Baseball - Amateur, Leagues, History

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Further, play by U.S. military teams helped make baseball a minor sport in The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, England, Spain, Australia, and Tunisia. Amateur teams worldwide are represented by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), which was formed by American Leslie Mann in 1938. 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Further, play by U.S. military teams helped make baseball a minor sport in The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, England, Spain, Australia, and Tunisia. Amateur teams worldwide are represented by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), which was formed by American Leslie Mann in 1938. 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class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/baseball">baseball</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/sports/baseball">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref229944"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball#ref229944">A national pastime</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref30429"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/History">History</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30430"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/History#ref30430">Origin</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30431"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/History#ref30431">Early years</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30432"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/History#ref30432">Professional baseball</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30433"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/League-formation">League formation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30434"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/League-formation#ref30434">Survival and growth</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30435"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/The-postwar-period">The postwar period</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30436"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/The-postwar-period#ref30436">Movement and expansion</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30437"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/The-minor-leagues">The minor leagues</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229945"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/The-minor-leagues#ref229945">Labor issues</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30440"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/The-minor-leagues#ref30440">Rise of the players</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229946"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Black-players-in-baseball">Black players in baseball</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229947"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Black-players-in-baseball#ref229947">Segregation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229948"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Integration">Integration</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229949"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Integration#ref229949">Women in baseball</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30443"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball">Amateur baseball</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30442"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball#ref30442">Baseball abroad</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229950"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball#ref229950">Baseball in Latin America</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229951"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball#ref229951">Baseball in Asia and the Pacific</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229952"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball#ref229952">European baseball</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229953"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball#ref229953">International competition</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref229954"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Analyzing-baseball">Analyzing baseball</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229955"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Analyzing-baseball#ref229955">The scorecard</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229956"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Analyzing-baseball#ref229956">Records and statistics</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229957"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards">Awards</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229958"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards#ref229958">Fantasy baseball</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref30444"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards#ref30444">Play of the game</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30445"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards#ref30445">Field of play and equipment</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref229959"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards#ref229959">Grounds</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30446"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Awards#ref30446">The ball and bat</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30447"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves">Gloves</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30448"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30448">Protective gear</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref229960"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref229960">Umpires</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref30450"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30450">Principles of play</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30451" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30451">Offense</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref30460"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30460">The batting order</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref229961"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref229961">Getting on base</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref229962"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref229962">Advancing base runners and scoring</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref30461"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30461">Substitutions</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref30462" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30462">Defense</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref30467"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Gloves#ref30467">Defensive positions</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref30468"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders">Outfielders</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref30469"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders#ref30469">Infielders</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref30470"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders#ref30470">The