e seems to have been an orderly and systematic
development of "Town Ball," in which confusion and collision among
players in attempting to catch the batted ball were frequent, and injury
due to this cause, or to the practice of putting out the runner by
hitting him with the ball, often occurred. Although Doubleday provided
for eleven men on a side, instead of nine, using four outfielders
instead of three, and stationing an extra shortstop between first and
second bases, he had nevertheless invented fundamental principles that
became characteristic of Base Ball. He had definitely limited the number
of contestants on each side, and had fixed the position of players in
the field, allotting certain territory to each, besides adding something
like the present method of putting out the baserunner to the old one of
"plugging" him with the ball. Under Doubleday's rules a runner not on
base might be put out by being touched with the ball in the hand of an
opposing player. From this was an easy step to the practice of throwing
the ball to a baseman to anticipate the runner. The new importance thus
given to the bases, in their relation to both fielders and batters,
justified for the game the name of "Base Ball."

"Abner Doubleday," writes Graves, "was several years older than I. In
1838 and 1839 I was attending the 'Frog Hollow' school south of the
Presbyterian church, while he was at school somewhere on the hill. I do
not know, neither is it possible for anyone to know, on what spot the
first game of Base Ball was played according to Doubleday's plan. He
went diligently among the boys in the town, and in several schools,
explaining the plan, and inducing them to play Base Ball in lieu of the
other games. Doubleday's game was played in a good many places around
town: sometimes in the old militia muster lot, or training ground, a
couple of hundred yards southeasterly from the Court House,[98] where
County Fairs were occasionally held; sometimes in Mr. Bennett's field
south of Otsego Academy;[99] at other times over in the Miller's Bay
neighborhood,[100] and up the lake.

"I remember one dandy, fine, rollicking game where men and big boys from
the Academy and other schools played up on Mr. Phinney's farm, a mile or
two up the west side of the lake,[101] when Abner Doubleday and Prof.
Green chose sides, and Doubleday's side beat Green's side badly.
Doubleday was captain and catcher for his side, and I think John Graves
and Elihu Phi