Father of Base Ball
The seminal interview of Doc Adams that appeared in the February 29, 1896 Sporting News has surfaced in several places previously. This version appeared in the Altoona Evening Telegraph on August 3, 1895.
Continue reading →Cancelled Events And Missed Opportunities
The boys and girls of summer were unable to gather at Old Bethpage Village Restoration for the 23rd Annual Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s a shame to miss the opportunity to play on what is a picture perfect weekend. The cancellation of this and several other events planned in the lead up to the selection of the 2021 Early Baseball Era Committee Ballot finalists and the subsequent voting has hindered the continued spread of the word about Adams and his accomplishments. Hopefully, this won’t stand in the way of his election. All … Continue reading →
Father of Base Ball
The seminal interview of Doc Adams that appeared in the February 29, 1896 Sporting News has surfaced in several places previously. This version appeared in The Princeton Clarion on August 1, 1895.
Continue reading →Doc Adams – SABR’s Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend
On July 31, 2014, Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams (1814 – 1899) was selected as the 19th Century Overlooked Baseball Legend by the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). This recognition came in the bi-centennial of his birth. Each year SABR honors a 19th century player, manager, executive or other baseball personality not yet inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Adams joined the New York Base Ball Club in 1840. By 1845, he became a member of the famed Knickerbocker Base Ball Club and was elected as its president two years later. In 1848, he … Continue reading →
23rd Annual Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival (CANCELLED)
It is that time of year again. Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this year’s installment of the Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival has been cancelled. We look forward to the return next year when we expect to be celebrating Doc Adams induction onto the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s that time of year again. The boys of summer return to Old Bethpage Village Restoration and the 23rd Annual Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival is right around the corner this weekend, August 1-2. The festival has provided many great memories in recent years. 08/01/20 – … Continue reading →
Peverelly’s “American Pastimes”: 1846
Doc Adams is mentioned often in Charles A. Peverelly’s 1868 book, “American Pastimes – Containing a History of the Principal Base Ball, Cricket, Rowing, and Yachting Clubs of the United States“. The Book of American Pastimes is an American classic and one of the most significant baseball books ever written and is considered the first “official” baseball history in existence. 180 pages out of 556 are devoted to the game of baseball and team histories. It contains tough to find information regarding rosters and game scores during the 1850’s-60’s.
Continue reading →Father of Base Ball
The seminal interview of Doc Adams that appeared in the February 29, 1896 Sporting News has surfaced in several places previously. This version appeared in the Crawford Avalanche on July 25, 1895.
Continue reading →The Dickson Baseball Dictionary: Father of Baseball
The first three parts of the ‘Father of Baseball’ definition in the Dickson Baseball Dictionary are telling: Henry Chadwick (well deserved) “Cartwright Myth” Dr. Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams (’nuff said)
Continue reading →Doc is Bank’s 1st President
In 1871, Doc Adams became the first President of the Ridgefield Savings Bank (now the Fairfield County Bank, a position he would hold in two separate terms for ten of the next fifteen years. In fact, his photo still hangs in the lobby of the main office/ Fairfield County Bank is proud with their affiliation with a Founding Father of our National Pastime and they continue to support our cause as evidenced in their recent Facebook post. To see Ridgefield Bank’s post click here. Hopefully next year Fairfield County Bank will be able to brag that their 1st President is … Continue reading →
Base Ball Arithmetic
Doc’s father, Daniel Adams MD (1773-1864) was born in Townsend, Massachusetts and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 1797 and from the second class of Dartmouth Medical School in 1799. As well as being a practicing physician, he also authored widely used arithmetic and geography textbooks (the former was in use from 1801 to c.1864). In the measurement section of his Arithmetic book, question # 11 (below) is of particular interest. Someone who would have no difficulty solving that problem was his son, Daniel Lucius ‘Doc’ Adams. Doc Adams started playing base ball in 1839. He played for … Continue reading →