Baseball is a popular sport that dates back to the 18th century. The game was invented by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, New York. Later on, it became the national pastime of the United States. The game’s early history is not entirely clear, however, because Doubleday was not at West Point at the time of its invention. He was already dead, but the story was spun around the words “Abner Doubleday” by a man who claimed to have seen him draw a diagram of the game.
The Doubleday myth claims that baseball was invented in 1839 by future American Civil War general Abner Doubleday. This claim was accepted by the Mills Commission, but most baseball historians consider it to be unfounded. Nevertheless, the story of the game’s birth has long been disputed. In Cooperstown, there’s a baseball museum, where you can learn more about the history of baseball.
The original story suggests that Doubleday invented the game in 1839 while he was a student at West Point. However, in 1907, the Mills Commission, led by former major leaguer and sporting goods magnate A.J. Spalding, commissioned a study to determine who actually invented baseball. Doubleday was not present at the 1839 game, but his diaries do show that he was a student there.
A new book based on the true history of baseball’s origin has emerged. How Baseball Happened explores the life and times of those who invented the sport. The true founders of the sport were thousands of amateurs in the middle of the 19th century, who played without protective gear or any performance incentives. They also led busy lives outside of baseball, practicing professions, building businesses, and fighting in the Civil War.