• Was baseball originated from 11th century English stoolball? You be the judge
• The English game of rounders is strikingly similar to modern baseball
• Could the game of cricket be how baseball originated?

Many Americans do not like to acknowledge that baseball originated from games that were played in England. It shouldn’t surprise anyone really as America was settled by the English. It only makes sense that they would bring recreational games with them. This doesn’t take away from the fact that America’s pastime was developed and improved by Americans. The way the game is played today is uniquely American and other countries around the world have adopted the modern version of the sport.

Baseball: Born from Stoolball?

Stoolball was being played as early as the 11th century in England. It was also known as stowball and stob-ball in some regions. No one seems to be able to decipher whether stoolball got its name from an actual stool being used or due to the fact that these terms were also used to describe a tree stump.

There were various versions of stoolball. The object of the game was to defend the stool or stump. A “batter” would stand in front of the stool while a “pitcher” threw a ball at it. If the ball hit the stool the batter was out. If the batter hit the ball, sometimes using their hand and sometimes a bat-like object, he scored a point his team. Another version has the batter running back and forth between two stools on a successful hit while the opposing team tried to get him out. Lastly, there was a version that used four stools and the batter had to run around all four to score a point. This may be the version of how baseball originated.

Baseball: Born from Rounders?

The earliest known reference to rounders as being “base-ball” was in a 1744 book called “A Little Pretty Pocketbook.” The game of rounders in England pre-dates the modern game of baseball as we know it. Because the game is so similar is why it is believed to be where baseball originated from.

In rounders, one team takes the field while the other goes up to bat. The game is broken up into innings and points are scored when a runner touches all four bases or posts. The teams consist of nine players per side when taking the field. Does all this sound familiar?

Baseball: Born from Cricket?

Some believe that baseball originated from the sport of cricket. The first known documentation of cricket being played in England is from the 16th century. Cricket is played in a somewhat similar manner to baseball. A batter attempts to hit a ball thrown by the bowler on the opposing team. The aim is to score as many runs as possible while the fielding team tries to “dismiss” them or get them out.

I have no problem if this is how baseball originated. The modern game of baseball was established in the United States and grew to be America’s pastime. So maybe the “idea” of baseball originated in England; however it was perfected in the States.

As an electronic scoreboards continue to light up.