During the mid-19th century there were two popular styles of baseball play: the New York Game (which stemmed from the 1845 Knickerbocker rules devised by Alexander Cartwright and would eventually evolve into the game of baseball we know today) and the Massachusetts Game. The Massachusetts Game was very similar to a game called town ball, an early precursor to baseball that first became popular in North America during the 18th century. The only real significant difference between the Massachusetts Game and town ball was the existence of a formal organization with a set of written rules.
The Massachusetts Game was, as its name would indicate, especially popular in New England. Its rules permitted more action and higher scoring than the New York Game. However, the New York Game quickly grew in popularity and was the favored form of baseball by the time the American Civil War ended.
Massachusetts Game Rules
Standardized rules for the Massachusetts Game did not exist until 1858 when the Massachusetts Association of Base Ball Players held conference and agreed upon 21 rules for the game.
There were several key differences between the New York Game and the Massachusetts Game. The four bases were only 60 feet apart (marked by four-foot high pegs), and the batter (called a striker) stood halfway between home base and first base. There was no foul territory, and strikers were obliged to run on contact even if the ball was tipped backwards. Base runners were called out when struck by a thrown ball, but they were free to run outside the base lines.
Innings were limited to only one out per side, likely because outs were difficult to come by. Each game was a high-scoring event, and the rules stated that the first team in a match to score 100 runs (called tallies) would be declared the winner regardless of how many innings were played. It was not unusual for matches to last several days. In 1860 a game between the Medway Unions and Upton Excelsiors lasted seven days. The game was called early as Upton won, 50 to 29.
Resemblance to the Modern Game
Pitchers (called throwers) were permitted to throw the ball overhand (overhand pitches in the Major League would not become legal until 1884). Balls caught on the fly were outs, but not after one bounce like in the New York Game. Strikers were permitted three swing-and-misses before being called out, but could run to first base if the catcher was unable to catch the ball on the final swing-and-miss.
Equipment for Massachusetts Game
A Massachusetts Game ball was lighter in weight than in other baseball sports. According to the rules the leather-covered ball weighed between two and two-and-three-fourths ounces and was between two and three inches in diameter.
The bats were round (not flat-sided like a cricket bat) and were no more than two-and-a-half inches in diameter.
Gloves were not mentioned in the rules. Athletes would not begin using gloves for baseball until the 1870s after the Massachusetts Game had run its course.
Sources:
Town Ball: The Rules of the Massachusetts Game
