play among the white leagues. The idea wasnt very welcome with all the other Major League teams, many wouldnt allow Robinson to stay on thier city. Branch Rickie continue playing Robinson because he knew that it would give the Broklyn Dodgers an edge in the field. In 1947 the Dodgers finally decided to promote Robinson to the big league club. Jackie Robinson was the target of abuse by fans and teams because he was the very first black player in the league. Rickie and the whole Dodger team received hate letters on the daily basis. Many teams called Rickie asking him not to bring Robinson to the next game. At the end the whole Dodgers team supported Robinson.
West Coast
In 1950 the owner of the Broklyn Dodgers wanted to move from Broklyn to Los Angeles. Walter O'Malley then convinced the New York Giants owner Horance Stoneham to move as well. O'Malley moved the whole team of Broklyn Dodgers to the city of Los Angeles. Stoneham found a place for his team in the west coast as well. He relocated the Giants in the city of San Francisco. It was then when the city of New York was left with just the Yankees, and making room for another New York team later on(New York Mets).
