The Game of Baseball

Base-Ball is played by nine players on a side - one side taking the bat, and the other the field. The latter occupy the following positions in the field: Catcher, Pitcher, First, Second, and Third Basemen, Short Stop, and Right, Left and Center Fieldsmen. The side that wins the toss, have the choice of taking the bat or the field at their option. The batsman stands at the home base, on a line drawn through its center-- parallel to one extending from first to third base-- and extending three feet on each side of it. When he hits the ball, he starts for the first base, and is succeeded by player after player until three are put out, at which time the side occupying the field take their places at bat, and, in like manner, play their innings.

When batsman succeeds in reaching home base, untouched by the ball in the hands of an adversary, and after successively touching the first, second and third bases, he is entitled to score one run; and when he hits the ball far enough to admit his making the four bases before it is returned, he makes what is termed a home run. Nine innings are played on each side, and the party making the greatest number of runs wins the match. In case of a tie, at the close of the ninth inning, the game must be continued, inning after inning, until one or the other of the contesting sides obtains the most runs. --The Dime Base-Ball Player, 1875