Chapter 10: The Gilded Age "Batter Up!" Introduction      In this chapter you read about how a growing number of Americans in the late 1800s began to watch, as well as to participate in, a variety of sports. A sport that quickly captured the nation's heart was baseball. Go to the Internet to learn more about our national pastime—and how it grew from a club activity to a big-time professional sport. Destination Title: Cincinnati Red Stockings Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window. Need help using your browser for this activity? Click here for tips. Directions Begin at the Cincinnati Red Stockings home page. Scroll down to ready about "The Beginnings of Professional Baseball." Read the information about the Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869 and answer the following questions. 1. Until the late 1860s, baseball was primarily an amateur sport. What does this mean? 2. Who were "muffins"? 3. What announcement by the Cincinnati Red Stocking club in 1869 shook the baseball world? 4. Although the Red Stockings returned to being an amateur club, how did they help to start professional baseball?