Play Ball! The Rise of Baseball as America's Pastime

Why the year 1920 is considered a pivotal year in baseball; achieving a sense of uniformity in the game; examining the years before 1920, when changes in the game were rapid, dramatic, and often surprising.

A look back at the beginnings of baseball; how and why the early version of the game evolved in the middle of the 19th century C.E.; learning how early clubs like the Gothams and the Knickerbockers helped repurpose a child's game for urban adults.

Exploring the rise of amateur baseball clubs in the United States; the outings of Brooklyn's Eckford Club; the rise of the Knickerbocker Club of New York City and the significance of their 1845 decision to write down the rules of the game.

How the game of baseball moved toward professionalism; what made professionalization polarizing; studying future Hall of Famer Harry Wright, who helped pave the way for professional baseball's success by assembling a talented group of players.

How baseball found a formula for 20th-century success after three tumultuous decades; leagues and associations; the transformations of minor leagues into major ones; the competitive relationships between leagues; the national agreement of 1883.

Increasing public confidence in the outcome of competitive baseball; offering a valuable prize to the winners; the turbulent evolution of the post-season series; the first World Series between the Boston Americans and the National League Pirates.