Note: If you are using the separate accompanying

audio cassette, please mute the sound on the computer and advance each slide

when you hear the sound of the baseball bat hitting the

ball.

Baseball in America

A Culture Capsule

By Cynthia Ward

Table of ContentsInning 1: Pretest and Answers

Inning 2: Baseball Vocabulary

Inning 3: Introduction

Inning 4: History of The Game

Inning 5: Hall of Fame

Inning 6: Post Test and Answers

Inning 7: Additional Activities

Inning 8: Great Baseball Websites

Inning 9: Credits

Pretest about Baseball

1.How many bases does a player have to run to before he or she runs home?

2. The people who referee Baseball games are called_______________.

3. Baseball is played by kicking a ball. True or false

4. How many “strikes” before a batter is out?

Answers

1. 3 bases

2. Umpires

3. False

4. 3 strikes

Baseball vocabulary

Mitt: the glove that a player wears to catch balls. Only one is worn at a time. It protects the hand.

Inning: It is a segment of time when both teams have a chance to score “runs” or points. Most baseball games have 9 innings. Sometimes there are 10 or 11 !!!!!

Team: A group of people who train and play together. Each person has a position and responsibility: catcher, pitcher, shortstop, outfielder, hitter, and baseman are some.

Major League Baseball: These are teams that play baseball professionally (for money). There are two leagues: the American League and the National league.

World Series: The championship game played between the two winners of the American league and the National League. This team is the best in the United States!

Baseball is

known as

America’s

National

Pastime!!!!

Americans of all ages and types love to Play and watch baseball !!!!!

Games can be at night or during the day.

People have fun, cheer for their favorite team, and eat lots of

hotdogs !!!!!!

After hitting a ball, A player runs to 1st base, 2nd, 3rd and

finally to homeplate to score a run (point). If a batter gets three strikes, they’re out !

A game is played by two teams.

An umpire stands at homeplate and makes decisions if ball throws to the hitter are good (strikes) or off (balls). He also referees runners reaching home – if the runner is safe or out .

Quote :

“Baseball?  It's just a game - as simple as a ball and a bat.  Yet, as complex as the American spirit it symbolizes.  It's a sport, business - and sometimes even religion.”

Ernie Harwell, 1955

The History of Baseball

Originally, baseball was a sort of children’s game in England called

“Rounders”.

In 1845, Alexander Cartwright wrote the first rules and regulations for baseball.

He also designed the shape of the modern baseball field.

The first official recorded game was played in 1846, in New Jersey. The game quickly became very popular. Many teams and leagues formed.

Baseball spread throughout the country despite conflicts, wars, controversy, and scandal.

Baseball is truly “the American Game.”

The Hall of Fame – people who have made baseball history…

Jackie Robinson

Babe Ruth

Lou Gehrig

Joe Dimaggio

Willie Mays

Hank Aaron

Mickey Mantle

Johnny Bench

Sammy Sosa

Mark McGwire

Post test: Are you ready for the Majors?

1. A baseball game usually has how many innings?

2. What is the name of the glove a player wears?

3. How many teams play in a game? 2, 3 or 4

4. What is the name of the championship game played between the top two major league teams?

Answers

1. 9

2. mitt

3. 2 teams

4. World Series

Activity 1: SING ALONG WITH SPORTS ANNOUNCER HARRY CAREY

“Take me out to the ballgame,Take me out with the crowd.Buy me some peanuts and

cracker jacks, Idon’t care if I never get back. Oh its root,

root, root for the home team.

If they don’t win it’s a shame. For its one, two, three strikes,

your’re out, at the old ball game.”

Activity 2: Unscramble these words that relate to baseball

1.Eupimr _________________

2.Bellabsa _________________

3.Atb _________________

4.Titm _________________

5.Mehnruo _________________

6.Abes _________________

7.Eldfi _________________

Activity 3:

Answers to Activities 2 and 3

1.Umpire

2.Baseball

3.Bat

4.Mitt

5.Homerun

6.Base

7.field

Fun baseball websites to visit !!!

http://www.exploratorium.edu/baseball/ http://library.thinkquest.org/6082/5stm.html http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/

http://mlb.mlb.com/index.jsp

http://www.ballparks.com/

http://baseball-almanac.com/

http://www.funbrain.com/math/http://http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/bbhtml/bbhome.html

http://latinobaseball.com/mlb-hcountry.html

Credits - Thanks to:

www.abcteach.com for crossword puzzle maker

Harwell, E. (1955). (n.t.). In The Quote Garden. Retrieved February 2, 2007, from http://quotegarden.com/ .

.com for baseball clipart and photos

http://www.audiosparx.com/sa/display/sounds.cfm/sound_group_iid.108 for baseball sound clips

http://www.rpi.edu/~fiscap/history_files/history1.htm http://www.baseball-almanac.com/

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/history/index.htm For baseball history information

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BaseballFor basic baseball information