Monthly Archives: October 2024

Baseball In The Garden Of Eden Flashback

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Back in 2016, The Sporting News celebrated the start of the baseball season by listing the best books ever written about the National Pastime. In “The 25 best baseball books of all time, ranked“, “Baseball in the Garden of Eden” by John Thorn was listed in the Top 10, crediting it with almost getting Doc Adams inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2016. The vote of the Pre-integration Era Committee came up just 2 votes short of the number required for Doc’s election. If you are interested in the early history of baseball “Baseball in the Garden of … Continue reading →

In His Own Words Chapter 7: Executive (The Sporting News)

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This is the seventh chapter in a nine-part series, excerpts from an interview(s) in the “The Chicago Chronicle” and “The Sporting News”, both appearing in the mid-late 1890s. This chapter is titled: “Executive”. The seminal interview of Daniel Lucius Adams, M.D. appeared in The Sporting News on February 29, 1896. This is the only known first-hand account of Doc’s memories of the game. Similar interviews (or excerpts) began to appear in newspapers across the Midwest apparently originating in The Chicago Chronicle on June 23, 1895. He never talked about baseball. We have not one thing in the family, that Doc … Continue reading →

The Treasures Of Major Legue Baseball

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“The Treasures of Major League Baseball” [edited by Major League Baseball] tells the rich and fascinating history of baseball through hundreds of photographs and an exhaustively researched and evocative text. The origin and evolution of the sport are explored, as are the great players, famous games and idiosyncrasies such as team owners, broadcasters and collectors of baseball souvenirs. Another Knickerbockers player, Daniel Adams, also plays prominently into the game’s early history. At a meeting with other amateur clubs in 1857, Adams chaired a rules committee that made important changes to the sport, like putting a nine-inning cap on games and … Continue reading →

In His Own Words Chapter 6: Knickerbockers (The Sporting News)

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This is the sixth chapter in a nine-part series, excerpts from an interview(s) in the “The Chicago Chronicle” and “The Sporting News”, both appearing in the mid-late 1890s. This chapter is titled: “Knickerbockers”. The seminal interview of Daniel Lucius Adams, M.D. appeared in The Sporting News on February 29, 1896. This is the only known first-hand account of Doc’s memories of the game. Similar interviews (or excerpts) began to appear in newspapers across the Midwest apparently originating in The Chicago Chronicle on June 23, 1895. He never talked about baseball. We have not one thing in the family, that Doc … Continue reading →

A History Of American Sports In 100 Objects

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In her book “A History of American Sports in 100 Objects”, Cait Murphy proposes that these 100 objects tell much more than just stories about great games – they tell the story of the nation. She shows how the games Americans play are woven into the fabric of America itself. One of the objects that she includes is “Soil From The Elysian Fields”. She states that “In Greek mythology, the souls of the historic dead enjoyed paradise in the Elysian Fields.” She found it fitting that was the home of the Knickerbockers and that the “first organized baseball game” took … Continue reading →

In His Own Words Chapter 5: Exercise (The Sporting News)

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This is the fifth chapter in a nine-part series, excerpts from an interview(s) in the “The Chicago Chronicle” and “The Sporting News”, both appearing in the mid-late 1890s. This chapter is titled: “Exercise”. The seminal interview of Daniel Lucius Adams, M.D. appeared in The Sporting News on February 29, 1896. This is the only known first-hand account of Doc’s memories of the game. Similar interviews (or excerpts) began to appear in newspapers across the Midwest apparently originating in The Chicago Chronicle on June 23, 1895. He never talked about baseball. We have not one thing in the family, that Doc … Continue reading →

Recalling The Ceremonial 1st “Pitch For Doc Adams”

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After the recent capstone event of this year’s “A Pitch For Doc Adams” at the M.A.C. Grounds at Fleischmanns Park, we’d like to flash back to its ceremonial 1st pitch. It seems like only yesterday that the first “Pitch For Doc Adams” was thrown on June 9, 2024 at Stroh Field, Hilltop Farm. Suffield, CT. The weather wasn’t the greatest; however, it cooperated enough to play and the ballists made the best of it. The Westfield Wheelmen hosted the first-ever Old Tyme Base Ball Festival on June 8 and 9 in Suffield. The team organized the two-day baseball festival at … Continue reading →

In His Own Words Chapter 4: Shortstop (The Sporting News)

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This is the fourth chapter in a nine-part series, excerpts from an interview(s) in the “The Chicago Chronicle” and “The Sporting News”, both appearing in the mid-late 1890s. This chapter is titled: “Shortstop”. The seminal interview of Daniel Lucius Adams, M.D. appeared in The Sporting News on February 29, 1896. This is the only known first-hand account of Doc’s memories of the game. Similar interviews (or excerpts) began to appear in newspapers across the Midwest apparently originating in The Chicago Chronicle on June 23, 1895. He never talked about baseball. We have not one thing in the family, that Doc … Continue reading →

1860 Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player

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In the premier issue of Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player, Hall of Famer Henry Chadwick, expresses gratitude to his friend, Dr. Adams. Doc was also listed as delegate to the 1860 National Convention representing the Knickerbockers with his teammate, William Grenelle. As is illustrated by Doc’s name appearing in italics, he still continued to support the ‘catch on the fly’ rule. The rule change was proposed to the NABBP annually by Adams but did not pass. It wasn’t finally instituted in 1864. Doc Adams was elected the presiding officer of the first convention in 1857. The second convention was the birth … Continue reading →

In His Own Words Chapter 3: Bats (The Sporting News)

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This is the third chapter in a nine-part series, excerpts from an interview(s) in the “The Chicago Chronicle” and “The Sporting News”, both appearing in the mid-late 1890s. This chapter is titled: “Bats”. The seminal interview of Daniel Lucius Adams, M.D. appeared in The Sporting News on February 29, 1896. This is the only known first-hand account of Doc’s memories of the game. Similar interviews (or excerpts) began to appear in newspapers across the Midwest apparently originating in The Chicago Chronicle on June 23, 1895. He never talked about baseball. We have not one thing in the family, that Doc … Continue reading →