Post by glasspoet on Nov 26, 2011 13:49:02 GMT -5
Many people think early baseball=deadball era. This is not true. Baseball started long before this. Most people discount early baseball (and early baseball players) because of the changing rules. While it is true the rules did change frequently back then, along with important equipment advances--it doesn't mean they were playing inferior baseball (even barehanded).
While it is true that pitchers started throwing from 50 feet and from a box (low and big/firm of course--they don't make wood like that anymore)--it changed rapidly and soon they were throwing from today's distance and from a mound (like today's). Bats were already standardized and gloves made an appearance quickly after the onset of professional leagues.
While the average fan, being a farmer, without today's electronic media, didn't know about any more than the local level of baseball, the sport grew in popularity in an amazing fashion. It was probably as popular, per capita, pre-1900, as it is today. That continued to grow throughout the early years and many of today's record attendances are still 1930's (or just recently broken). If you take these records per-capita--there is no comparison (of course this is before basketball, and football was still a ways from its professional league).
The deadball era was an IDEA that permeated baseball, not any actual difference in baseball stadiums, baseball changes. It was totally different than today--it was ALL ABOUT speed, small ball, NOT STRIKING OUT, and creating runs. For the thirty years before that, it wasn't like that at all. While speed was important back then, like today, it wasn't the end all, or even the stigma of not striking out--which took many decades after the deadball era to slowly and finally completely diminish. BEFORE THAT baseball was quite similar to today (despite its differences). In fact, you could say that before Ruth and the advent of the big-time slugger, it was a PURER form of baseball--where a catcher's arm, a defensive specialist, an aggressive baserunner, an outfield arm, a clutch hitter, successful pitcher, or a slugger could make the fans swoon and strike writer's imaginations.
Some of the misconceptions of that era is that ballparks were different than today. While mlb hadn't set standards yet, and so there were more irregularities--this MADE fans, not the opposite---and the ballparks were more alike today's than different. Many of the most famous ballbarks were being used back then already. While its true there were more errors by far committed without gloves (as expected), you can still rate players by proficiency and range among their peers. This is true for all eras and it made fielding proficiency a MUCH MORE important stat than is appreciated today). The sacrifice bunt was already well introduced, but it wasn't used that much more than today--until the deadball era, decades later. One of the major misconceptions of early baseball is that homeruns were mostly inside the park homers. Although there were a little more inside the park homeruns, MOST HOMERUNS WERE OVER THE FENCE.
One of the most misleading stats of early baseball is the triple. Many misconceptions of stadiums are due to the amount of triples hit. This was more because of where the outfielders played back then. Because there wasn't such a prolific percentage of sluggers back then, outfielders played somewhat shallower. Basepath aggressiveness was significantly more important to the baseball fan than it is today as a consequence.
Another important misconception is that the rules, because of changes, means that their statistics are meaningless. While the balls and strikes did undergo changes (to 5 balls, 4 strikes) at one time and they did count baserunning advancements as steals---both of these were just 1 year changes, that were quickly returned to the standards of today. Even today's baseball mound/distance was established by 1894.
One of the big changes was the early elimination of exaggerated pitching motions and the need to keep one foot on the pitching rubber at all times in the windup. I wonder today if that has been such a good thing. Fans adore individuality on the pitching mound, that is a sore commodity in these days and time. The standard pitching fare was a little different, mostly featuring a variety of curveballs, knuckleballs, change-ups. Changing speeds, hitting spots, changing batters viewing angles, working both sides of the plate--were just as important, if not MORE important then. Basically, it was the heyday of the junkball pitcher--that's not saying there weren't Amos Rusies out there pumping 96 mph heat, but it does explain why pitchers were so successful at such a much smaller stature.
Another major difference was in player size. While the players were smaller, you must remember how much stronger they were. As one pre-1900 player stated, "of course I love baseball, it beats the heck out of what I was doing before--working at a slaughterhouse wielding a 25 lb. sledgehammer 16 hours a day". Personally I can understand somewhat: "One of my earliest jobs was breaking big rocks into smaller rocks for house siding, where I used a 5 lb. sledge 8 hours a day. There were many dreamed-about dates I missed then because I would come home, take a shower, and lay on the bed for a minute to relax, and wake up just in time to go to work instead. I just can't imagine what it would be like for someone my size to wield a 25 lb. sledge for 16 hours a day!" Weightlifting just can't imitate that kind of natural strength. That's not to say there weren't big guys--Dan Brouthers, one of the early sluggers was 6'3"-230. He could hold his own even today, I'm sure--but it was probably much harder to "square up" a baseball when it is being thrown at 50 feet, rather that 60'6"! Yes, the EARLIEST days of baseball were mostly underhanded (though sidearm was just as popular and overhand was allowed)--but it wasn't like you might equivalate it to softball pitching. Underhand can be thrown almost as hard as overhand, some FEMALE SOFTBALL COLLEGE PITCHERS are nowadays throwing 80+ mph heat! Yes, the batter's pre-swing had a tradition then of requiring the pitcher to throw where the batter requested, (that traditional has never went away, but then, like today, it was more of a sandlot tradition and was scoffed at at the professional level).
