Doc Adams Base Ball Biography (Base Ball Player)

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“I used to play shortstop, and I believe I was the first to occupy it as it had formerly been left uncovered.”¹ Doc is credited with creating the position of shortstop in 1849/50 because the very light-weight balls would not carry into home base from being tossed from the outfield. “The advent of the short fielder, or shortstop…was a radical development and distinct innovation…however, when Adams first traipsed out to a spot between and beyond second and third bases, it was not to bolster the infield but to assist in relays from the outfield. The early Knickerbocker ball [that Doc … Continue reading →

Tom Fesolowich, President of the Mutual Base Ball Club of New York, On Doc Adams

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Tom Fesolowich is the Coordinator of The Old Time Base Ball Program held at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. The village hosts the longest Vintage Base Ball Festival that had its inaugural event in 1997. In 2015, it was renamed in Doc Adams honor, the Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival. Two years ago, Tom did a live Facebook stream of talk with Marjorie Adams, the great-granddaughter of Doc Adams. Tom shared some of his thoughts on Doc. “Doc Adams is to the true Father of Baseball. The game is so perfectly arranged and would change dramatically if bases weren’t … Continue reading →

Vintage Base Ball Association’s Gary Schiappacasse on Doc Adams

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The Vintage Base Ball Association is a strong advocate for getting Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams’s into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams contributions to the game have been documented in the “Laws of Base Ball” first presented to the New York area ball clubs on January 22, 1857. Doc Adams played the game, created base balls and bats, was the President of the Knickerbockers, and was elected as the presiding officer of the first conventions and Rules Committees to standardize the rules of the game. In addition he created the shortstop position, advocated for nine innings, … Continue reading →

Championing Doc Adams For The Hall Of Fame

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James C. Metzger whose philosophy is “Everything I ever needed to know about business I learned on the sports field.” recently posted “Championing Doc Adams For The Hall of Fame” on his blog. In the post, he briefly describes Doc Adams contributions, his rediscovery by John Thorn, and Marjorie Adams’ campaign for historical accuracy and recognition for her great-grandfather. Below is an excerpt from the post. The full post can be found at the link above. Worth a read.

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The Father Of The National Game Still Living In New Haven

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So far the earliest reference we have found referring to Dr. Daniel Lucius ‘Doc’ Adams, M.D. as a “Father of Baseball” in June 23, 1895. That was 12 years before the Mills Commission created the Doubleday myth and 43 years before Alexander Cartwright was elected into the Hall of Fame. This article was in a column called “Side Lights On The Ball Field” in the Chicago Chronicle. The piece teases the article with “The Father of the National Game Still Living In New Haven” and starts out with “Father of Baseball”. Doc Adams was re-discovered by John Thorn, Official Historian … Continue reading →

Collin Miller Of Mountain Athletic Club Vintage Base Ball Supports Doc

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Derek Jeter recently entered the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 as one of the game’s elite shortstops. Coincidentally, not far from where Jeter captained the New York Yankees to many post-season championships, are the Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey where the origins of baseball in America was furthered by several New Yorkers including the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club (KBBC) and the inventor of the shortstop (the first man to play the position for the KBBC), a Harvard-educated physician from New Hampshire named Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams, M.D. According to numerous reputable baseball historians, the creation of the … Continue reading →

The True Godfather Of Our Game

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From Bardball.com: BARDBALL wants to resurrect the connection between baseball and poetry, between the love of the game and love of language. A century ago, most baseball columnists regularly published poems in the paper about the players, the personalities, the action and the game itself. “Casey at the Bat” might not be Shakespeare, but if Shakespeare were alive today, we bet he’d be looking for rhymes for “Yelich”, “Markakis” and “Moncado”. For Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams (11/1/1814-1/3/1899) “Doc Adams, with newly claimed fame,Now “The Man” whom historians name –Not Doubleday, not Wright,Or Doc’s teammate, Cartwright –As “The True Godfather of Our … Continue reading →

2016 Hall Of Fame Flashback

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Since some folks have forgotten, so just wanted to share what the National Baseball Hall of Fame was saying in 2016. A talented player in baseball’s earliest days who became a pioneering force on a multitude of fronts in baseball’s nascent years. Adams, who became a member of the famed Knickerbocker Base Ball Club in 1845, helped standardize the game’s tools and contributed to the establishment of the shortstop position. “2016 Pre-Integration Committee Candidates“, BaseballHall.org In the mid-19th century, Doc Adams was first introduced to “base ball,” a sporting activity with rules and regulations that varied from team to team. … Continue reading →

Doc Adams Base Ball Biography (Baseball Pioneer)

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Daniel came to New York in 1839, set-up his medical practice and began playing base ball, although it is known he was playing some form of “bat and ball” as early as 1832 (See, The Early Years) at his home in New Hampshire, probably the Massachusetts game or Town Ball.  “I was always interested in athletics, while in college and afterward and soon after coming to New York, I began to play base ball….”¹ The New York game was played by young lawyers, doctors, merchants, bank clerks and others who could leave New York twice a week at 3:30 pm. … Continue reading →

Dr. D. L. Adams: Memoirs Of The Father Of Base Ball

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On February 29, 1896, the Sporting News published an article on Dr. D. L. Adams sub-titled ‘Memoirs of the Father of Base Ball’. The article is based on an interview of Doc and details his contributions to the nascent National Pastime. The article seems to derive from one found in the Chicago Chronicle (23 June 1895). Below is the Sporting News article. The rediscovery of Adams’s handwritten “Laws of Base Ball” provided tangible primary, evidence in support of this article. DR. D. L. ADAMSMEMOIRS OF THE FATHER OF BASE BALLHE RESIDES IN NEW HAVEN AND RETAINS AN INTEREST IN THE … Continue reading →