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The web page of the Welsh
Baseball Union is hosted by Weltch Media, and
will be developed further. |
Baseball is an exciting summer sport, enjoyed by
people of all ages and boasting a long and proud
history.
The sport we now know as Welsh (or, more accurately,
British) baseball dates back to 1892, when the English
and Welsh governing bodies changed the name from
‘rounders’ to reflect more accurately
the demanding, high-speed nature of the sport.
However, its roots stretch back much further, and
there are literary references to baseball in Britain
as long ago as 1744.
It remains a popular summer pastime, especially
in the Welsh capital, Cardiff, and the neighbouring
city of Newport, and today the Welsh Baseball Union
(WBU) runs a three-division men’s league and
cup competitions.
There are also junior leagues and a thriving women’s
scene, organised by the Welsh Ladies Baseball Union,
which has its own website.
The showcase event of the year is the men’s
international between Wales and England, which was
first held in 1908. A unified set of rules was formalised
in 1927 with the formation of the International
Baseball Board, which remains the sport’s
governing body, with representatives from the WBU
and the Liverpool-based English Baseball Association.
The international has been held in such prestigious
venues as Cardiff Arms Park, the home of Welsh rugby,
Sophia Gardens, now an international cricket ground,
and Goodison Park, home of the mighty Everton soccer
club.
The big match has attracted as many as 12,000 spectators, and 10,000 attended the 1948 game in Cardiff Castle Grounds, when Wales, under the captaincy of the great Ted Peterson, won by 11 runs.
Peterson,
who died in December 2005, aged 89, remains a legendary
figure in the sport, as a player for Penylan and
Wales and later as chairman and president of the
WBU. He was awarded the MBE by the Queen for his
services to the sport in 1997.
The sport differs from US baseball in several ways,
including the number of players (11), scoring (one
run for each base reached) and the delivery of the
ball (underarm, and known – as in cricket
– as ‘bowling’).
Despite the differences, Welsh teams have played
against visiting US opponents on several occasions,
usually playing part of the game to each set of
rules.
Baseball is great fun to watch and to play. If you
would like to know more, please explore the links
from this page or contact the Welsh Baseball Union
at the address below:
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Ken Gough, chairman WBU,
49 Primrose Court,
Ty-Canol,
Cwmbran,
NP44 6JJ,
Wales, UK.
Tel: (UK) 01633 770918
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