The birthplace of baseball was in Britain! US expert proves his country's national sport was first played in England by royalty on this village green

Newspaper cutting reveals match involving Prince of Wales in 1749 in Surrey

First mention of baseball in America was in 1791 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts

U.S. expert on the sport discovers evidence in the British Library



For at least two centuries its origins have been the subject of fierce cross-Atlantic debate.



But an expert on baseball from the United States has made a 'very significant' discovery that appears to prove his country's national sport, famously as American as apple pie, was first played in England in 1749 by royalty.

Frederick Louis, son of George II, heir to the throne and the Prince of Wales, had a game with his friend Charles Sackville, Lord Middlesex, on what is now Ashley Park, in Walton on Thames.



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Evidence: This cutting from the Whitehall Evening post in 1749, proves baseball came from England not America, researchers have found

Significant: The match took place in Ashley Park, Walton on Thames, on an area now taken up by this cricket pitch (pictured)

A report in The Whitehall Evening Post item from 264 years ago, dated September 19 reads: 'On Tuesday last, his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and Lord Middlesex, played at Bass-Ball, at Walton in Surry; notwithstanding the weather was extreme bad, they continued playing several hours.'

American researcher and author David Block, who specialises in the study of baseball’s origins, spotted the small news piece and believes the game was played a week earlier, on September 12.

'This is a very, very significant because it is the first known baseball game involving mature adults. And it is also one of the very, very first references to baseball overall,' he said.

'In fact it is the earliest one for which the original source survives, which makes it particularly significant.'

Research: Baseball expert David Block (left) tracked down the cutting at the British Library, which discusses a match involving Frederick the Prince of Wales (right), which firmly places the sport's origins in Britain

Thriving: Baseball continues to be one of America's top sports buts its origins appear to be firmly across the Atlantic in the UK

The match was played at Ashley Park in Walton on Thames because Sackville’s wife, Grace Boyle, had inherited the 136 acre property from her parents in 1740.



English baseball will have been very different to the American version, as it would probably similar to rounders and cricket.

The then Prince of Wales who played in the first game was known to be cricket mad, and was a celebrated patron of the sport.



But until the last five years it had always been believed the sport was conceived in the United States.

The first mention of the game there came in 1791, when an order banned baseball within 80 yards of the town meeting hall in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

However, in 2008 a diary was found which described how teenagers played the game in 1755, again in Surrey.