How did Civil War soldiers help spread baseball across the United States?

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Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants swings his bat after hitting his record-breaking 756th home run, with the catcher, umpire, and a cheering crowd behind him at AT&T Park. — History of baseball Giants legend Barry Bonds hitting his record-setting 756th career home run, August 7, 2007.

Prior to the American Civil War, baseball existed in two primary forms: the "Massachusetts game," which utilized a soft ball, and the "New York game," which used a harder ball.12

During the Civil War (1861–65), soldiers from New York and New Jersey played a significant role in spreading the sport by teaching the New York version of the game to other soldiers. Following the conclusion of the war, the New York version became the predominant style of play across the country. This dissemination helped the sport expand into regions such as Maine, Kentucky, and Oregon, setting the stage for baseball to become the national pastime.12