Alternative facts about baseball

[Lionel Mandrake]

Now that the USA is fact-free, I decided to create an alternative history of baseball. I have no knowledge or interest in baseball, but, like Trump, I don't consider that a disadvantage. Ken Burns did a documentary on the subject. I have done no research, but my version is just as good as his.

In my view it all started with the ancient Japanese sport of basoboru. Some American tourists once came across a game in progress and asked what was going on. They were told that it was a game of basoboru. Not being able to pronounce "basoboru" correctly, the tourists changed it to "baseball". When they returned home, the tourists decided it would be fun to play the game among themselves. Others joined in, and soon the new sport became popular all across the USA.

[NotASurfer]

1. Maybe earlier

By the time MacBeth was written, it already contained the line "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" in Act I. That implies Elizabethan patrons of popular theatre were already exposed to the occasionally questionable calls of the umpire, and probably nodded knowingly at the ironic use of the phrase by one of the witches.

At least, I think that was before Shakespeare went to work making movies for Warner Brothers. Might be wrong about the timing there.

[Lionel Mandrake]

2. Was that before or after

Shakespeare was psychoanalyzed?

[bif]

3. It's actually mentioned in the bible.

The first words of the bible are...
In the big inning.

[Lionel Mandrake]

5. Twice

Genesis and John both start with those words.

[bahboo]

4. and the Cubs have won every World Series ever played....