Baseball history

The history of baseball has developed mainly in the United States , although it has
spread to countries and regions such as Australia, Europe, Asia, etc. Although the
exact origin of the game is difficult to determine, most of those who have studied
its history agree that baseball evolved from a variety of games with similar
characteristics. A popular legend, now discarded, says that Abner Doubleday, who
was an officer in the (Union (American Civil War)|Union Army during the (American
Civil War) (1861-1865), invented baseball in (Cooperstown, New York)|
Cooperstown) (New York State|New York) in 1839, but there is no reasonable
support for this claim. Two important institutions of this sport (Baseball Hall of
Fame|Hall of Fame and National Baseball Museum) are located in Cooperstown,
New York state, United States.

WHAT IS BASEBALL

Baseball (from English: baseball), also called baseball or baseball,1 is a team sport
played between two teams of nine players each.

It is considered one of the most popular sports in Australia, Canada, Colombia,

South Korea, Cuba, United States, Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua,
Panama, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, South Africa, Taiwan and Venezuela. The
countries considered powers of this sport are concentrated in America (North,
Central, Caribbean) and Asia, with the European and African continents being the
furthest behind.[citation needed] However, Europe has two good exponents
(Holland and Italy) ; and in Africa only the South African team stands out, which
has some good talents. [citation needed]

It is played on a large field completely covered by natural or artificial grass, with

the exception of the area called the runner's line, where the offensive players run to
reach the bases (located at the vertices of the quadrangular area called diamond)
and score, as well as the pitcher's area (where the terrain is a hill of dirt).

The objective of the game is to hit a ball with a bat (bat), moving it across the field
and running through the inner field of dirt (infield) seeking to reach as many bases
as possible until returning to the base from where it was batted. (home) and
manage to score the point known as a run, while the defensive players look for the
batted ball to eliminate the player who hit the ball or other runners, before they
reach one of the bases first or manage to score the run (see Rules for more game
details).

The team that scores the most runs after the nine (9) episodes, called innings, that
lasts the match, is the winner. If at the end of the nine regular innings the score
remains tied in runs, the match is extended as long as necessary for there to be a
winner. According to the basic rules of the game, there is no tie, allowed only in
amateur and children's leagues to limit wear and tear. of the players.

TYPICAL BASEBALL SCENE.

Unlike other sports that are played with a ball, such as soccer, which is also known
as football, or basketball, also known as basketball; Although "baseball" could be
translated into Spanish, the custom of using its English root form could give the
impression of a phonetically strange name: the translation would have to be
pelotabase or pelotabase, although in some Spanish-speaking countries it is It is
usually referred to colloquially as the ball game or simply ball. [citation needed]

On the other hand, one of the characteristics that differentiate baseball from other
team sports is that in it the defense is the one who has the ball.

HOW TO PLAY BASEBALL

Baseball is a game that is not very popular outside the United States, however, it is
very entertaining to play with friends or outdoors. Let's look at the main rules to
learn to play baseball.

BASIC RULES FOR PLAYING BASEBALL

Baseball is one of the most mediatized sports due to its inclusion and mention in
North American films. However, there are few followers of this game outside the
United States. But we can learn the basics of it, to understand it a little more or to
practice it on a field day or as a sports activity.

The baseball playing field is a kind of diamond. At the angular base of this diamond
is the catcher and the batter in front of him, one from each team, facing each
other. A little further ahead of them, on a mound located in a straight line is the
pitcher, who is the one who starts the play and is the catcher's teammate. The
other players are located around the court, either in free areas (gardens) or on the
bases or plates (fixed points located on the perimeter of this type of diamond).

At the beginning of each play, the players are placed in their places, according to
their functions, exchanging positions. That is to say: the pitcher and the batter are
not the same, but rather each player, in turn, goes through these and other
positions. The most stable player is the catcher, who crouches behind the batter, is
the one who indicates the prepared plays and who catches the balls that were not
hit by the batter.

