explains the effect of bat on ball or the trajectory of a pitch. Ballclubs look for ways to understand the underlying scientific principles…and exploit them. In 1938, the Chicago Cubs hired researchers to study players physically and psychologically. Today, teams of nutritionists, trainers, and experts analyze every aspect of the game. Baseball continues to experiment with new materials and equipment, such as batters' body armor.

Innovation also flourishes off the field. Overcoming initial hesitation, baseball eventually capitalized on radio and television's potential. Pioneering partnerships with the new mass media, the game reshaped our sense of belonging to a community—perhaps its most profound innovation of all.

Most pitchers don't know this formula. But they use it. The Navier-Stokes Equation helps to explain why curve balls curve.

Photo: Denis Finnin, AMNH

Understanding the science behind the sport yields practical advantages. The relationship between bat weight and bat speed influences players' choices between heavy, slow-moving bats and light, fast-moving bats. Nutrition and exercise regimens rely on biology, chemistry, and medicine.

Sometimes, even a tiny boost from scientific study provides a winning edge. Defying popular wisdom, Carl Yastrzemski was among the first to experiment with year-round training after the 1966 season...then led the Red Sox to the World Series in 1967.

Baseball's success building a mass following grew in part from its success harnessing communications technology.

Newspapers have promoted the game since baseball's early years, regularly publishing box scores and commentary by the 1850s. In the early 1900s, huge scoreboards re-created games for fans away from the ballpark.

When broadcasting blossomed in the 1920s, many owners feared that radio, and later television, might harm ticket sales. But as baseball recognized broadcasting's potential, the two joined forces, influencing each other. Baseball helped to pioneer sportscast "personalities," the forerunner of modern color commentary. Broadcasting, demanding longer commercial breaks, has lengthened games. The Internet may well shape baseball in the future.