“Famous First Facts About Sports” by Irene M. Franc and David M. Brownstone features more than 5,400 ‘firsts’ in more than 110 sports, covering all of the major and most of the minor sports played in the U.S. Of special interest to us is item #1191 refers to Doc Adams.

Fourteen clubs sent three delegates each to the first session. Two additional clubs sent delegates to the second session. Some clubs’ delegations from the first session did not return, so the full 16 clubs never actually met together. The first order of business was for the convention to organize itself with the election of officers. The senior
status of the Knickerbocker Club was recognized when its president, Daniel “Doc” Adams, was elected president of the convention. Other clubs were then recognized through the election of a superfluity of officers: two vice presidents, two secretaries, and a treasurer, each from a different club.

“Baseball’s 19th Century ‘Winter’ Meetings (1857-1900)”, Richard Hershberger