Factors that led to the Growth of American Baseball

FACTORS THAT LED TO THE GROWTH OF AMERICAN BASEBALL
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Most people will agree that baseball is the most popular game in the U.S. No other sport evokes more nostalgia than baseball in America. Jacquez Jarzun observed in 1954 “Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball.” Baseball’s tradition is strong, and it is always referred to as America’s “national pastime”. Even though its origin can be traced to the 19th century, baseball fans in large numbers to ballparks and entertains even more on the TV and radio. Baseball originated before the civil war (1861-1865) as an English game known as rounders. There have been many variants of baseball and to accurately pin-point the exact origin is extremely hard. Before baseball, there were other common sports such as cricket, but various factors made it the most popular game in the United States.
American civil war
The spread of baseball primarily occurred during and after the American civil war. American soldiers used baseball to escape and forget, temporarily, the stresses and hardships of war. It also fostered unity and morale among the men. During the American civil war, baseball was played both in the North and South. As soldiers moved to great distances to fight, they helped to spread the game, its rules and playing style to different parts of the country. Also, there was the exchange of prisoners which helped to spread the game among men and soldiers from dive…