“Baseball : The Biographical Encyclopedia” by the editors of Total Baseball is the ‘complete biographical reference of the national pastime’. There is a lengthy entry for Doc Adams that includes his personal life and leans heavily on the 1896 Sporting News interview. Any of his improvements to baseball would have landed Adams a prominent page in baseball history. Taken together, they earn him the right to be called the true “Father of Baseball.”

With “First Pitch: How Baseball Began”, America’s premier baseball historian has created the first book for young baseball fans that truly tells the story of the origins of our national pastime. While debunking long-held myths, Thorn introduces kids to the first games, first fields, and first leagues. He also shows how the game of yesteryear connects to the game kids love to play and watch today. Featured in the book is the story of his personal discovery of the oldest reference to the sport in American history, a 1791 Massachusetts ordinance banning “Base Ball.” Cartwright did not play in that … Continue reading →