History is rich, especially when we learn more about it. Even in sports, it has its sides of stories. And for today, we are about to find an interesting one.
What came first cricket or baseball? That is the central question we will answer in this lovely read. Well, the answer to that is Cricket.
It is an older sport than baseball from Europe that dates back to the 15th-16th century. On the other hand, baseball is one of the American sports that emerged during the Civil War Era – around the 1840s.
Find out as you read on.
Contents
Sports 101 – The Ultimate History
Now, let us travel back in time and see some of the facts behind the goody Cricket vs Baseball History.
Baseball’s favor originates from its close tie to American society, promoting pride and helping urban rallies. In contrast, Cricket spotlights social skills like ties and teamwork. The fuss over which game came first could go on endlessly.
1. The game of Cricket – the start of something
The name Cricket is from the Anglo-Saxon word “cricc,” meaning shepherd’s staff. Since the country of origin of this sport is Great Britain, the first players were shepherds using their staffs as bats. Moreover, the wicket gate pens for the sheep are the target for their match’s pitchers.
As a recreation activity, this game became famous around English farms and schoolyards. Around the 1700s, the formal rules of Cricket arose due to the MCC or Marylebone Cricket Club. They are the command that bore the proper points of this sport.
Later on, the courtesy of Cricket led people to put on some money during matches. It became a bet due to its market.
2. The game of Baseball – the humble beginning
Apart from the Doubleday Legend and that America is the birthplace of baseball, there is a more profound history of where baseball originated. This game is mainly from the mark of the English games: Rounders and Crickets – so that is word of mouth.
And like any other sport, it bloomed as a pastime across the country during the war. Well, it is not surprising, knowing that time can use a bit of good distraction and play.
The easy mix of these two gaming roots went on campuses, schoolyards, and any open vast spaces. Then, by the year 1845 came, rules evolved more. Thanks to Alexander Joy Cartwright, that shaped the modern baseball we still play today.
And then the rest is history!
The Evolution of the Two Games
There are a lot of debates on the evolution of these sports. Baseball is somewhat of a version of cricket. Yet, there is no clear proof to support this claim.
Thus, here are some of the theories that we round up that you might want to see:
- The Timing of Baseball’s Fame
There is no denying that the pastime turned into one of America’s beloved sports started in the 1700s. At the same time, cricket has been a star game in Europe with new rules.
On this note, many gaming critics think Baseball is a molded account of the latter.
- The Changes in the Game of Cricket
As it turned into the national sport of England, the rules and general structure of the game also changed. It leads to some notions that it might be why cricket creators thought Baseball was using this as inspiration.
However, those are merely assumptions since there are not enough confirmations. You cannot blame people, though, since some details of the games and their popularity are much alike. Well, we will discuss that a bit later!
In terms of Baseball alone, this sport fires a strong vibe of nostalgia for its evolution. From its first set of formal rules for the league in 1877, it kept changing then – being better!
For now, let us explore which is older than the two.
Which is Older in the World: Cricket or Baseball First?
When it comes to the worldwide scope, Cricket won as the oldest game in the world, as it dates back many eons ago. While the origin date of baseball was early 1800 making it a younger sport than “cricc.” Both made a mark in the world when it comes to team sports.
After knowing that cricket invention is more ancient, dive further into comparing the two plays. Check out below the game table of similarities and differences!
The Similarities & Differences of Cricket and Baseball
Gaming traits are vital, especially when you are an avid fan of a clear sport. Knowing the complete comparison of the sports Cricket and Baseball will make things more riveting! Well, read on.
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SIMILARITIES AMONG THE TWO GAMES |
| Both plays use a bat and a ball. |
| Baseball and Cricket are both field types of games. |
| The scoring systems of both sports are from the players’ runs. |
| Cricket and Baseball had two opposing teams to battle against each other. |
| It started to become famous around campuses and schoolyards as a pastime. |
| Both are summer games and have an international reputation. |
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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO GAMES TO DISCUSS |
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CRICKET |
BASEBALL |
| Cricket Bats are flat in shape and primarily wood-made. | Baseball Bats have various types and materials. Also, they are longer, thinner, and have rounder shapes. |
| Cricket balls used during plays are of the following details: cork, strings, and leather coating.
With an almost 9-inch circumference, each ball weighs at least 5.75 ounces – perfect for the game! |
Balls used in baseball matches have cores of rubber and cork.
Each ball has at least a 9.25-inch circumference and weighs up to 5+ ounces. |
| Cricket is a worldly sport, yet, it is a top game in the US, Southern Asia, Australia, and even Africa. | Though baseball is a famous sport, too, fewer areas in the globe predominantly play this. These are Japan, the US, and the country of Cuba. |
| There is no FOUL area in the field of a Cricket Game. | There are two foul lines with a baseball field. |
| Cricket’s game arena is bigger, with a standard measurement of 140,500 square feet. | While the typical measurement of a baseball field is more than 100,00 square feet, meaning it is a bit smaller than for Cricket. |
In other words, there are similarities and different points between Cricket and Baseball. Discovering them one by one can be pretty fun! And it is only fair to measure which is better, but in the end – they are games many people love to play.
Conclusion
In terms of origins, the game cricket won the title of going first. So does its fame across other places across the globe. Meanwhile, baseball has its own thing of making its name at the top!
They can be alike in a way since they are ball games with twin-like features. Yet, distinct marks still define them that they can call their own.
In the end, we came up with the climax to the notion, “What came first cricket or baseball.” There are many factors under the parts per topic. And learning both sports have rich histories is so cool!
A powerful swing and the ball is flying across the field, just one hit, and we might never forget the thrill it brings. I do not know about you, but I never do. Every baseball game is the chance to compete with others and cooperate with your teammate. It is among my biggest passions.
