The New York Variation Of Baseball - 1854 Words

In Thorn’s article he describes how The New York variation of baseball was still viewed by society as a boy’s game . He concludes that baseball would require the infusion of money to acquire large scale attention. Gamblers began to realize the large-scale opportunities associated with baseball, a hefty profit was fit to be made off of uneducated adults who placed side bets during innings. Baseball, as a money-making business, was an oasis in the desert of poverty to gamblers. Soon crooks popularized began to popularize elaborate betting systems in the quick growing scene of professional baseball and further spurred the interest of consumers. The billion dollar industry of Major League Baseball took flight as soldiers from the American†¦show more content†¦Once baseball had been implemented in the Union ranks generals began to note that team bonding experienced on the baseball diamond had correlated to performances on the field of battle. When baseball was playe d in war encampments, the teams were conceived depending on the ability of the player skill and not military their military status. Baseball became such an intense sport in the American Civil War that every company had their own baseball pattern, usually an engraving or writing on the ball. Supplies were scarce when soldiers embarked on campaigns and factories assembling baseballs were not available until 1889. In order to forge a ball, troops would search for a walnut and tightly wrap it in yarn until it formed a spherical shape. Horsehide would then be pulled over and around the sphere; additional leather was cut for a tight fitting baseball skin. The leather would be punctured similarly to the holes in baseballs today, then sewn together and put to use in the closest game. Wooden bats were commonly fashioned from Oak limbs, if a company was lucky, imported bats were sent from Cooperstown, NY with all their war supplies. Gloves were not used in Civil War era baseball; they were not implemented in competitive baseball until the 20th century. The love for baseball had begun to spread like wildfire once a â€Å"gentlemen’s† game had been shared throughout the