160 Years Ago Today: Doc Umpires Deciding Fashion Race Course Game

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The Fashion Race Course games were played between All-Star teams (pick nines) comprised of the finest New York-area players versus the finest Brooklyn area players representing the 1st real All-Star Games. It was also the 1st time admission was charged to watch a game. The following is the box score from the 3rd and final game, played on September 10, 1858. The umpire for this important game was none other than Doc Adams of the Knickerbocker Club.

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160th Anniversary of the 2nd Fashion Race Course Game

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160 years ago today, Brooklyn won easily defeated New York 29-8 in the 2nd game of the 1st All-Star Game series known as the Fashion Race Course Games. The underdog New York team had won the 1st game 22-18 on July 20, 1858. The victory set up the deciding game on September 10, 1858 in which Doc Adams be the umpire. The Fashion Race Course games were a series of 3 games played between All-Star teams (pick nines) comprised of the finest New York-area players versus the finest Brooklyn area players in the 1st real All-Star Games. It was also … Continue reading →

The Father of Baseball

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On August 16, 1898, Henry Chadwick wrote me responding to my letter congratulating him on the title of Father of Base Ball. Mr. Chadwick wrote: “That title of ‘Father of Base Ball’ is out of place. Base like Topsy ‘never had no fader’ it growed up.” Mr.Chadwick was being modest, however there were others who could share that title. The entire letter can be read here.

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2018 Doc Adams Invitational and Sign Dedication

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Mark September 29 on your calendar… 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. Two games will be played between the New Hampshire Granite and the Providence Gray Vintage Base Ball teams. The first match of 1860’s style ball will start at 11:00 am the second at 1:00 … Continue reading →

2018 Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival

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Even rain couldn’t dampen the spirits for the 2018 Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival held at Old Bethpage Village Restoration on August 4 & 5. This was the 21st installment of the longest running annual vintage base ball festival of its kind. In 2015, the festival was renamed in honor of Doc Adams.  Marjorie Adams once again was on-hand this year as she continued to educate festival attendees about her great-grandfather, Doc Adams, a long-overlooked founding father of our National Pastime. Hopefully he will be recognized and enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021 (next election … Continue reading →

Doc Adams – SABR’s Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend

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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 →

2018 Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival

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The 2018 Annual Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball  Festival will take place next weekend, August 4 & 5, at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. In 2015, this longest running annual vintage base ball festival of its kind was renamed in honor of Daniel Lucius ‘Doc’ Adams. The festival is a must for baseball fans, history buffs, and anyone looking for a a day of outdoor fun. Marjorie Adams, a great-granddaughter of Doc Adams, will be on-hand at the festival again this year. So stop by, say hello, and learn more about this long-overlooked founding father of the National Pastime who will hopefully someday … Continue reading →

Listing The 20 Most Expensive Pieces Of Sports Memorabilia Around The World

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A recent article, “Listing The 20 Most Expensive Pieces Of Sports Memorabilia Around The World” in The Sportster lists 20 individual pieces of sports memorabilia from around the world that have been valued as some of the most expensive pieces of sports history. Doc Adams’ “Laws of Base Ball” came in at #4. 

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160th Anniversary of the Fashion Race Course Games

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As the 2018 All-star Break comes to a close, we recall the 1st All-star series started 160 years ago today. The Fashion Race Course games were a series of 3 games played between All-Star teams (pick nines) comprised of the finest New York-area players versus the finest Brooklyn area players in the 1st real All-Star Games. It was also the 1st time admission was charged to watch a game. The games were played at the Fashion Race Course grounds which were located about a mile and a half from where Citi Field stands today. The underdog New York team won … Continue reading →

“The Laws of Baseball … and the Unchanging Game” by John Thorn

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John Thorn’s speech was one of the highlights of this past weekend’s events at the Library of Congress’ Baseball Americana exhibition. John is the Official Historian for Major League Baseball and his blog, ‘Our Game’, is a must read for baseball fans. If you were unable to attend John’s speech or, were lucky enough to have attended and would like to re-visit it, John has posted “The Laws of Baseball … and the Unchanging Game”.   The ‘Laws of  Base Ball‘ authored by Doc Adams is the centerpiece of this major, year-long exhibition. The exhibition explores baseball’s past and present and how the game … Continue reading →