Baseball originated in the 18th century from bat-and-ball games in England and evolved in North America. The first modern game was played in 1846. Key rules were formalized by Alexander Cartwright in 1845, and the first professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, formed in 1869.
The game is divided into nine innings, each divided into two halves. In the top half of the inning, the players of one team successively come to bat and attempt to score runs, while the other team plays in the field and attempts to stop the offensive team from scoring. In the bottom half, the teams swap places.
