| The first and earliest written evidence of | | | | major differences between its depiction and |
| baseball in America is a bylaw written in | | | | the modern game.The 1791 Massachusetts by-law |
| 1791 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The | | | | banned the playing of the game within 80 |
| document, discovered by Society for Baseball | | | | yards of the town meeting house. The first |
| Research member John Thorn in 2004, offers | | | | documented formal organization to play |
| strong evidence that baseball is a unique | | | | baseball in America was the NY Knickerbockers |
| American game, and it casts doubt on the long | | | | established on September 23, 1845. The first |
| held belief that baseball was derived from | | | | rules were written by Alexander Cartwright, |
| rounders, a British game. It also raises the | | | | considered to be the Father of modern |
| question of the origins of cricket, as it has | | | | baseball. However, long before this time ball |
| been widely thought that baseball followed | | | | playing of one sort or another was noted by |
| cricket, which was developed from a folk game | | | | many authors and in many documents.A May 8, |
| known as stool ball (1085 A.D).As far back as | | | | 1844 city Ordinance in New York City |
| 2000 B.C. ball and stick type games have been | | | | prohibits "ball" playing of any sort. Abner |
| played. Hieroglyphics depict ancient | | | | Doubleday was said to have "invented" the |
| Egyptians playing a game similar to baseball | | | | game of baseball in 1839, although a later |
| in 1500 B.C., although there exists some | | | | inquiry proved this to be a myth. |