In 2016, not long after the vote on the 2016 Pre-integration Era Ballot, with Doc Adams receiving 10 of the 12 needed votes for election, the re-discovery of his handwritten “Laws of Base Ball” was announced. When this rare, seminal document sold at auction for $3.26 million, stories were published everywhere (most of them derivatives of Andrew Dalton’s AP story).

It was hoped that his concluding statement would prove prophetic and that Doc Adams’ rediscovered, handwritten “Laws of Base Ball” would turns out to be just what the doctor ordered for this year’s MLB Winter Meetings. The Special Early Baseball Overview Committee, however, inexplicably did not see fit to include Doc on the ballot.

The new documents may be what he needs for election.

“Baseball’s History Rewritten”, AP, Andrew Dalton

With the recent discovery of his ‘Laws of Base Ball’ we have tangible primary evidence of his genius. More than anyone else, he created our game of nine innings, nine men, and ninety-foot base paths.

“5 Inventors”, Our Game, John Thorn