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The United States government joined the festivities by issuinng a commemorative stamp, marking 1839 as the official date of the national game's birth.
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The 1890-1950 era might be described as the golden ago of baseball history. The game enjoyed an uncontested supremacy among American sports fans; unlike today, neither football nor basketball were even close rivals. The reat produced larger-than-life hearoes such as Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, and Satchel Paige as well as supernally consistent dynasties such as the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals.
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Minor-league professional baseball grew from 13 leagues to 51 leagues circuits at mid-century. Every city, town, and village of any consequence had one more amateur, semiprofessional, or professional team.
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Beginning in 1903, the pennant winners of the American and National leagues agreed to play a nine-gamem "World Championship" series. No postseason games were played in 1904.
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The World Series became a permanent feature of big-league baseball. The series furnished an exciting conclusion to the regular season; the entire nation soon became absorbed in its outcome.
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The major leages celebrated the "centennial" of baseball with impressive ceremonies at Cooperstown. There they dedicated a Hall of Fame, prestented a pageant showing Doubleday's alleged contribution to the sport and staged an all-star game.