If you are not a Baseball Hall of Fame afficienado, and you go to MLB elorater or MLB Reference elorater, and view the accumulated ranking of baseball batters and pitchers; you might find some names you are not totally familiar with. THERE IS A REASON some of those guys are ranked where they are. There WERE some really GOOD baseball players, even pre-1900!
While it is true that pitchers started throwing from 50 feet and from a box (low and big/firm of course--they don't make wood like that anymore)--it changed rapidly and soon they were throwing from today's distance and from a mound (like today's). Bats were already standardized and gloves made an appearance quickly after the onset of professional leagues.
While the average fan, being a farmer, without today's electronic media, didn't know about any more than the local level of baseball, the sport grew in popularity in an amazing fashion. It was probably as popular, per capita, pre-1900, as it is today. That continued to grow throughout the early years and many of today's record attendances are still 1930's (or just recently broken). If you take these records per-capita--there is no comparison (of course this is before basketball, and football was still a ways from its professional league).
The deadball era was an IDEA that permeated baseball, not any actual difference in baseball stadiums, baseball changes. It was totally different than today--it was ALL ABOUT speed, small ball, NOT STRIKING OUT, and creating runs. For the thirty years before that, it wasn't like that at all. While speed was important back then, like today, it wasn't the end all, or even the stigma of not striking out--which took many decades after the deadball era to slowly and finally completely diminish. BEFORE THAT baseball was quite similar to today (despite its differences). In fact, you could say that before Ruth and the advent of the big-time slugger, it was a PURER form of baseball--where a catcher's arm, a defensive specialist, an aggressive baserunner, an outfield arm, a clutch hitter, successful pitcher, or a slugger could make the fans swoon and strike writer's imaginations.
Some of the misconceptions of that era is that ballparks were different than today. While mlb hadn't set standards yet, and so there were more irregularities--this MADE fans, not the opposite---and the ballparks were more alike today's than different. Many of the most famous ballbarks were being used back then already. While its true there were more errors by far committed without gloves (as expected), you can still rate players by proficiency and range among their peers. This is true for all eras and it made fielding proficiency a MUCH MORE important stat than is appreciated today). The sacrifice bunt was already well introduced, but it wasn't used that much more than today--until the deadball era, decades later. One of the major misconceptions of early baseball is that homeruns were mostly inside the park homers. Although there were a little more inside the park homeruns, MOST HOMERUNS WERE OVER THE FENCE.
One of the most misleading stats of early baseball is the triple. Many misconceptions of stadiums are due to the amount of triples hit. This was more because of where the outfielders played back then. Because there wasn't such a prolific percentage of sluggers back then, outfielders played somewhat shallower. Basepath aggressiveness was significantly more important to the baseball fan than it is today as a consequence.
Another important misconception is that the rules, because of changes, means that their statistics are meaningless. While the balls and strikes did undergo changes (to 5 balls, 4 strikes) at one time and they did count baserunning advancements as steals---both of these were just 1 year changes, that were quickly returned to the standards of today. Even today's baseball mound/distance was established by 1894.
One of the big changes was the early elimination of exaggerated pitching motions and the need to keep one foot on the pitching rubber at all times in the windup. I wonder today if that has been such a good thing. Fans adore individuality on the pitching mound, that is a sore commodity in these days and time. The standard pitching fare was a little different, mostly featuring a variety of curveballs, knuckleballs, change-ups. Changing speeds, hitting spots, changing batters viewing angles, working both sides of the plate--were just as important, if not MORE important then. Basically, it was the heyday of the junkball pitcher--that's not saying there weren't Amos Rusies out there pumping 96 mph heat, but it does explain why pitchers were so successful at such a much smaller stature.
Another major difference was in player size. While the players were smaller, you must remember how much stronger they were. As one pre-1900 player stated, "of course I love baseball, it beats the heck out of what I was doing before--working at a slaughterhouse wielding a 25 lb. sledgehammer 16 hours a day". Personally I can understand somewhat: "One of my earliest jobs was breaking big rocks into smaller rocks for house siding, where I used a 5 lb. sledge 8 hours a day. There were many dreamed-about dates I missed then because I would come home, take a shower, and lay on the bed for a minute to relax, and wake up just in time to go to work instead. I just can't imagine what it would be like for someone my size to wield a 25 lb. sledge for 16 hours a day!" Weightlifting just can't imitate that kind of natural strength. That's not to say there weren't big guys--Dan Brouthers, one of the early sluggers was 6'3"-230. He could hold his own even today, I'm sure--but it was probably much harder to "square up" a baseball when it is being thrown at 50 feet, rather that 60'6"! Yes, the EARLIEST days of baseball were mostly underhanded (though sidearm was just as popular and overhand was allowed)--but it wasn't like you might equivalate it to softball pitching. Underhand can be thrown almost as hard as overhand, some FEMALE SOFTBALL COLLEGE PITCHERS are nowadays throwing 80+ mph heat! Yes, the batter's pre-swing had a tradition then of requiring the pitcher to throw where the batter requested, (that traditional has never went away, but then, like today, it was more of a sandlot tradition and was scoffed at at the professional level).
If you are not a Baseball Hall of Fame afficienado, and you go to MLB elorater or MLB Reference elorater, and view the accumulated ranking of baseball batters and pitchers; you might find some names you are not totally familiar with. THERE IS A REASON some of those guys are ranked where they are. There WERE some really GOOD baseball players, even pre-1900!