Episode 1: The Road to October – Introduction

Baseball didn’t just appear fully formed under bright stadium lights. It was shaped across centuries — from English children’s books in the 1700s, to Union soldiers passing time at Valley Forge, to the first professional teams that barnstormed the country in the 1860s. Along the way, the rules changed constantly: 21-run games, underhand pitching, even fair balls caught on one bounce.

In this introductory episode of The Road to October, we set the stage for the journey ahead. We’ll trace baseball’s early evolution, from the Knickerbocker Club’s first official rulebook to the creation of professional leagues, and explore how those chaotic beginnings gave rise to the modern World Series.

If you’ve ever wondered how America’s pastime became the game we know today — this is where the story begins.