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Did the Egyptians Invent Baseball?

Move Over Abner Doubleday. A recent report in the Los Angeles Times described the discovery by Egyptian archaeologists of three stitched leather balls, about 3 inches in diameter. The balls are thought to have been used in an ancient game called seker-hamat, which loosely translates to "hitting the ball."

The game is known from temple wall scenes and from a few ancient texts. Apparently the rulers were the original "sultans of swat." Under the rules, the kings batted these leather balls for enjoyment to a group of awaiting priests. There are some indications that the kings may also have run to certain markers after hitting the ball.

Too bad for the priests, however. As of yet, there are no Egyptian gloves belonging to this game are known to have been found.