Abner Doubleday is believed to be
baseball’s inventor during the summer of 1839
in the town of Cooperstown, New York.  The
acknowledgment of Doubleday as the father of modern day 
baseball occurred in 1907 after a committee that was assigned 
by major league executives to explore the origins of baseball.

	The claim that the game of baseball was invented by the
Abner Doubleday was based on the controversial statements made
by Abner Graves, a retired mining engineer.  Graves claimed to
have witnessed Doubleday participate in the first baseball game
in Cooperstown. Graves’ testimony pleased one of the 
committeemen, Albert G. Spalding, who was a former star player
and club owner.  He compelled his associates to accept the idea
that Doubleday invented the game of baseball. After the
announcement of the final version of the committee's report, the
chronicle of baseball's immaculate conception began to make a
place for itself into American mythology.

	Sports historians have repeatedly attacked the Doubleday
account over the years, arguing that Abner Doubleday never
visited Cooperstown in 1839, his diaries contain no reference to
the game of baseball, and that the form of baseball he supposedly
invented far too closely resembled the game as it was played in 
the early 1900s. 
	
	Evidence has been gathered by many sports historians that
shows American baseball not as an independent invention, but 
deriving itself out of numerous games involving the use of a ball
and stick.  English games such as paddleball, trap ball, rounders
and town ball all have had their own effect on the game of
baseball.

	By the 1840's two major variations of baseball, the New
York and Massachusetts were being commonly used.  The
Massachusetts version adopted an irregular four-sided field, with
four bases located at certain fixed equal length positions from
one another.  Fielders were able to get the opposition out by
either catching the ball on a fly or one bounce, or by hitting a
runner with a thrown ball.  Ultimately the more conservative New
York game became much more popular.  With its rules almost
identical to today’s game of baseball, with a few exceptions, the
New York game was quickly adopted by new up and coming baseball
clubs all around the U.S.  Baseball quickly became one of the
most popular recreational activities all around the U.S., but
especially in the New York City area were games would be played
on every piece of open land within a ten mile radius of the city.

	During the onset of the Civil War, American baseball had
reached its greatest popularity ever.  The war helped to
popularize the game of baseball in all sections of the country
that previously had not been introduced to the game through
soldiers in both armies playing baseball in their camps as they
traveled throughout the country.

	The new found exposure of baseball led to a tremendous
boom in popularity in post-Civil War America.  By 1865 the 
baseball earned the title as America’s national game, and the 
increasing public interest in the game led to the rapid 
expansion of organized clubs all across the U.S. evidenced by 
the expansion of organized clubs. The number of baseball clubs 
jumped from ninety one in the early 1860's to more than three 
hundred by 1867.  

	
	Reforms in the game also began to occur.  The 
idea of giving the best fielders in each position 
annually a gold award was developed.  Pitcher Arthur 
Cummings popularized a wrist twisting delivery, which 
became the curve ball.  Fielders became more agile, 
and base runners used a sliding technique to avoid 
fielders tags.  
	
	These improvements in the game, along with 
its ever increasing popularity eventually led to what we know today as 
modern day baseball.