Baseball

• hit

• kick

• bounce

• bit

How do the authors support the point that games with bats and balls have been around for a long time?

• The authors compare a modern game with bats and balls to an old game that did not use them.

• The authors provide an example of a game with bats and balls from history.

• The authors describe how the equipment used in games with bats and balls changes often.

• The authors explain why games with bats and balls are enjoyable to play.

Which quotation supports the inference that baseball is a popular sport?

• “The Major League Baseball season lasts from April until the end of September.” (paragraph 12)

• “Each team plays 162 games, for a total 2,430 MLB games during the season.” (paragraph 12)

• “Players get a few months of rest after the season.” (paragraph 14)

• “Fans have waited all winter for the season to begin.” (paragraph 15)

Based on the passage, how are the town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and the Knickerbockers baseball team similar?

• Both attempted to increase the popularity of baseball.

• Both recognized the value in recording the scores of baseball games.

• Both were started by Dutch people who enjoyed baseball.

• Both created rules for baseball games as the sport developed.

What does professional mean as it is used in paragraphs 10-11?

• made up of people who do the same activity for fun

• made up of people who come from different places

• made up of people who are both skilled and untaught

• made up of people who are paid to compete

What do the authors mean by the phrase “get back in shape” in paragraph 14?

• Players work on their fitness and skills.

• Players make a plan and accomplish it.

• Players try to pay more attention.

• Players stop sleeping so much.

What impact did the English have on the game of baseball?

• The English told Americans stories about a game called rounders, and this information was later used to create the game of baseball.

• The English brought the game of rounders with them to America, which later developed into the game of baseball.

• The English brought many games with them when visiting America, but the game that was played the most was known as baseball.

• The English taught American soldiers how to play a game using a bat and a ball, which the soldiers called baseball.

What are the main ideas of paragraphs 7-11?

• The Knickerbockers baseball team got its name from Dutch settlers in New York City. The baseball players wore short pants that came to just below their knees.

• The Knickerbockers baseball team created a common set of rules. Teams began playing official games against one another, which eventually led to Major League Baseball.

• The Knickerbockers baseball team made a rule that the balls it used needed to be harder. Players use the same balls in Major League Baseball today.

• The Knickerbockers baseball team was the first professional team in America. Many groups followed its example, and other teams were started all around the country.

How do the authors support the point that games with bats and balls have been around for a long time?

• The authors compare a modern game with bats and balls to an old game that did not use them.

• The authors provide an example of a game with bats and balls from history.

• The authors describe how the equipment used in games with bats and balls changes often.

• The authors explain why games with bats and balls are enjoyable to play.

“History of Baseball” by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce 1Games with balls and bats have been around for a long time. About 3,500 years ago, the ancient Egyptians wrote about playing “hit catch” with bats, balls, and bases!2In the 1600s, settlers sailed from England to live in America. They brought an English game called rounders with them. They played it with a ball, a bat, and four posts that were like bases. 3There are stories that George Washington and his soldiers played rounders at Valley Forge. But as years passed, the old English game of rounders turned into the new American game of baseball.4The game became so popular that in 1791 the town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, had to make a rule that people couldn’t play baseball near the town’s meetinghouse. This was to prevent broken windows.5After a hard day’s work, people all over the country still relax by getting together for a game. On steamy summer nights in small towns, if you see bright lights somewhere, they are probably lighting up a baseball field. The Knickerbockers6In 1845, the Knickerbockers were a baseball team in New York City. Their name came from early Dutch settlers who lived there. Dutchmen wore pants that came down to just below their knees. These pants were called knickerbockers, or knickers for short. Making Rules7At first, different baseball teams followed different rules. The Knickerbockers decided to make some rules for everyone to use.8One of the new rules was that a player couldn’t tag out a runner by throwing a ball at him. This was called soaking. It’s a good thing they made this rule. Teams had begun using balls that were harder and faster than the balls they’d been playing with before. First Official Game9In 1846, the Knickerbockers played the first official baseball game in history. It was official because the teams played with an agreed-upon set of rules and recorded the score.10By the 1850s, baseball teams were on the lookout for good players from other clubs. They offered them money to come play with their teams. In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional team in the United States.11Today there are thirty top professional teams. They are organized into groups called leagues. Fifteen teams are in the American League; fifteen are in the National League. Together, they make up Major League Baseball (MLB). The Season12The Major League Baseball season lasts from April until the end of September. Each team plays 162 games, for a total 2,430 MLB games during the season. 13The longest game ever was in 1984. The Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago White Sox played late into the night, but the game still wasn’t finished. The teams came back to finish the next day. In total, the game lasted eight hours and six minutes.14Players get a few months of rest after the season. In February, they report to spring training camps in Arizona and Florida to practice and get back in shape.15Fans have waited all winter for the season to begin. Opening day is normally the first week in April. For over 100 years, it’s been a custom that the president of the United States usually throws out the first pitch.

• “There are stories that George Washington and his soldiers played rounders at Valley Forge.” (paragraph 3)

• “After a hard day’s work, people all over the country still relax by getting together for a game.” (paragraph 5)

• “Teams had begun using balls that were harder and faster than the balls they’d been playing with before.” (paragraph 8)

• “In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional team in the United States.” (paragraph 10)