Baseball’s history

Hit the ball over the fence and you can take

your time going around the bases.

John W. Raper

Baseball is thought to be a direct descendant of cricket, rounders, though the game’s origins are uncertain. Alexander Cartwright published the first known list of rules in 1845 to meet the demands of the already popular sport, and today’s rules of baseball have evolved from them.

Professional baseball began in the United States around 1865, and the National League was founded in 1876. Several other leagues formed and failed, but the American League, formed in 1893 as the Western League, did succeed. While rivals who fought for the best players, the two major leagues began playing a World Series in 1903. Professional baseball leagues began to form in countries outside of America in the 1920s and 1930s, including the Netherlands (formed in 1922), Japan (1936), and Australia (1934). Today, the whole of Europe all have professional leagues as well. Competition be­tween national teams, such as the World Cup of Baseball and the Olympic baseball tournament, has been administered by the International Baseball Federation since its formation in 1938. As of 2004, this organization has 112 member coun­tries.

The whole history of baseball can be divided into the five distinct periods. Each era had its own highs and lows and each era had an influence on the one that came directly after it.

The period 1900 — 1919 is known as the Dead Ball Era. The Dead Ball Era is generally considered to have lasted from the turn of the century into the beginning of the roaring ’20s.

The period 1920 — 45 is known as Baseball’s Rebirth.

The period 1946 — 60 is known as the Golden Years. The landscape of baseball changed forever during this era. Black athletes were no longer kept off the field. They were allowed to become Major League players thanks to Jackie Robinson and Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey.

The period 1961 — 79 is known as baseball’s boom. The structure of the leagues also changed during this period. New stadiums arrived on the scene.

The period also brought shifts in a number of franchises as teams moved into new areas and new markets.

During the first half of the 20th century, a «gentle­men’s agreement» effectively barred non-white players from the major leagues, resulting in the formation of several Negro Leagues. Finally in 1947, Major League Baseball’s colour barrier was broken when Jackie Robinson was signed by the National League’s Brooklyn Dodgers. Although it was not instantaneous, baseball has since become fully in­tegrated. Despite the popularity of baseball, the players became unsatisfied, as they believed the owners had too much control. A series of strikes and lockouts began in baseball, affecting portions of the 1972 and 1981 seasons and culminating in the infamous strike of 1994 that led to the cancellation of the World Series. The popularity of baseball diminished greatly as a result, and fans were slow to return.

EXERCISE 1.Answer the following questions.

1. What are the origins of baseball?

2. How many eras in baseball history can be distinguished?

3. Why were non-white players from the major leagues barred in the first half of the 20^th century?

4. When was Major League Baseball’s colour barrier broken?

5. Who was the first non-white player to play in the Major League?

6. Why were the World Series 1994 canceled?

7. When was the period of Golden Years in baseball history?

8. What were the main features of this period?

9. When did baseball’s boom take place?

10. Is baseball popular in the USA?

11. What is the main purpose of the International Baseball Federation?

12. When was the International Baseball Federation founded?

13. When did Professional baseball leagues begin to form in countries outside of America?

14. When did Professional baseball begin in the United States?

15. What is the dead era in the baseball history?

16. Is baseball played in Europe?

EXERCISE 2. Read and translate the introductory text from English into Ukrainian.

EXERCISE 3. Retell the introductory text.

EXERCISE 4. Translate from Ukrainian into English.

1. Вважається, що бейсбол походить від крикету, англійської лапти, хоча саме походження гри неясно. 2. Професійний бейсбол в Сполучених Штатах з'явився близько 1865, а Національна ліга була заснована в 1876. 3. За межами Америки професійні бейсбольні ліги почали формуватися в 1920-30-х роках. 4. Період з 1920 по 1945 рік відомий як відродження бейсболу. Період 1946 - 60 рр. відомий як золоті роки. 5. Вся історія бейсболу може бути розділена на п'ять різних періодів. 6. Чорношкірим атлетам було дозволено грати у Вищій лізі. 7. Популярність бейсболу сильно впала, і повернення фанів відбувалося повільно. 8. Нарешті в 1947 р. кольоровий бар'єр бейсболу Вищої ліги був зламаний. 9. Змаганнями між національними командами, такими як Кубок світу з бейсболу та Олімпійський турнір з бейсболу, управляла Міжнародна федерація бейсболу починаючи з дня її заснування в 1938 році.