battery</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref229963"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders#ref229963">Outs</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref229964"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders#ref229964">The putout</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref229965"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Outfielders#ref229965">The force play</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref30471"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Pitching">Pitching</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref30474"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Pitching#ref30474">The pitching repertoire</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h5"><li data-target="#ref229966"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Pitching#ref229966">Pitching with men on base</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref229967"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Pitching#ref229967">Substitutions</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref229968"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/Baseball-and-the-arts">Baseball and the arts</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref302559"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/baseball/World-Series-results">World Series results</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref302560"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" 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Stripped of indu" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/were-the-nazis-socialists" >Were the Nazis Socialists?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/10-best-sports-rivalries-of-all-time"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/53/189653-131-A7E9422A/Kevin-Garnett-shooting-Ronny-Turiaf-Boston-Celtics-2008.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="NBA Lakers Celtics Finals Kevin Garnett shooting." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/10-best-sports-rivalries-of-all-time" >10 Great Sports Rivalries</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <button class="drawerToggle btn position-sticky border btn-xs btn-white btn-circle rounded-sm d-none d-lg-flex " type="button" aria-label="Toggle Drawer"> <em class="material-icons font-18 text-blue" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="h-100 ml-0 pr-lg-0 "> <div class="h-100 grid gx-0 gx-lg-20"> <div class="h-100 col-sm"> <div class="h-100 infinite-pagination-container d-flex flex-column position-relative"> <div class="position-absolute top-0 h-100 w-100"> <div class="toc-sticky-header d-none d-lg-none bg-gray-50 px-10 px-sm-30 position-sticky w-100 "> <div class="toc-sticky-header-inner-container align-items-center d-flex mx-auto h-100 w-100"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-sm btn-white text-blue border-2 border-gray-100 gtm-mobile-toc-header-button js-sections-button d-lg-none p-10"> <em class="material-icons my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Contents </button> <div class="header-ai-simplify-button-placeholder"></div> <div class="header-ai-ask-button-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grey-box w-100 grey-box-top"> <div class="grey-box-content mx-auto w-100"> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 1, "item" : { "@id" : "https://www.britannica.com/browse/Sports-Recreation", "name": "Sports & Recreation" } } , { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 2, "item" : { "@id" : "https://www.britannica.com/browse/Baseball", "name": "Baseball" } } ] } </script> <nav class="breadcrumb mt-20"> <span class="breadcrumb-item "> <a class="link-gray-600" href="/browse/Sports-Recreation">Sports & Recreation</a> </span> <span class="breadcrumb-item "> <a class="link-gray-600" href="/browse/Baseball">Baseball</a> </span> </nav> <div class="page2ref-true topic-content topic-type-REGULAR" data-student-article="false"> <script class="page-description-json" type="application/json"> { "url": "/sports/baseball/Amateur-baseball", "shareUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/sports/baseball", "browserTitle": "Baseball - 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Editor of the <i>Writing Baseball</i> series. Author of <i>Extra Innings: Writing on Baseball</i> and <i>The Pirates Reader.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Richard Frank Peterson</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Milton-Jamail/4957" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Milton Jamail</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Lecturer, Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin. Author of <em>Full Count: Inside Cuban Baseball</em>.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Milton Jamail</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/baseball/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-12T00:00:00CST" >Feb 12, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/baseball/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Key People: </dt> <dd><a href="/biography/Nolan-Arenado" topicid="2109470">Nolan Arenado</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Omar-Vizquel" topicid="1729491">Omar Vizquel</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Juan-Soto" topicid="2238185">Juan Soto</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Freddie-Freeman" topicid="2244118">Freddie Freeman</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Jose-Ramirez-infielder" topicid="2234117">José Ramírez</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/sports/history-of-baseball" topicid="2230583">history of baseball</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Baseball-Positions-and-Roles" topicid="2243868">Baseball Positions and Roles</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/earned-run-average" topicid="693104">earned run average</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/no-hitter" topicid="1256157">no-hitter</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/spring-training" topicid="1470606">spring training</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/baseball"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/54751/1f2e4d35165331544858e9dd45306ffa" rel="nofollow">Baseball welcomes another season, with most pitchers and catchers reporting Wednesday</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 12, 2025, 6:59 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1"><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="2" id="ref30443">  <span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">After the divorce of amateur baseball in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> from its professional counterpart in 1871, the amateur game continued to thrive on vacant lots in towns and cities and on pastures in the countryside. Becoming popular internationally, amateur baseball traveled to Latin America and Asia. Further, play by U.S. military teams helped make baseball a minor sport in The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, England, Spain, Australia, and Tunisia. Amateur teams <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="worldwide" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/worldwide" data-type="EB">worldwide</a> are represented by the <span id="ref402621"></span>International Baseball Federation (IBAF), which was formed by American Leslie Mann in 1938. The organization, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, has hosted a Baseball World Cup since 1938.