THIS IS HITORY
Soldiers from both sides played baseball in camps, spreading its popularity across the country. The Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first openly professional team in 1869.The National League was formed in 1876, creating a structured, professional environment. The rival American League was founded in 1901, leading to the first World Series in 1903.
Baseball’s history is a transition from informal 18th-century English bat-and-ball games to a highly standardized, multibillion-dollar global industry. While myths long attributed its creation to Abner Doubleday in 1839, historians confirm it evolved from precursors like rounders and cricket before being codified in the mid-19th century.