British baseball facts for kids
British baseball, also known as Welsh baseball (Welsh: Pêl Fas Gymreig), is a fun bat-and-ball game. It's played mostly in Wales, but it also has a long history in Merseyside, England. This game is quite similar to rounders.
Bat-and-ball games have been around for hundreds of years. People talked about "baseball" as early as the 1700s. The game we call British baseball became its own sport in 1892. That's when groups in Wales and England decided to give it a new name instead of "rounders."
Contents
History of British Baseball
Games played with a bat and ball have a very old past in Britain. A game that might be like rounders or British baseball was mentioned way back in 1344. A game called "baseball" was even talked about in 1700. It was also in a children's book from 1744 called A Little Pretty Pocket-Book. Even famous author Jane Austen mentioned it in her book Northanger Abbey.
Early Growth and First International Games (1892-1918)
As the game grew, American baseball tried to join forces with British baseball. But they couldn't agree on how to do it. Many amateur clubs started up in Cardiff, Newport, and Merseyside. This led to the idea of a match between Wales and England to make the sport even more popular.
The first international game happened on August 3, 1908. It was played at the Harlequins Ground in Roath, Cardiff. Wales won the game 122–118! The Welsh captain, Lew Lewis, hit some balls so far they went "over the house tops."
Baseball was already a popular summer sport for rugby players in Cardiff. Three Cardiff RFC players, including Viv Huzzey, played in that first international match. The next international game was in 1914 at Goodison Park, Liverpool. England won that game in front of 4,000 fans. But regular yearly international games didn't start until after World War I.
Baseball's Big Impact and Women's Games (1918-1929)
In 1905, the South Wales and Monmouthshire Baseball Association had only 15 clubs. But by 1921, the game was everywhere in Cardiff and Newport. The Welsh Baseball Union, which was newly named, had 60 clubs just in those areas.
The game kept getting more popular between the two World Wars. It became a huge part of local life in Cardiff and Newport. Leagues were set up for schoolboys. Cardiff even had the first league for schoolgirls! British baseball was special because many women played it. This started during World War I when young women worked in factories. A women's league began in Cardiff in 1922. Then, in 1926, the first international women's match took place between Wales and England.
The crowd at the men's international game in 1924 at Cardiff Arms Park reached 10,000 people for the first time. The 1925 game in Liverpool had 12,000 fans! Because the international games were so popular, people wanted clearer rules. So, the English Baseball Association and the Welsh Baseball Union created the International Baseball Board in 1927. This board helped manage the international matches.
Tough Times and American Baseball (1929-1948)
During the Great Depression, even more clubs and players joined the sport. Local games would attract thousands of fans. Community sports were a great way to escape the hard times. The Cardiff & District League had 37 teams by 1929. Many of these were from working-class areas like Splott and Grangetown.
The 1930s also saw American baseball become very popular in Britain. Professional American teams even played on the same fields as soccer clubs. Some games had 10,000 fans! A British team even won the first Baseball World Cup in 1938. This gave Welsh teams a chance to play against professional American teams. For example, in 1938, the Penylan club beat the London Americans at Cardiff Arms Park. They played one part of the game with Welsh rules and three parts with U.S. rules.
American baseball also tried to grow in Merseyside. Some British baseball players worried this would end their older game in England. British baseball did survive, but the American league did cause some problems. Players, fans, and supporters sometimes left British baseball for the professional American game. An American league also started in Cardiff in 1939. But professional American baseball lost its popularity when World War II began.
Post-War Peak (1948-1970)
International games stopped during the war. But teams still played successful games against American warship crews. They used either American or Welsh rules. When local teams won, it made people believe even more in Welsh players. This pride was clear when the yearly international games started again in 1948. A record 16,000 fans came to Cardiff's Castle Grounds. Welsh legend Ted Peterson led Wales to victory!
The game's popularity grew, and it became a big part of communities. Besides regular clubs, churches, stores, factories, and even bars formed teams. The game became the center of social life for many, especially in Cardiff. The sport was also popular in England, with exhibition games in London and teams in Bristol and Coventry.
