"play in the field," 1823 in cricket (by 1867 in baseball), verbal noun from field (v.).
Entries linking to fielding
field v.
"to go out to fight," 16c., from field (n.) in the specific sense of "battlefield" (Old English). The sports meaning "to stop and return the ball" is first recorded 1823, originally in cricket; figurative sense of this is from 1902. Related: Fielded; fielding.