I have recently bought `Reader's Digest The Origin of Everyday Things', which I know is not the most reputable source (it was cheap), but at least gets the origin of baseball as far back as 1744, early enough for Catherine Morland to enjoy it.

Now, here's a quote which casts doubt on the idea that young Mr Darcy ran over to the horse chestnut tree (not five miles away) to gather conkers:
`The first conkers were empty snail shells suspended on strings. They were only replaced with horse chestnuts in the 19th century.'

Do we believe this?