Changes

By the 1850s, baseball had now become popular, particularly in the east coast. However, the Knickerbocker rules were not deemed adequate and new rules were needed. In 1857, at a convention of clubs around New York City. The Knickerbocker rules were seen as vague and the increasingly popular and competitive nature of baseball meant that the rules began to be exploited. In particular, new clubs were emerging outside of the small click of clubs in New York that had adopted the Knickerbocker rules. <ref>For more on the 1857 convention and early rules development, see: Anon (2014) Base Ball: A Journal of the Early Game. 8, 8,. Jefferson, NC, McFarland & Company.</ref>

Rules such as bats had to be round, home base was where the ball was hit, pitching came from a fixed distance, a foul ball caught means the batter is out, and players had to run relatively straight between bases and outside given parameters would mean they are out. These and other rules advanced in this convention are still with us today and many recognize these rules as the true origin of modern baseball. Other minor rule changes followed in the 1860s. It was also in the 1860s that baseball was become commercialized, with tickets being now sold and advertisers taking advantage of the gatherings watching the game.<ref>For more on the mid-late 19th century development of baseball, see: Peter Morris (ed.) (2012) Base ball pioneers, 1850-1870: the clubs and players who spread the sport nationwide. Jefferson, N.C, McFarland & Co.</ref>