From Sandlots to Stadiums: Where Nine Innings Came From
Image Courtesy of The New York Times
By MaggieMae Dethlefsen
As we look back on the history of sports, it’s clear that many games have undergone significant changes to become the games we recognize today. One of the most important moments in the making of baseball came on March 7, 1857, when a landmark decision was made that would shape the future of the game: it was agreed that an official baseball game would consist of nine innings, not nine runs.
At this point, baseball was far from the well-structured sport we know today. The game was closer to a pickup game than a structured game. It was a “game without a set number of innings. Instead, teams played until one of them scored 21 aces — the 19th-century equivalent of a run.” However, as the skill level of players increased, the game became harder to complete. The increased skill made it difficult to accumulate 21 aces, and games began to stretch on endlessly. The lack of structure was becoming an issue, and players and spectators realized they needed to make the game more consistent.
At the time, there was also debate surrounding the number of players that should be on the field. It usually varied between seven and nine, and the lack of consistency in this area only added to the challenge of standardizing the format. As a result, the number of players ultimately decided the number of innings played. If 14 Knickerbockers (the early baseball club) showed up, a game would be played with seven players on each team and a lesser number of innings. If 18 players showed up, they’d play with nine players on each side, and this became the new standard.
The structure of nine players on the field and nine innings per game became the formula that still rules baseball today, from Little League games to Major League Baseball.
The adoption of this format brought much-needed consistency to the game, allowing teams to better strategize and to hone their skills within a clearly-defined framework. It also introduced the pacing that modern fans have come to expect, with games lasting about three hours.
The most intriguing aspect of this decision is how it was determined. The fate of modern baseball was shaped not by a grand vision of the sport’s future, but by a rather simple logistical matter: whether 14 or 18 members of the Knickerbocker Club showed up for a game. It was a seemingly small detail, but one that would go on to define the sport for generations.
