Why is the deciding game in a baseball series called the rubber game ?

When two teams each win 2 games in a series, why is the third called the rubber game ?Why is the deciding game in a baseball series called the rubber game ?There are several theories I have heard, although I don't know if any single one is true:



1) It originated from an English game called "Lawn Bowling" or "Bowls"...I have no idea how but I understand that this is the accepted "wikipedia" explanation.



2) It originated from Pub Darts - When playing darts in a bar, you keep score on a chalkboard. The deciding game was called the "rubber" (which used to be a term used for anything used to rub or erase) because, once completed, the scoreboard would be "rubbed" clean to start a new game.



3) It originated from Billiards - In many pool halls, scores would be kept for the various games by a bunch of wooden discs strung on a piece of string over the table. As each player scored, he would slide a wooden disk from the center of the string to the left or right, depending on which "side" was his. The sets of disks were separated by a little rubber "bumper" on the string...so once the even number of disks was used up (as they would be in a tie), the only thing left for which to play was literally "the rubber."Why is the deciding game in a baseball series called the rubber game ?A great question that's already been asked many times before (see attached)



http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;鈥?/a>



http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;鈥?/a>



http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;鈥?/a>



Every one of the earlier Best Answers answers your current question.Why is the deciding game in a baseball series called the rubber game ?a silly nickname