Introduction

Baseball first originated in North America, where it is still one of the country’s most treasured games. Its combination of skill, athleticism, tactic and timing has led to worldwide repute. Most of its support is confined to the rest of The Americas and in Canada, but it is also notably popular throughout Asia. Indeed, a number of international games take place today. However, baseball is ultimately still referred to and thought of as the national religion of America,  with some of the most famous teams being the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees

Yogi Berra, one of the sports most famous players, is quoted as saying, “Baseball is 90% mental - the other half is physical”. Although this may appear as though the players of the sport are slightly lacking in the brains department, what Berra is trying to get across is to what degree tactics and thought goes into a game of baseball. The San Diego Padres are a good example of this - they had plenty of talent, but did not win as much as they perhaps should have due to a lack of mental strength.

To get a full appreciation and understanding of the game when watching it, a good knowledge of the rules and tactics of baseball is required.