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">As would be expected, baseball is one of the more important amateur <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/sports" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">sports</a> in the United States. The first national amateur baseball program was the American Legion Junior League, founded in 1926 and later called the American Legion Baseball League, with an upper age limit of 19 years for players. The <span id="ref402617"></span>American Amateur Baseball Congress (founded 1935) conducts programs for youths age 8 to 19 and adults in seven divisions. By the late 1990s <span id="ref402618"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Little-League" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Little League</a> (founded 1939), originally for boys 8 to 12 years old, had about 2,500,000 players in its baseball program and 400,000 in its <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/softball" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">softball</a> program in 102 countries. Little League has added leagues for children as young as age 5 (<span id="ref782985"></span>Tee Ball, in which the ball is batted from a stationary pedestal) and for youths as old as age 18 (Big League). In 1974 girls were admitted into Little League play; boys and girls play together in the baseball program, but the softball program is divided by gender. Other programs for young players include the <span id="ref402619"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Babe-Ruth-League" class="md-crosslink ">Babe Ruth League</a> (1952) and <span id="ref402620"></span>PONY (Protect Our Nation’s Youth) Baseball, Inc. (1951).</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">American <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="collegiate" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collegiate" data-type="MW">collegiate</a> baseball is governed by the <span id="ref782988"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/National-Collegiate-Athletic-Association" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">National Collegiate Athletic Association</a> (NCAA). By 2000 more than 850 colleges fielded baseball teams under the NCAA. From 1947 the organization has conducted the College World Series, held since 1950 in Omaha, Nebraska.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/contributor/Jerome-Holtzman/1364">Jerome Holtzman</a></span> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span> </section> <section data-level="2" id="ref30442"> <h2 class="h2">Baseball abroad</h2> <section data-level="3" id="ref229950"> <h2 class="h3">Baseball in Latin America</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Baseball was first played in the United States in the 1840s but soon after became an international sport. The game was introduced in <span id="ref402614"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cuba" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cuba</a> in 1864 when students returned home from the United States with a bat and ball. Baseball took hold and in fact became part of the Cuban identity in the independence struggle against Spain in the last quarter of the 19th century. Cubans helped spread the game throughout the Caribbean region. Two Cuban brothers brought baseball to the <span id="ref783100"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Dominican-Republic" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Dominican Republic</a> in the 1880s, and Cubans, along with local nationals who had studied in the United States, introduced baseball to <span id="ref783101"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Venezuela" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Venezuela</a> in 1895 and to <span id="ref783102"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Puerto-Rico" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Puerto Rico</a> in 1897.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Cuban refugees from the independence struggle, along with railroad workers and U.S. <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="merchant" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/merchant" data-type="EB">merchant</a> marines, introduced baseball to various regions of <span id="ref402613"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mexico" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mexico</a> between 1877 and the 1890s. Today baseball remains the most important sport in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela and is among the most popular sports in Puerto Rico. Football (soccer) remains the dominant sport in Mexico but is challenged by baseball in certain regions of the country; baseball is also an important sport in <span id="ref783133"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Central-America" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Central America</a>. In the final decades of the 20th century, players from Latin American countries and Puerto Rico became an increasingly dominant force in major league baseball in the United States. <em>See also</em> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Latin-Americans-in-Major-League-Baseball-910675" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sidebar: Latin Americans in Major League Baseball</a>.</p><div class="module-spacing"> </div><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Professional leagues currently exist in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. Games are played between October and January, with the winners of the four leagues meeting in the Caribbean Series each February. In Mexico there is also a summer league <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="affiliated" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affiliated" data-type="MW">affiliated</a> with Minor League Baseball (the governing body of minor league baseball in the United States) that has been given Triple A status. In both the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, summer rookie leagues are affiliated with Minor League Baseball.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Professional baseball leagues existed in Cuba (<em>see also</em> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cuban-League" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cuban League</a>) from 1878 until 1961, when the Cuban government abolished the professional game. With all the Cuban talent now at the amateur level, the Cubans began to dominate international amateur competition, winning the first gold medals given in baseball at the <span id="ref782989"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Olympic Games</a> in Barcelona (1992).</p><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="3" id="ref229951"> <h2 class="h3">Baseball in Asia and the Pacific</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Baseball was introduced in <span id="ref402615"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Japan</a> in the 1870s. It quickly gained popularity and by the end of the century had become a national sport. Today the annual Koshien tournament in Ōsaka, featuring the country’s top high-school teams, is nationally televised and can draw more than 50,000 fans.