Essay on Baseball

Essay on Baseball

Let’s play a game!!! The sentence that always brings smiles to our faces. When we hear the word ‘game’, the word itself is enough for bringing joy and happiness to everyone’s face whether children or adults. Yes, we all had played several games in our life. With due time, games and sports are changed. The games we used to play earlier have turned old. Modern kids enjoy playing modern games and sports. Games can be indoor or outdoor. The kids of the new generation are mostly engaged in playing indoor games. However, the importance of outdoor games cannot be neglected. One of the outdoor games is baseball. Today we will get to know about the baseball game in brief.

Short and Long Essay on Baseball in English

Find here 10 lines essay on baseball and long essay on Baseball in simple language so that it could be easily understandable by school and college students:

10 Lines Essay on Baseball (100-120 Words)

1) The emergence of baseball can be seen from the mid-18th century.

2) Baseball is the successor of other stick and ball games like rounder and Stoolball.

3) There are 9 players in a baseball game.

4) It is a game between two teams that involves winning by scoring the highest runs.

5) Baseball is considered the national sport of the United States.

6) The first baseball World Series was played on 1 October 1903 between Boston and Pittsburgh.

7) The baseball field is diamond-shaped and is divided into infield and outfield.

8) Ball, bats, gloves, cleats, helmets, etc are the basic requirements of a baseball game.

9) Unlike many other games, there are four umpires to judge the game.

10) In 1985, India hosted its first NATIONAL Baseball Championship.


Long Essay on Baseball – 1500 Words

Introduction

Baseball is a game that is known by many other names like a ballgame, rounder, etc. Baseball is also considered as the modified form of other older English games like Stoolball and Rounders. This game is popular in many countries but is mostly followed by Japan, Canada, and the United States.

It is a game in which two teams compete with each other to win the game. The game is played with a stick and ball. The opposing team throws a ball to the batter and the batter will have to hit the ball and score runs. The winning team will be declared with the highest score at the end of the match.

Origin Of Baseball

The game of baseball originated in the mid-18th century. The game was inspired by various other stick and ball games. The modern version of baseball was developed in North America. However, baseball gained its popularity in the late 19th century and also became the national sport of the United States. Gradually the popularity of this game flourished in various countries like the Caribbean, Japan, Taiwan, North America, South Asia, etc.

Some references show the existence of baseball in the 1700s, in England where it was known by the name ‘Rounders’. In 1845, the first rules were formalized in the United States by Alexander Cartwright for a baseball club ‘Knickerbockers’. As per reports, in 1846, the first baseball game was played by the knickerbockers but officially the first recorded baseball game was played on 19 June 1846 in Hoboken, New Jersey.

The first professional league, the National Association of Professional Baseball Players was founded in 1871. However, in 1903 the first world series was held between the American League (AL) champion, Boston, and National League (NL) champion, Pittsburg.

Rules & Regulations Of Baseball

There are two teams of 9 players each in this game. Like many other games, the main objective of baseball is to score more runs than the opposite team. The team with the highest score after all nine innings is declared the winner of the game. If the match is drawn after the 9th inning, then an extra-inning is provided to judge the scores.

The bowler who throws the ball is called a pitcher in this game. The pitcher has to throw the ball directly towards the batsman without any drops. The batsman will try to hit the ball with all the strength so that he will get more time to score runs by running all the bases. The batsman has to run from one base to the second similarly the runner on the second base will run to the third base and the runner from the third base will run to the home plate and will get a chance to bat. In due course of time if the baseman catches the ball, then the runner will be declared out.

If the batsman is unable to hit balls three times continuously and the balls are under the hit area then the batsman is declared out. Similarly, if the bowler throws balls outside the hitting area continuously four times, then points are awarded to the batsman.

If the batsman hit the ball over the outfield, it is considered a home run. When a batter hits a home run with a runner present at all the bases, it is considered as a Grand slam, for which 4 points will be awarded to the batter.

Baseball Field

The baseball field is divided into two parts; infield and outfield. The infield is mostly covered with sand and dirt whereas the outfield consists of grass. The infield is square and the distance between the bases is 90 feet.

The field is diamond-shaped. The field contains four bases which the runner had to cover to score runs. The base where the batsman stands is known as the home plate. At the other three bases, three other runners stand. Along with the runner, the baseman also stands to catch the bowl. In the middle of the infield, the pitcher stands and throws the ball.

Apart from this one shortstop is also present in the infield to help the baseman by giving them balls. Three outfielders are present outside the inner fields that are on the outfields to pass and catch the ball. Umpires are present at every base to judge the method of playing.