START OF THE GAME

At the beginning of each play the pitcher takes the ball and, according to the
instructions of his coach, his catcher and at his own discretion, throws the ball
towards the batter. He must hit the ball with his bat, a long metal or wooden
instrument, to send it as far as possible or in some specific direction, depending on
the needs of the game. If the batter misses the hit, the ball will be caught by the
catcher. You will have 3 chances before being eliminated from the game.

If the batter hits the ball, he begins to run toward the "bases," which are points on
the perimeter of the diamond. When you reach first base, depending on the
distance of the hit, you can stay there or continue your journey towards second and
third base; In this case, their teammates located at the bases will also run, always
in the same direction until completing the route, thus earning points. If you
complete the entire route, returning to the base or "home", you will score one
point. If the hit ball falls out of the court it is called a "homerun", and in this case
the batter has unlimited time to travel the three bases and "return to home" or "run
to home". This is a "race."

The winner of the match will be the one who has achieved the most runs, with no
possibility of ties, extending the match if necessary.

When the batter hits the ball, the opposing team's players must catch it. If they do
so without hitting the ground, the batter will be out. Otherwise, they must throw it
to their teammates, who with the ball in hand must touch the bases before the
opponent to eliminate them. If the batter reaches the base before touching, he is
considered "safe", and can continue or stop there and "steal that base."

If the pitcher makes an error in the throw (for example, hitting the ball in an area
inaccessible to the batter), this is considered a "ball." Four "balls" allow the batter
to take a base without risk of being called out. If the ball thrown is good and the
batter does not touch it, it is considered a "strike."

INNINGS AND OUTS IN BASEBALL

Each play is called an "inning", which is the batting opportunity of each team, up to
three chances each representative of their team. If the batter misses all 3
opportunities (three strikes), this is called an "out" and the next team passes or, if
it has already happened, the end of the inning. It is played with 9 innings in total.

There is much more to know about baseball. However, with these basic rules you
will surely be able to start playing and understanding it without any major setbacks.

BIOGRAPHY OF JUAN ANTONIO MARICHAL SANCHEZ

Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez (born October 20, 1937 in Laguna Verde 1 ) is a
Dominican former pitcher who played in Major League Baseball . 1 Played for the
San Francisco Giants for most of his career, Marichal was known for his raised left
leg when throwing, which he used as a control and intimidation tactic. Marichal also
played for the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the final two
seasons of his career. 1 Although he won more games than any other pitcher in the
1960s, he appeared in only one World Series and was often overshadowed by
Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson in postseason awards. 2 3 Marichal was inducted into
the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.

Marichal entered the Major Leagues on July 19, 1960 with the San Francisco Giants
as the second Dominican pitcher in the MLB. He impressed immediately: in his
debut against the Philadelphia Phillies, going one no-hitter in the first eight innings
only to allow a two-out single from Clay Dalrymple.6 He finished with a shutout,
one hit and striking out 12.7 He started 10 more games that season, finishing 6-2
with a 2.66 ERA. He improved significantly with 13 and 18 wins in the next two
seasons, respectively, before finally reaching 20 wins in 1963, when he posted a
25-8 record with 248 strikeouts. and an ERA of 2.41.1 Marichal enjoyed equal
success until the 1969 season, achieving more than 20 victories in each season,
except in 1967 where he did not reach an ERA higher than 2.76.1 He led the league
in victories in 1963 and 1968 at win 26 games.8 9 He and Sandy Koufax were the
only two pitchers in the league to have a season with 25 or more wins.

