1857 Convention of Base Ball Players

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The 1857 Convention of Base Ball Players met for the first time on January 22 at Smith’s Hotel, the headquarters of the Knickerbocker Club, with the following clubs represented: Knickerbocker, Gotham, Eagle, Empire, Putnam, Baltic, Excelsior, Atlantic, Harmony, Harlem, Eckford, Bedford, Narrau, and Continental. The clubs elected Daniel Adams of the Knickerbockers as president of the convention and then appointed a rules committee, made up of one member of each represented club. This was perhaps the most important meeting in the history of baseball. It was a meeting of the baseball clubs of New York City, and unlike the previous … Continue reading →

Doc Adams Passed Away 120 Years Ago

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January 3, 1899, Doc Adams passed away at the age of 85 at his home in New Haven, Connecticut. In his years playing base ball (1845-1862) in New York City with the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club), he created and developed the shortstop position (1849/50), made all the balls and supervised the manufacture of all the bats. In 1857, in his ‘Laws of Base Ball’, he set the bases at 90 feet, and proposed nine innings/nine players per side and more. You can find more of Doc’s obituaries here.

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Doc Adams Finally Appears On Hall of Fame Ballot But Falls 2 Votes Short

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On December 7, 2015,  the Pre-integration Era Committee announced the results of the voting on the 10 candidates on the 2016 ballot at the MLB Winter Meetings. Candidates needed to receive 12 of 16 votes (75%) for election. The committee failed to elect any one of the 10 candidates. Doc Adams received the highest vote total,  just 2 shy of the required votes required for election. This was Doc’s first time appearing on a Hall of Fame ballot. Although he was not elected THIS time, being the top vote getter, so close to election, was a major accomplishment. As recently as … Continue reading →

The National Association

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By John Thorn, author, Baseball in the Garden of Eden When the Knickerbockers met on December 6, 1856, they resolved “to call a convention of the various base ball clubs of this city and vicinity.” The New York Herald, in reporting on this meeting, observed: “We understand the object of this convention is to promote additional interest in base ball playing, by the getting up of grand matches on a scale not heretofore attempted.” The anticipated outcome would be to inaugurate new clubs and to strengthen existing ones, by conforming the rules and making the game more “scientific” and difficult … Continue reading →

Doc Adams Appears on Hall Of Fame Ballot For The 1st Time

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On October 5, 2015, Daniel Lucius ‘Doc’ Adams appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time as the National Hall of Fame announced the 10 candidates on the 2016 Pre-integration Era ballot. This marked a major milestone in the efforts to have Doc recognized with enshrinement. For a more detailed announcement read DOC ADAMS HELPED SHAPE BASEBALL’S EARLIEST DAYS. Sadly, he came up 2 votes short for election. Doc will next be eligible for the ballot in 2020, for 2021 Induction. Thanks for your continued support as we take this final step to achieve the final goal of getting Doc his long overdue recognition.

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New Signs Honoring Doc Adams Dedicated

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This past weekend, Mont Vernon added Vintage Base Ball to their annual Lamson Farm Day which is a day of festivity at the Lamson Farm with displays by various groups in town. Last year, these Vintage Base Ball games were played as the Inaugural Doc Adams Invitational. Click here for more photos from this year’s event. It was a great event on a beautiful early fall day. This year, two Vintage Base Ball games were played between the New Hampshire Granite and the Providence Gray Vintage Base Ball teams.  The highlight of the day was the unveiling  signs recognizing Mont Vernon as … Continue reading →

2018 Doc Adams Invitational and Sign Dedication

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If you are looking for some outdoor fun this weekend, head out to Lamson Farm Day in Mont Vernon, NH, the birthplace of Doc Adams. Lamson Farm Day will be held on Saturday and the weather looks to be spectacular. In 2017, the Inaugural Doc Adams Invitational was held in Doc’s hometown of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire. This year, Mont Vernon is pleased to add Vintage Base Ball to their annual Lamson Farm Day. Lamson Farm Day, the last Saturday in September, is a Mont Vernon day of festivity at the Lamson Farm with displays by various groups in town. … Continue reading →