Equipment Required

There is certain equipment required to play the game. Some of the major things are listed below:

  • Ball: The color of the ball is white with red stitches in it. It is basically a rubber core covered with leather. Some balls are covered with plastic to make them more suitable in rainy weather. The round and hardball are about 9 inches and 5 ounces in weight.
  • Cleats: To maintain a proper grip on the ground while running cleats are required by the players. These are special shoes made up of either rubber or metal.
  • Bat: The baseball bat can be made up of wood or aluminum. However, bamboo bats are very popular as aluminum bats are not allowed in most professional leagues. The size of the bat varies between 32 to 34 inches for youth bats and adult bats respectively.
  • Gloves: All the players wear leather gloves to protect their hands and fingers. The gloves are not compulsory for the batter but he can wear them to set a good grip. The gloves of the infield and outfield players are different from each other.
  •  Helmet: The helmet is worn by the batsman as well as by the catchers to protect their head and face from the ball. The helmet of the catcher is similar to that of a goalkeeper.
  • Uniform: The players are required to wear certain uniforms when playing in any tournament or league. Each team has a different uniform that differentiates them from each other.
  • Other Accessories: Other additional accessories like sunglasses and caps are worn by the players to avoid the sun rays. Many other guards are also used to protect knees and elbows from injury.

Baseball In India

In India, baseball emerged from the state of Manipur during World War II. In 1983, the Amateur Baseball Federation of India was established. The first national baseball championship of India occurred in 1985.

On 5 February 2007, the first ballpark (a place where baseball can be played) at the Gurgaon-Delhi border was established in India. In 2013, Raunak Sahni, a baseball enthusiast, had set up the Grand Slam Baseball to encourage and organize tournaments and programs across the world for the youths.

In 2019, in order to promote this game throughout the nation MLB (Major League Baseball) announced plans to open an office in New Delhi. MLB has taken various steps to increase the growth of baseball like organizing workshops in schools, constructing pitches, etc. The MLB also marked that to increase the popularity of baseball and cricket; there may be a collaboration with the BCCI.

Baseball In Olympics

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) governs the baseball Olympics. In 1904 it unofficially debuted in the Summer Olympics. Finally, in 1992 baseball was officially considered the Olympic sport in Barcelona.

After that, it participated every year in the Olympics until the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. It was dropped from the Olympics and then showed its appearance in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. Japan, Israel, Mexico, South Korea, Dominican Republic, and the United States are the participating countries.

In 2020, only five sports were selected in the Summer Olympics and baseball was one of them. However, baseball is next expected to enter the Summer Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles.

Baseball Vs Cricket

Some people think that baseball is the same as cricket as they both involve a bat and a ball. The basic principles of these two games are the same but they are different in terms of their rules, techniques, and terminologies of playing.

  • Number Of Players: The number of players in cricket is more than the number of players in baseball. There are 11 players in cricket whereas 9 players in baseball.
  • Way Of Scoring: In cricket, a score is made by hitting the ball and running between the wickets. But in the case of baseball, there is nothing like wickets. The runner had to run from one base to another.
  • Ground Or Field: The field of cricket is oval whereas in baseball there are two fields; infield and outfield. However, the field is diamond in shape.
  • Equipment Required: The common equipment in both games is a ball and a bat. Apart from these many other things are needed that are different in both of these games.
  • Rules Of The Game: The rules of both games are different in various ways. There are different rules in both of these games to declare a player out. However, there are 4 umpires present in baseball whereas in cricket there is only one umpire required.
  • Terminology: Some terminologies like wicket-keeper in cricket are known as the catcher in baseball. Similarly, the bowler who throws the ball is known as a pitcher in baseball.

Conclusion

Baseball is an interesting game that was very popular in ancient times. But now the popularity of baseball is decreasing. The players of MLB (Major League Baseball) were less interactive and active in the social sites when compared with the players of other games. Today’s generation is keenly interested in following their favorite sports person on different social sites. This could be the reason for the rapid decline of the youth’s interest in this game.


I hope the above-provided essay on baseball will be helpful for you. So, after knowing the details of this game, would you like to play this game or not?

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FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions on Baseball

Q.1 Who is considered the father of Baseball?

Ans. Henry Chadwick, an English-American sportswriter was considered the father of baseball due to his contribution to the development of this game.

Q.2 Is baseball a game or sport?

Ans. Baseball is considered as a game, not a sport because players need not be an athlete to play this game.

Q.3 What is a strike in baseball?

Ans. When a hitter misses the pitched ball, it is considered a strike.

Q.4 Which is the oldest sport in the world?

Ans. Wrestling is considered the oldest sport in the world.