The long-lost 'Laws of Baseball'

Retropod

The Washington Post

History, Kids & Family, Education For Kids

4.5 • 670 Ratings

🗓️ 17 August 2018

⏱️ 5 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On display in Washington, D.C. are the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and another document that details a fundamental institution in American life: baseball.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, history lovers. I'm Mike Rosenwald with Retropod. A show about the past, rediscovered.
0:08.2	Millions of tourists descend on Washington, D.C. every year. They come to see the White House,
0:14.7	the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial. And, of course, the founding documents of the country, the Declaration of Independence,
0:23.9	the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
0:27.7	But today, I want to talk about a document you've probably never heard of, one that is now
0:33.8	on display at the Library of Congress.
0:36.0	It is a 14-page handwritten document
0:39.7	written in exquisite Spencerian script about a fundamental institution in American life.
0:48.7	Baseball.
1:06.0	This particular document is part of a large exhibit called Baseball Americana, and it is the earliest set of official rules for baseball that we know of. The document was composed back in the 1800s by a convention of gentlemen who gathered to ordain and establish the fundamentals of America's pastime.
1:19.1	They titled this document, quote, the laws of baseball.
1:24.0	Baseball being two words back then.
1:27.4	Naturally, they begin by describing the ball. Quote, baseball being two words back then.
1:30.6	Naturally, they begin by describing the ball.
1:37.7	Quote, must weigh not less than six, nor more than six and one quarter ounces.
1:43.3	Must be composed of India rubber and yarn and covered with leather.
1:49.9	It shall be furnished by the challenging club and become the property of the winning club as the trophy of victory.
1:53.4	Times change, though.
1:55.3	Keeping the ball as a trophy?
1:57.4	Um, no.
1:58.5	And the weight of today's baseballs are five ounces, not six.
2:06.0	The laws of baseball, along with two earlier drafts, were loaned to the Library of Congress
	...

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