Although Americans generally claim baseball as their own invention, the origin of baseball is steeped in controversy. Basic bat-and-ball games had been in existence for centuries across Europe even prior to the initial expert leagues had been formed in the late nineteenth century.

Various documented sources in England suggest that the British had been playing baseball as early as the mid eighteenth century. Even Jane Austen of Pride and Prejudice fame makes a reference towards the “National Pastime” in her book Northanger Abbey which was written at the end of the eighteenth century and published at the beginning of the nineteenth. Despite ambiguity as towards the origins of baseball, its hallowed place in American history is indisputable.

Semi expert baseball began within the 1860′s and led towards the development of the first crack at a “major league” called the National Association. This league ran from 1871-1875. The National League (the same one we know today) formed as a response to the National Association’s failures in 1876.

About 30 years later the American League formed from the minor Western League in 1901. Like the National League it has remained until today; however the nature of the two leagues’ interaction has changed dramatically.

Initially the NL and the AL had been bitter enemies. Both leagues would seek contracts from the same players, blatantly ignoring the other league’s contracts. These contract wars would lead to bitter legal battles. An attempt at peace between the two leagues led towards the initiation of the World Series in 1903; however, the NL did not participate until 1905 when the New York Giants’ management led the process of codifying rules for compulsory participation inside the World Series.

The two leagues continue to have autonomy but within the process of settling a strike the regulations of the two organizations were brought under the umbrella of Major League Baseball. Just the AL and NL did not participate together at first blacks and whites had been not always seen playing baseball together.

There never has been an official rule banning African Americans from baseball, but a “gentleman’s agreement” made at the end of the nineteenth century following the end of Moses Walker’s career prevented African Americans from playing in the major leagues.

This led to the formation of numerous Negro leagues which would continue until after 1947 when Jackie Robinson debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers having already played for a year with their minor league team. This led to a gradual integration process that has resulted within the multicultural teams we cheer on today.

Wherever it came from, there’s no doubt that baseball has established itself as a chief part of American psyche despite the growing pains of major leagues and racial participation.