1 . Baseball is known as the national entertainment in America. As children, many Americans play baseball in Little League teams. Later, some go on to play in Major League Baseball teams.     1    

The game itself is fairly easy to play. There are two teams of nine players each.     2       These bases are about 30 meters apart and are known as first base, second base, third base and home. The part of the field closest to the bases is called the infield. The part further away is the outfield.

During the game, a pitcher ( 投手) from one team throws a ball to a batter (the person holding a baseball bat) from the opposing team. The batter, who is standing on the home plate, tries to hit the ball and run around the bases.     3     The main objective is to score more runs than the opposing team.

The first recorded game was played in 1846 in Hoboken, New Jersey. And since then, baseball has grown in popularity.     4     Some of the most famous players from the past include Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Hank Greenberg, and Jackie Robinson.

Famous modern players include Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter who play for the New York Yankees, Manny Ramirez who plays for the Tampa Bay Rays, Joe Mauer who plays for the Minnesota Twins, and Albert Pujols who plays for the St Louis Cardinals. A player doesn’t have to be from the state he plays for, so baseball teams are very diverse.     5     Every year, the teams trade players.