It is a fact that baseball has changed a lot since its inception around 1845. But truthfully, the essence of the game has stayed pretty much the same. This is part of its enduring appeal with fans who are keen on following the evolution of the game. Therefore, the game boasts of a very proud history in comparison to other sports.

In Field of Dreams, Terrance Mann (played by James Earl Jones) captures the timeless essence of baseball:

The one constant through all the years has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past. It reminds of us of all that once was good and that could be again.

Baseball is the national pastime of the United States of America. Over the years, it has spread far and wide and gained recognition as an international game played in well over 100 countries in the world. The observance of the baseball rules by everybody connected with the game will facilitate the continued development of this team game.

Two teams of 9 players each play baseball in a baseball field which has 4 bases. At the end of nine innings, whichever team scores more runs than its opponent is declared winner. The ball is put into play when a batter hits it, running counter-clockwise and touching each one of the bases in order. A run is considered scored when a runner completes this process legally without being ‘out’.

There are 9 innings in a standard baseball game, with each innings having 6 outs - three for each team. But it may not be unusual to see fewer innings played by some leagues. In accordance with the baseball rules, at least one official, called an umpire, should officiate at a baseball game. Usually, the number of umpires in major league games is four and this may extend up to six in accordance with the importance of the game and the league playing.

Basically, baseball rules can be split into four sections. They are: the playing field, pitching and hitting, outs and structure of the baseball game. Getting yourself familiar with the above-mentioned basic baseball rules will not pose you a problem if you put your heart and soul into it.

All professional play in the USA and Canada is governed by the official baseball rules. These rules can be found both in book form and on the internet too. Getting the hang of the baseball rules is not as difficult as it appears. But the beauty of the game lies in the analysis of the situation and the prediction of the possible moves and strategy of the opposition based on the close observation of its players and their behavior.