Marichal won more games during the 1960s than any other major league pitcher,2
but did not receive any Cy Young Award votes until 1970, when baseball writers
began voting for the top three pitchers in each league. instead of one for each
league (until 1967, he was only the best pitcher in the Major Leagues overall).
Marichal finished in the top 10 in ERA seven consecutive years, beginning in 1963
and culminating in 1969, the year he led the league.10 During his career, he also
finished in the top 10 in strikeouts six times, top 10 in innings pitched eight times
(leading the league twice), and among the 10 to complete a game 10 times. He led
the league in shutouts twice, 10 of them in 1965.10 11

FIRST PLAYER IN THE MLB

Jack Roosevelt Robinson ( Cairo , Georgia , January 31 , 1919 – Stamford ,

Connecticut , October 24 , 1972 ) was the first African-American baseball player to
enter Major League Baseball . He played most of his professional career for the
Brooklyn Dodgers . In addition to his outstanding career as a player, he carried out
strong political and community activity for equal rights and the fight against
discrimination.

He was the brother of Mack Robinson , silver in the 200 meter dash at the 1936
Berlin Olympics . 1

Jackie was the grandson of a slave and the youngest of six children of a farmer,
who abandoned the family six months after his birth. He grew up in Pasadena ,
California , as his mother moved there in 1920 to seek a better future for her
children, although they had to live with discrimination. From a young age he was an
obsessed winner in any hobby or sport in which he participated, proof of this was
his successful participation as an athlete at Pasadena Junior College . Some time
later he entered UCLA , where he excelled in no less than four sports disciplines: (
Athletics , Basketball , American Football and Baseball ); In fact, he was the first
athlete in the history of that institution to achieve this achievement.

He entered the armed forces in World War II , and achieved the rank of second
lieutenant. His stay in the army had an unpleasant moment because, on one
occasion, he resisted sitting in the back of a bus, despite receiving an order from
his superiors. He was court-martialed but acquitted of the charges. According to his
lawyer, there were no legal grounds to give those orders. Despite everything, he
left the army with honors.

By 1945 he was playing in the Negro League for the Kansas City Monarchs at
shortstop. At that time, in the Major Leagues, commissioner Happy Chandler, unlike
his predecessor, allowed African-American players to join the Majors.

The opportunity was taken advantage of by Branch Rickey , manager of the

Dodgers , who approached Robinson to hire him. Rickey, however, warned
Robinson to have enough stoicism to withstand the hostile environment he would
find upon entering the big top; quite a challenge for someone who had an impulsive
temperament. Robinson debuted on the Montreal Royals team, the Dodgers '
affiliate, where he achieved a .349 average, 40 stolen bases and the Little World
Series title.

Jackie Robinson in the Major Leagues

April 15, 1947 became a date of great expectation for Jackie Robinson's debut in
the Major Leagues, as it was the day on which the segregation barrier would be
overcome. Although he did not score a hit , he did get the winning run.

What would come next was what tested Jackie's patience. According to the sports
magazine Sports Illustrated , Robinson would be the subject of racist epithets for
the remainder of the season: he received letters with death threats, pitchers who
threw the ball towards his head and legs; and receivers spitting on their shoes. In
addition, he endured an attempted rebellion by some of his colleagues, a threat of a
strike by the St. Louis Cardinals , and black cats thrown onto the field. Despite the
pressure, he maintained control. By enduring all the humiliations with silence, he
gradually earned the respect of his teammates and eventually, his opponents. He
capped the season with the Rookie of the Year award.

By 1949 things had changed, as he was encouraged by his teammates, umpires

and rivals. However, when he argued against what seemed like an unfair decision,
he was still considered an "arrogant black man." That season he managed to be
chosen as Most Valuable Player with a batting average of .342, 37 steals, 124 RBI
and 122 runs.

On the field, Robinson stood out for his impetus, his dancing around the bases to
exasperate the pitcher, and his ability to gain the public's attention. Among his
most important marks is having stolen home plate 19 times. In addition, he was
very important for the Dodgers to reach six World Series, of the ten seasons he was
part of the institution, and he attended the All-Star Game six times. At the end of
his career he had a .311 batting average. In December 1956 he moved to the New
York Giants but a month later he announced his retirement.

THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT DOMINICAN PLAYER

Pedro Martínez became the second Dominican on Tuesday to be elected to the

Baseball Hall of Fame, a member of a quartet that includes Randy Johnson, John
Smoltz and Craig Biggio.

