Just recently, our petition to recognize Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams’s role as a founding father of our National Pastime exceeded 1,000 signatures. The recognition being sought is his enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The show of support via the petition demonstrates that we are successfully telling Doc Adams story. When this journey started, few had heard of the great doctor.

“He’s the true father of baseball and you’ve never heard of him,” John Thorn (the Official Baseball Historian of MLB) told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

John Thorn‘s book, “Baseball in the Garden of Eden“, published in 2011 started to change all that. Building an education campaign on that foundation resulted in:

• Doc Adams being selected as SABR’s Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend for 2014.
• He appeared for the first time on a Hall of Fame ballot in 2015 and fell just 2 votes short of election.
• The longest running Vintage Base Ball Festival of its kind (Old Time Base Ball Festival held at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration) renamed in his honor (Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival).
• His original handwritten “Laws of Base Ball” resurfaced and sold for $3.26 million.
• His “Laws of Base Ball” was exhibited in the Library of Congress.
• There have been many articles in newspapers and magazines, podcasts, radio and TV stories, and interviews.

More and more people are learning about Doc Adams, his importance, contributions, and accomplishments.

If you are receiving this email you are already a follower! Thank you very much for your continued support!

Our goals continue to be two-fold: education and recognition! Please feel free to share information about Doc with your friends and families. Share the link to our site and our petition via social media, etc. A key to success is educating baseball fans about Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams’ critical role in the development of our great game. Hopefully, this will result in him receiving his long overdue honor by hanging his plaque hanging in the Plaque Gallery in the National Hall of Fame in Cooperstown* in July 2021. #DocAdams2021!

Click here for the link to our Petition page.

* – From the National Baseball Hall of Fame website: The Plaque Gallery is sacred ground for baseball fans, where the bronze plaques of the Hall of Famers line the oak walls and visitors speak in hushed, reverential tones. The dramatic arched entryway and marble columns let you know you are somewhere special.