The 1857 'Laws of Base Ball' was authored by former player Daniel 'Doc' Adams and established that bases would be 90 feet apart, games would have nine innings, and each side would have nine players.
Sources
- This Crackerjack Lineup of Baseball Memorabilia Drives ... (smithsonianmag.com)
- https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/pre-integration/adams-doc (baseballhall.org)
- https://www.mlb.com/cut4/1857-laws-of-base-ball-sold-for-more-than-3-million-c174433764 (mlb.com)
- https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/15155678/laws-base-ball-papers-sale-establish-new-father-modern-baseball (espn.com)
- https://robbreport.com/shelter/art-collectibles/baseballs-handwritten-rules-1857-may-knock-it-out-park-auction-231262/ (robbreport.com)
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