City of Alexandria, VA Page updated Apr 3, 2012 10:22 AM Civil
War Baseball - Battling on the Diamond Playing with friend and
foe in pastures, forts, and prison camps, Billy Yank and Johnny
Reb could agree on one thing - they loved baseball. And once
back home, Civil War veterans spread their enthusiasm for it
throughout America. In this brief chronicle of the origins of
our national pastime, Fort Ward Museum explores the founders,
heroes, rules and practices of the game. "Although sporting
goods magnate Albert G. Spaulding fiercely promoted the
patriotic image of veteran Civil War General Albert Doubleday as
American baseball's founder, historians have determined that the
national game had much earlier origins. From its varied forms,
especially from Massachusetts and New York, it evolved, rather
than was created. Many now believe that the father of modern,
codified baseball was Alexander J. Cartwright, Jr., a descendent
of British sea captains. In 1842, at the age of 22, Cartwright
was among a group of men f