In 1845, Alexander Cartwright put together a list of rules by which all teams could play. Much of that original code is still in place today. Although popular legend says that the game was invented by Abner Doubleday, baseball's true father was Cartwright. The first recorded baseball contest took place a year later in 1846. There were 9 players to a side. In 1857, a convention of amateur teams was called to discuss rules and other issues. Twenty five teams from the northeast sent delegates.