History

Stoolball has been played for over 500 years, and perhaps much longer. Baseball, and probably cricket too, developed from our ancient sport.

Stoolball's story

Stoolball has a long and fascinating history. Nobody knows for sure how and when it started. The earliest record in 1450 is to a game being played regularly, and it may already have been around for a long time.

Documents, photos and videos

These primary sources bring stoolball history to life, and they're great for school history projects. If you know of any old documents or photos of stoolball please let us know.

Baseball's origins in stoolball

Baseball fans interested in the origins of their own sport have researched the history of stoolball. The results include the most detailed chronology we know of, and a documentary film produced by Major League Baseball.