Baseball is a sport that unifies people across all demographics and bridges the gap between generations. Its rich history is part of the fabric of our country. Legends have been born on the fields for their athletic feats, but these players often symbolize more than their accomplishments with a bat, glove, and ball. They represent greatness, hope, promise, success, grit, determination and inspiration. Kids who love learning everything they can about the game will enjoy these most intriguing facts about baseball.
Baseball History, Records, And Trivia for Children
There are no other sports quite like baseball that unify generations of people who love watching players work magic on the field. Over the course of a couple of hours and nine innings, no one quite knows what will happen. Some games are packed with big hits and incredible plays on the field. Other games turn into pitching duals with all eyes on every fastball, curveball and change-up that could make the difference between winning or losing the game. Children's books about baseball capture all of these incredible moments of both celebration and disappointment. There is undoubtedly something special about the start of a game where either team, whether the powerhouse or the underdog, can come out on top. Little ones who catch the fever will eventually want to join a team and experience for themselves firsthand all the ways kids benefit by playing baseball. Meanwhile, here is some incredible baseball trivia including mind-blowing records held by the greatest players and other fascinating history.
(1) The first recorded competitive game of baseball was played in Hoboken, New Jersey.
In 1846, the KnickerBockers lost to the New York Mutuals on Elysian Fields. The game was over after four innings with a final score of 23-1. Alexander Cartwright, who was the umpire for this landmark game, is credited with recording the rules of the game one year earlier in 1845. In a game that more closely resembled cricket than modern day baseball, there were four bases that were set up like a diamond. The pitcher tossed the ball underhanded to the batter. When contact was made, players had to field the ball with bare hands. The batter was out if the ball was caught, or if the fielder through the ball at the runner and hit him.
(2) Baseball is said to be enjoyed by 500 million people all over the world.
The heaviest concentration of fans is in the US, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. Compared to all sports, baseball ranks #8 in terms of the most fans worldwide, after soccer, cricket, hockey, tennis, volleyball, tennis, and basketball. When considering fans in the US only, baseball ranks #6 in popularity. Major League Baseball enjoys consistent viewership with a 162-game schedule played over the course of 26 weeks.
(3) The very first World Series game was in 1903 between the Pittsburgh Pirates (National League) and the Boston Americans (American League).
In a best of nine series, Boston won five games to three. The first three games were played on the Boston University baseball field in front of whopping 16,000 spectators. The following four were played in Allegheny, the Pirates home field. And for the final game, Boston sealed the series win with a home field advantage.
(4) African Americans were not permitted to play in the MLB during the first half of the 20th century, so they formed the Negro Leagues.
Prior to the successful formation of seven teams that made up the Negro League, there were several failed attempts at developing minor league baseball for African American players. The games were poorly attended and most teams fell apart after a short while. Several independent teams continued to play, but it wasn't until 1920 that the Negro National League got some traction. The integration of baseball began in the late 1940s, most remarkably when when Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
(5) The lifespan of a baseball in the MLB is about 7 pitches.
Although, sometimes a ball is used for just one pitch and traded out for a new one. Sometimes pitchers will toss out a ball almost immediately if it doesn't feel right in their grip. Approximately 8-10 dozen balls are used in every major league baseball game, which equals anywhere from 96 to 120 balls. Each of these balls has 108 double-sewn red stitches. Baseballs that are manufactured for the major league but do not pass MLB quality control standards are sold to the public, and are notably of higher quality than baseballs produced explicitly for the general population.
(6) The oldest MLB stadium is Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.
The park, originally built in 1912, has since gone through several expansions and renovations. While other cities have torn down their original stadiums in favor of building new, more modern facilities, Boston fans have loyally supported their beloved Fenway Park. Since its construction, Fenway Park has hosted 11 World Series games. People from all over the world travel to the park which is steeped in history and known for its architecture.
(7) There have been several fathers and sons who have played in the MLB at the same time.
The very first duo to play for the same team, however, was Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. They played for the Seattle Mariners at the same time, and even hit back-to-back home runs during one momentous game. Other famous fathers and sons who have made history for both playing in the MLB, albeit not necessarily at the same time, include: Bobby and Barry Bonds, Mel and Todd Stottlemyre, Ray and Bob Boone, Felipe and Moises Alou, Jose and Jose Cruz Jr., Gus and Buddy Bell, and Sandy and Roberto Alomar.
(8) It should come as no surprise that hot dogs are the most popular food consumed at ballparks.
Recent data indicates as many as 26 million hot dogs are consumed every year at baseball games. Breaking down this statistic further, it equates to about 8,000 hot dogs per game. The most popular brand sold at ballparks is Nathan's Famous original all-beef frank. Looking at the teams individually, the Dodgers regularly top the list for ballgames where the most hot dogs are sold. On average, the Los Angeles fans consume 2.5 million dogs every season.
(9) The longest professional baseball game ever played based on number of innings was in 1920.
The fans may have witnessed an historical game, but they most definitely did not watch an exciting baseball game. The Brooklyn Robins (predecessor to the Dodgers) played an uneventful game against the Boston Braves that spanned three hours and fifty minutes. After 26 long, boring innings the game was finally called due to darkness since stadiums did not have lighting at that time. The final score in this marathon game? Tied at 1-1.
(10) The longest baseball game in terms of hours played was in 1984.
In an epic battle between the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukie Brewers, fans needed more than a 7th inning stretch to make it to the very end. This 25-inning game stretched for more than 8 hours over a two-day period of time. Harold Baines finally ended things, on the 753rd pitch, by hitting it out of the park to give the White Sox a 7-6 lead over the Brewers.
(11) Pete Rose holds the record for playing the most games in MLB history.
Although his reputation is mired in controversy due to a gambling scandal, the mark Pete Rose made on the baseball field is indisputable. A career spanning for more than two decades, from 1963 to 1986, Rose played in 3,562 games. His storied career started with the Cincinnati Reds, after which he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, and finished with the Montreal Expos. During this time, he amassed 4,256 hits with 14,056 total times at bat, equalling a lifetime batting average of .303. Another noteworthy record he holds is the most seasons with 200 or more hits.
