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 →

Baseball’s History Rewritten

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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 … Continue reading →

Senator Richard Blumenthal’s Endorsement Of Doc Adams

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Senator Richard Blumenthal endorsed Doc Adams, in the early days of our quest. When hoping to see Doc Adams on the 2013 Pre-Integration Era Committee ballot for consideration with a goal of Doc being recognized with induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame for his contributions to the nascent National Pastime. Unfortunately, Doc Adams did not appear on the 2013 ballot. However, with the boost of Doc’s recognition as the Society of American Baseball Research’s 2014 19th Century Overlooked Baseball Legend, Adams appeared on a Hall of Fame ballot in 2016 for the first time, falling 2 votes short … Continue reading →

Doc Adams Base Ball Biography (Preface)

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For the next several weeks, we will recount Doc’s base ball (yes, it was two words when Doc played) biography to provide more information to those who may wonder who this 19th century Doctor was and why it is unconscionable that he is not being considered for enshrinement in baseball’s “hallowed hall”. Before we get into his base ball career next week, we’ll describe his early life in his post. Daniel Lucius Adams was born in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire on November 1, 1814 to Dr. Daniel Adams MD and Nancy Mulliken.  It is not known where Doc received his … Continue reading →

Doc Adams Left Off Early Baseball Era Ballot

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As we waited with great anticipation for this year’s Early Baseball Era Committee vote, we were dumbfounded to hear that the “Special” Early Baseball Overview Committee inexplicably left Doc Adams off the 2022 ballot. Let’s revisit the undisputed facts about Adams’s contributions and accomplishments: Elected Vice-President of the Knickerbockers, and President in ’47-’49, ’56, ’57 and ’61, served as a director in other years. Created the position of shortstop and was the first to occupy it. Personally made the balls and oversaw the making of bats, for the Knickerbockers and later for other NYC clubs, to standardize the game’s equipment. … Continue reading →