The 1950s and 1960s were a time when Welsh baseball was very strong. Welsh legend Paddy Hennessey played his first international game in 1957. He became known as one of the greatest players and the fastest bowler of his time. In the 1964 International, Hennessey, as captain, bowled out the rival team for only six runs in 30 balls and just nine minutes! This happened in front of 6,000 fans at the Maindy Stadium. This record lasted for 50 years! In 2014, Matthew Hopkins, another Wales international, did the same thing for only one run. This record is one of the longest-standing in sports history.
Decline in Popularity (1970-2000)
The sport found new fans when live coverage of international games started on Welsh TV in the 1970s and 1980s. However, the last few decades of the century saw fewer people attending games and playing the sport. The international match still drew interest. BBC Cymru Wales even showed highlights until the 1990s. By then, the game was seen more as a unique tradition.
Also, star rugby players stopped playing baseball after 1995. That's when professional contracts were introduced in rugby. These contracts stopped them from playing other sports without permission.
Modern Era
By 2006, fewer people were playing in England. Only four clubs were still active: All Saints, Anfield, Breckside, and Townsend.
The 100th international game was held in Cardiff on July 19, 2008. Wales won their tenth victory in a row! Besides the main international game, there are also games for "B" teams and younger players. This match was the 83rd international game between the two nations. Wales had won 61 times, England 20 times, and two games were draws because of bad weather. About 1,000 to 2,000 fans watched the game.
The yearly England–Wales game continued until 2015. Then, England stopped playing because they couldn't find enough players. The end of this international game meant less attention for the sport. This greatly affected the number of players in Wales. By 2017, the Welsh men's league and cup games were stopped mid-season. This was because some clubs didn't have enough players. Since then, the men's game has continued with occasional games. The women's league, however, is still going strong.
In recent years, the Welsh Baseball Union has been working with local councils. They want to bring the sport back into high schools. This means the game is now played in new areas, especially the South Wales Valleys. It's a great sport because both boys and girls can play together. It's also easy to understand and can be changed to fit many players.
Famous Players
Some players became very well-known for their baseball skills. These include Ted Peterson, who played internationally from the 1930s to the 1960s. Another was Paddy Hennessey, famous for his super-fast bowling.
Many rugby and soccer players also enjoyed British baseball in their off-season. Welsh Rugby players like Viv Huzzey, Terry Holmes, Mark Ring, David Bishop, and rugby league legend Jim Sullivan all played the sport.
Famous soccer players who played British baseball include Welshmen John Toshack, George Whitcombe, Terry Yorath, Nathan Blake, and Phil Dwyer. Even Everton and England football star Dixie Dean played!
How British Baseball is Different from American Baseball
British baseball is different from the American baseball game that many people know. Here are some key differences:
- How the Ball is Thrown – In British baseball, the ball is thrown underarm, like in softball. This is called bowling. In American baseball, the ball is thrown overhand, sidearm, or underarm, and it's called pitching.
- Number of Players – A British baseball team has 11 players. No one can be replaced during the game. American baseball teams have nine players. Players can be replaced, but once they leave, they can't come back into the game.
- Number of Innings – In British baseball, each team gets two "innings." An innings ends when all 11 players are out or stuck on a base. In American baseball, a game usually has nine innings. A team's turn ends when three players are out.
- Posts or Bases – American baseball has "bases" that are like bags. British baseball has "posts" (sometimes called bases). These are marked by poles.
- Bat – The bat in British baseball has a flat side for hitting the ball. In American baseball, the bat is completely round.
- Scoring – In British baseball, a player scores a run for every base they reach after hitting the ball. They don't score again if they move around bases on another player's hit. Hitting the ball all the way around (like a home run) scores four runs. Extra runs can be given for balls thrown too wide. In American baseball, a player only scores a run if they go all the way around all four bases.
- Uniform – Players wear colorful jerseys and shorts. Welsh teams often wear rugby kits, and English teams wear soccer uniforms.
- Field of Play – British baseball doesn't have a "foul area." You can hit the ball in any direction and still score. In American baseball, the ball must be hit within certain lines to be fair.
Even with these differences, British baseball is still quite similar to American baseball in how it's played. It uses a similar, but smaller, diamond-shaped field. It also shares many things with rounders, which is often seen as a game between cricket and baseball. British baseball mixes ideas from cricket and the more common versions of rounders.
