Tag Archives: #bbhof

Doc’s Knickerbocker Uniform Buttons

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Two uniform buttons from Doc Adams’ Knickerbocker Base Ball Club (ca. 1855). These buttons currently reside in a private collection. They are likely the oldest known surviving piece of baseball uniform with provenance. These are also locked up in a bank vault. We have two buttons that belonged to Doc that are embossed with KBBC on them that they’re a little bit larger than a quarter and they’re studs. They are not regular sew-on buttons. And I showed very detailed pictures of them to Jim Gates at the Hall of Fame at the Library. He’s one of the head researchers … Continue reading →

Doc Adams Appearance On 2016 Hall Of Fame Ballot, Falls Only 2 Votes Short

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Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams, MD appeared on a Hall of Fame ballot for the first, and as of now, ONLY time, on the 2016 Per-integration Era ballot. 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 … Continue reading →

Musing About Getting In The Hall On Classic Baseball Era Announcement Day

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Since today is the day that the 2025 Classic Baseball Era results will be released, the mind wanders to eternal question, “what if”? This was the day that we hoped to be waiting to hear if Doc Adams’ 164-year drought would end. Well, there’s no drama, we already know the answer. But one wonders what the chances of this pioneer getting elected in the future are. As of 2024, there are 346 members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Baseball Hall of Fame is one of the most exclusive clubs with only 1.6% of players ever receiving the … Continue reading →

The National Association

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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 to play—”manly,” in the preferred term of the day, like … Continue reading →

Birth Of The National Association Of Base Ball Players

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In Francis C. Richter’s (editor of Sporting Life) book, “Richter’s History and Records of Base Ball” written in 1914, is a comprehensive work among the early books on baseball. This volume is designed to supply the growing need of a concise, yet complete, record of our National Game, from its remote inception and humble beginning to the present period of magnificent development to real national stature. It is also designed to serve this purpose in such form as to make it valuable, possibly indispensable, as a book of special information, of ready reference, and of general interest to all lovers … Continue reading →

Roger Ratzenberger Summarizes Doc Adams’ Hall Of Fame Case

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This is a Reader’s Digest version of Doc’s Hall of Fame case with linked references. Just a note on this summary. Although Official Historian of MLB never takes a position on who should be in the Hall of Fame, we appreciate that he shared our post. We strive to share verified, factual information and material from respected baseball historians, authors, and writers to raise awareness about Doc Adams and his strong Hall of Fame case. My wife, Cathy, and I have enjoyed the Dr. Daniel Lucius ‘Doc’ Adams journey we’ve been on for the last thirteen years and would like … Continue reading →

Should Doc Adams Be In The Hall Of Fame? Of Course!

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The response to the initial “Of Course” video was so great and so many great videos had been submitted that the folks responsible for it decided to compile a second one. Enjoy! As was explained previously, the vintage base ball community is rallying behind Doc Adams this year. Teams around the country sponsored “A Pitch For Doc Adams” events this year to honor Adams and raise awareness of his role as a baseball pioneer among ballists and cranks alike. As teams have been holding these events, some recorded and submitted clips about Doc Adams’ Hall of Fame case. These clips … Continue reading →

Doc Adams’ Youngest Son’s Recollections Of His Father

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Roger Cook Adams wrote the “Nestor of Ball Players” about his father in August 1939. Besides some facts about Doc’s contributions, it’s interesting how Roger Cook Adams highlighted how Doc’s passion for the game was invaluable to the early game, The first five years of the existence of the Club were evidently the hardest. Enthusiasm waned and attendance lagged. There was no inter-club rivalry, and often Dr. Adams would go to Elysian Fields and find only two or three others present, compelling them to play “old cat, one or two as the case might be.” The continued existence of the … Continue reading →

Do You Know Doc Adams?

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Help us SHARE Doc Adams’ story with friends, on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, BlueSky… Special thanks to Jake Schmidt for all his efforts on the “Do You Know Doc Adams?” videos. Did you know that the game of baseball as we know it today was significantly shaped by a man named Doc Adams in the mid-1800s? He wasn’t just a player; but was a pioneer who helped craft the foundation of the modern game. John Thorn, the official historian of Major League Baseball, referred to Doc Adams as “Baseball’s most important figure not in the Hall of Fame… More than … Continue reading →