This is the first time since 1955 that the Baseball Writers' Association of North
America has selected four players in a vote. Martínez, Johnson and Smoltz were
included in their first year on the candidate ballot. Biggio enters Cooperstown after
falling short by two votes last year. To be elected, you need to reach 75% of the
votes.

A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Martínez received 500 votes for 91.1%. The
right-hander posted a career record of 219-100, with a 2.93 ERA, 3,154 strikeouts
and 760 walks in 2,827 innings.

He was also an essential part of the Boston Red Sox team that won its first World
Series in 86 years in 2004. The Hall of Fame will now have two plaques of
Dominican players. Martínez joins Juan Marichal, another pitcher who was chosen in
1983.

“I want to dedicate it to my family, to the Dominican Republic, to Latin America,”

Martínez said when interviewed from Boston in a broadcast on the MLB Network
channel. “Let them feel like they have one more Latino in the Hall of Fame.”

Martínez's name was pronounced in Spanish by Jeff Idelson, the president of the
Hall, when it was his turn to open the envelope with the results. Three of the four
chosen were pitchers, and the left-handed Johnson was the one who obtained the
most votes. Johnson, a five-time Cy Young Award winner in a career with 303 wins
and 4,875 strikeouts, was endorsed on 534 of the 549 ballots. His percentage of
97.5 was the eighth highest in voting history.

Smoltz, the only pitcher in history with 200 wins and 150 saves, reached 455 votes
(82.2%) and enters Cooperstown a year after Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, his
rotation mates with the Atlanta Braves who were elected the year past.

Maddux, Glavine and Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox slugger, entered in the first
round, so for the second straight vote three players obtained support without
having to wait. Biggio had to wait three years. He obtained 454 votes and by 42 he
exceeded the necessary 75%. Biggio totaled 3,060 hits in his career with the same
team, the Houston Astros. With his addition, Pete Rose (banned for life), Rafael
Palmeiro (was left out after four votes) and Derek Jeter (recently retired) are the
only players with 3,000 hits not to be in the Hall.
The BBWAA hasn't chosen such a massive group of players since it elevated Joe
DiMaggio, Gabby Hartnett, Ted Lyons and Dazzy Vance 60 years ago. Roger
Clemens and Barry Bonds, whose candidacies have been tainted by being linked in
steroid scandals, remained stagnant in their third year on the list of candidates,
without exceeding 40%. Mark McGwire and the Dominican Sammy Sosa, also
accused of using performance-enhancing substances, received 10% and 6.6%
support to remain on the list for another year.

In his debut on the list of candidates, Puerto Rican Carlos Delgado did not survive,
receiving 3.8%. Mike Piazza, the greatest offensive catcher of all time, fell short by
28 votes. But his percentage rose from 62.2 in 2013 to 69.9. The exaltation
ceremony will take place on July 26.

BIOGRAPHY OF VLADIMIR GUERRERO

Vladimir Guerrero (born February 9, 1975 in Don Gregorio ) is a retired Major

League Baseball right fielder . In 2004, he was voted the American League MVP .
He helped the Angels to five American League West championships (2004, 2005,
2007, 2008, 2009), and was voted one of the most feared hitters in baseball in a
2008 poll of 30 managers. of the Major Leagues . 1

A nine-time All Star , Guerrero is widely recognized as one of the best players in
the game due to his impressive offensive production (regularly for his power hitting
and average), and his stellar defense (noted by his extraordinary baseball arm). ).
He is also considered the most powerful "bad ball hitter" and for his ability to
consistently hit balls thrown well outside the strike zone, a skill that became
evident on August 14, 2009, when he hit a pitch that bounced in front of the home
plate.

On September 26, 2011, Guerrero became MLB's all-time leader in hits among
players from the Dominican Republic, surpassing Julio Franco . Until 2011, he led
active Major League outfielders in errors, with 125, and was second in assists, with
126.