ions of this theory of
American origin further contended that those who would derive Base Ball
from "Rounders" had totally ignored the earlier history of both games,
and had been misled by certain modern developments of "Rounders," as
more recently played in England, after many of the features of Base Ball
had been appropriated by the English game.

The American source of Base Ball is traced to the game of "One Old Cat,"
which was a favorite among the boys in old colonial times. This was
played by three boys--a thrower, a catcher, and a batsman. If the
batsman after striking the ball could run to a goal about thirty feet
distant, and return before the ball could be fielded, he counted one
tally. This game was developed to include more players. "Two Old Cat"
was played by four boys--two batsmen and two throwers--each alternating
as catchers, and a "tally" was made by the batsman hitting the ball and
exchanging places with the batsman at the opposite goal. In the same
manner "Three Old Cat" was played by six, and "Four Old Cat" by eight
boys. "Four Old Cat," with four batsmen and four throwers, each
alternating as catchers, was played on a square-shaped field, each side
of which was about forty feet long. All the batsmen were forced to run
to the next corner, or "goal," of this square whenever any one of the
batsmen struck the ball, but if the ball was caught on the fly or first
bound, or any one of the four batsmen was hit by a thrown ball between
goals, the runner was out, and his place was taken by the fielding
player who put him out.

From this game was developed "Town Ball," so called because it came to
be the popular game at all town meetings. This game accommodated a
greater number of players than "Four Old Cat," and resolved the
individual players into two competing sides. It placed one thrower in
the centre of the "Four Old Cat" square field, and had but one catcher.
The corners of the field were called first, second, third, and fourth
goals. The batsman's position was half way between first and fourth
goals. The number of players on a side was at first unlimited, but
"three out, all out," had already become the rule, allowing the fielding
side to take their innings at bat.

This method of alternating sides at bat was retained in the fully
developed game of Base Ball, and marks the most radical difference in
the ancestry of Base Ball and the English "Rounders." For the great
feature of "Rounders," from which i