Today’s ball is the BASEball.
The baseball has a long history with Dogs.
Originally conceived as a hunting tool, cynologists (those who study Dogs) believe the baseball was first used by the cave Dog on his forays into the wilderness in search of food.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the baseball pre-dates other methods popularly believed to have been used by Dogs in their hunt. In fact, the word “base” is thought to be a corruption of the ancient Canine word, “baas,” which means “food.” Linguists believe this suggests that, in the beginning, the Cave Dog thought of the baseball as a “food” ball.
The word “baas” is also closely related to the Human word “baa,” which is used as an imitation of the sound that Sheep make. This serves as further evidence of the baseball’s connection with food.
It is widely held that it was the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat who first introduced the Cave Dog to the notion of using the baseball in a form of sport.
Since that time, Dogs everywhere have enjoyed various forms of play with the baseball.
Sources: Canine Prehistory: Society and Ritual; The Cave Dog’s Guide to the Sporting World; The Canine Picture Book of Balls; The Educated Ball Owner’s Guide to the Good Life; Various Articles and Reports.
Bailey can be reached at bailey@mammaliandaily.com
