How did the Massachusetts game differ from the New York game of baseball?

Prior to the American Civil War, two distinct versions of baseball were played in the United States: the Massachusetts game and the New York game. The primary differences between them involved the type of ball used and the method for putting a runner out.12

• The Massachusetts Game: This version utilized a "soft ball" and remained popular in and around Boston. It retained rules similar to the game of rounders, where a runner could be put out by being hit with a thrown ball.123
• The New York Game: Popularized by the New York Knickerbocker Base Ball Club, this version introduced a "harder ball," which facilitated a larger-scale game. A significant rule change in this version was that a runner was put out by being tagged with the ball rather than being hit by it.12

Following the American Civil War, the New York game became the predominant version of the sport as soldiers from New York and New Jersey taught it to others across the country.12