Four strikes and you’re out!! Well, back in the year 1887 that might have been the saying, for a time it took five balls for a walk and four strikes for an out as this 19th century umpire ball-strike indicator showed. In fact a few leagues had different ways of constituting what was a base on balls and and the same with a strike out. For example for a while the National League went with seven balls and three strikes and the American Association went with six balls and three strikes. It’s safe to say it took some years before four balls and three strikes became the universal standard all leagues would adapt and what we see today.