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NJ: Alexander Cartwright |
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Although Cartwright was likely not nearly the important figure
in baseball's history as many assume he is, we do know this about him: In 1845 he printed a set of baseball rules, more in
depth and complete than previous sets of baseball rules published in the 1834 "Book of Sports" and even as early as 1828.
Cartwright's rules included an early blueprint of how a baseball field should look. His field included a square-shaped infield
similar to the ones used today, except that its dimensions marked 42 paces between bases, which, in theory, would be over
200 feet. Likely Cartwright meant a distance shorter than that, so perhaps he was using a form of measurement shorter than
the pace, traditionally recognized as five feet. Cartwright's claim as a manager in the first baseball game every played is
also debatable. Many baseball minds seem to believe from scorecard records that Cartwright's team, the New York Knickerbockers,
did in fact lose to the New York Baseball Club in 1846. But some records also seem to indicate baseball games played in 1845
or even before. Cartwright's game may have been the first to merit heavy consideration, but there is significant evidence
suggesting he did not invent baseball.
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