Mahonri M. Young (1877-1957),Batter-Up, no date, ink and wash, 6 15/16 x 9 15/16 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, purchase/gift of the Mahonri M. Young Estate, 1959.
In an article published on this day in 1870, The New York Times proclaimed that baseball was “the National Game.” While that pronouncement may not seem shocking to later Americans, the game was still young at the time and would continue to evolve into the sport we know and love today. This ink sketch by Mahonri Young features a more developed game of baseball than what would have been played in 1870. Here, the players have standardized baseball equipment and the grandstand in the background is full of excited spectators.