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">A professional league was organized in 1936, and the two current leagues, the Central and the Pacific, began to operate in 1950 (<em>see also</em> <span id="ref783134"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Japanese-baseball-leagues" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Japanese baseball leagues</a>). The champions of the two leagues meet each October in the <span id="ref783135"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Japan-Series" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Japan Series</a>, the equivalent of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/World-Series" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">World Series</a> in the United States. The most famous Japanese professional player is <span id="ref402616"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sadaharu-Oh" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Oh Sadaharu</a>, who hit 868 home runs while playing for the Yomiuri Giants between 1959 and 1980. (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barry-Bonds" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Barry Bonds</a>, the leading home-run hitter in U.S. major league baseball, had a career total of 762.)</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">While the Japanese leagues have long imported players from the United States, only recently have Japanese players begun to play in the major leagues in the United States. In 1995 pitcher <span id="ref783136"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hideo-Nomo" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hideo Nomo</a> became the first Japanese citizen to join a U.S. major league team, after pitching professionally in the Japanese major leagues. Nomo won National League <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="Rookie" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/Rookie" data-type="EB">Rookie</a> of the Year honors for his performance with the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Los-Angeles-Dodgers" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> in 1995, became a hero in Japan, and drew the attention of the American public to the quality of Japanese baseball. <span id="ref783137"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ichiro-Suzuki" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ichiro Suzuki</a>, as an outfielder with the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Seattle-Mariners" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Seattle Mariners</a> at the turn of the 21st century, was another player who impressed American baseball fans. ***</p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD11 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Baseball is also an important sport in Korea, where there is a professional league, the <span id="ref783138"></span>Korea Baseball Organization, that has fielded an eight-team circuit since 1982. Taiwan, which has produced several Little League world champion teams, has two professional leagues, the <span id="ref783139"></span>Chinese Professional Baseball League, a four-team league that started in 1990, and the <span id="ref783140"></span>Taiwan Major League, a four-team league that began operations in 1997. Australia has an eight-team professional league, the <span id="ref783141"></span>International Baseball Association Australia, which started in 1989.</p><span class="marker MOD11 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="3" id="ref229952"> <h2 class="h3">European baseball</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD12 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Although professional sports in Europe are dominated by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-the-games" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">football</a> (soccer), <span id="ref783142"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Italy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Italy</a> has a 9-team professional baseball league and <span id="ref783143"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Netherlands" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">The Netherlands</a> a 10-team <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="circuit" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/circuit" data-type="EB">circuit</a>. Both Italy and The Netherlands qualified to compete in baseball at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.</p><span class="marker MOD12 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="3" id="ref229953"> <h2 class="h3">International competition</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD13 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="94325" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/50/98250-050-648FF850/championship-trophy-World-Baseball-Classic.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/54751/94325"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/50/98250-050-648FF850/championship-trophy-World-Baseball-Classic.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/50/98250-050-648FF850/championship-trophy-World-Baseball-Classic.jpg?w=300" alt="World Baseball Classic championship trophy" data-width="1016" data-height="1476" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/50/98250-050-648FF850/championship-trophy-World-Baseball-Classic.jpg" data-href="/media/1/54751/94325">World Baseball Classic championship trophy</a><span>The championship trophy of the World Baseball Classic.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Baseball debuted as an <span id="ref783144"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Olympic</a> sport at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain, and in the late 1990s the International Baseball Federation permitted professionals to play in international competitions. But because the Olympic <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Summer-Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Summer Games</a> take place during the Major League Baseball season, the Olympic tournament failed to attract the top players in the sport. In 2005 the <span id="ref888030"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/International-Olympic-Committee" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">International Olympic Committee</a> voted to drop the sport from the Summer program following the 2008 Olympics. That same year the International Baseball Federation sanctioned the World Baseball Classic, a triennial international competition between national teams consisting of professional and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="amateur" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/amateur" data-type="EB">amateur</a> players. The inaugural <span id="ref888031"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/World-Baseball-Classic" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World Baseball Classic</a> was held in March 2006. It featured 16 teams from all parts of the globe and was won by Japan.</p><span class="marker MOD13 mod-inline"></span> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/contributor/Milton-Jamail/4957">Milton Jamail</a></span> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span> </section> </section> </section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":8,"pagesTotal":15,"pageId":54751,"pageLength":1243,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":8,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Baseball - Amateur, Leagues, History | Britannica