Major League Baseball: A brief overview

Unlike professional basketball and American football, curiosity in baseball has not been sweeping the globe. Declining contribution at the amateur level and prolonged labor problems at the specialized level have thrust " America's Pastime" into an era of indecision. Despite this current adversity, baseball will always occupy an significant place in American culture. This column starts a three part look at the history of baseball.

Most cultures have some sort of stick and ball game, cricket being the most well-known. While the exact origins of baseball are unidentified, most historians agree that it is based on the English game of rounders. It began to become quote accepted in this country in the early 19th century, and many sources report the mounting popularity of a diversion called "townball", "base", or "baseball".

all through the early part of that century, small towns formed teams, and baseball clubs were formed in bigger cities. In 1845, Alexander Cartwright wanted to celebrate a list of rules by which all team could play. Much of that innovative code is still in place today. Although popular myth says that the game was invented by Abner Doubleday, baseball's true father was Cartwright.

MLB Baseball News

Young backstops will stack up with past greats Plays at the plate, sliders in the dirt — catching isn't easy. Yet guys like Joe Mauer may be ushering in a new era, Dayn Perry says.

Q&A: Is Jeter ready to finally tie the knot? Is New York's most eligible bachelor finally ready to settle down? Derek Jeter spills the beans in a candid Q&A with Steve Serby.

Rosenthal's Full Count Detroit is hoarding DHs, so why not sign Barry Bonds? Ken Rosenthal says the controversial move isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Team reports: Rangers making their pitch As the Rangers' team ERA declines, the team's win total continues to rise. What's behind the surprising turnaround in Texas?

LIVE: Dodgers' Kuroda loses no-hit bid in 7th