'America's Pastime' didn't actually originate here in America. In fact there is evidence that can be traced back to parts of Europe and even Russia as early as the 1300's of similar type games being played. Baseball can be traced back to the 1700's here in America to informal games that were played much more aggressively with few rules and even fewer rules regulating the equipment that could be used, especially the bats used for batting. There wasn't just one size or shape. Men used homemade baseball bats that were sometimes long, short, heavy, or even flat. This seemingly simple tool would not be perfected for quite some time. The first rules of baseball set by an organization were implemented in 1845 by the amateur New York Knickerbockers. It was a team that was created as a social club for the upper middle classes of New York City. The club members were led by Alexander Cartwright, who is actually credited with being the founder of baseball which is widely rumored to have been Abner Doubleday. The Knickerbockers were the first to play under the 'force out' rules of baseball and were no longer able to get a base runner out by hitting or 'plugging' him with the ball. In 1859, the rules finally set limitations on the size of the bat. Baseball bats were now being restricted to 2.5 inches in diameter. A rule that has remained the same until today was implemented 10 years later stating that the length of a bat could not exceed 42 inches in length. Although, no ballplayers use a bat anywhere near that length when playing in a game. By 1890, the rules involving the size of a baseball bat became much more detailed stating that a bat had to be round and could no longer be sawed off; this was shortly after the first American bat making company opened up shop. Pete Browning was a player on the hometown Louisville baseball team in 1884. Attending one of the local ballgames, then 17 year old John Hillerich, who was a wood worker for his father, witnessed Browning break his favorite bat in a ballgame. After the game, Hillerich went home to craft a replacement bat out of white ash lumber for Browning. The next day Browning went 3 for 3 causing that bat to become known unofficially as' the Louisville Slugger baseball bat'. Through word of mouth news spread fast of this new creation and soon after people were paying the father and son wood workers to craft more. The Hillerich's started making baseball bats under that soon to be household name. Honus Wagner was the first player that was paid to allow his name to be engraved into the bat which is still done today. Their bats have always been high quality and have basically been the same baseball bat over time, but weigh less and have a thinner handle today. Louisville Slugger baseball bat reviews are usually very favorable by comparison to other baseball bat reviews. The 'Louisville Slugger' set the standard for baseball bat makers to follow.