With “First Pitch: How Baseball Began”, America’s premier baseball historian has created the first book for young baseball fans that truly tells the story of the origins of our national pastime. While debunking long-held myths, Thorn introduces kids to the first games, first fields, and first leagues. He also shows how the game of yesteryear connects to the game kids love to play and watch today. Featured in the book is the story of his personal discovery of the oldest reference to the sport in American history, a 1791 Massachusetts ordinance banning “Base Ball.” Cartwright did not play in that … Continue reading →

“Baseball: An Illustrated History”, is a companion to Ken Burns’ ground-breaking Baseball documentary. Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns mention Doc Adams several times, as well as quote from the seminal 1896 Sporting News interview. They played for “health and recreation merely,” but they also showed a lively interest in improving the game. Cartwright, along with the Knickerbockers’ president, a physician from New Hampshire named Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams, would help draw up a set of new rules that changed baseball forever.The Knickerbockers decreed that the infield be diamond-shaped, rather than square. First and third bases were set forty-two paces … Continue reading →

Jim Kaplan, a former sportswriter and book reviewer for the Minneapolis Star. former Sports Illustrated baseball writer and author of many baseball books wrote “Clearing The Bases – A Veteran Sportswriter On The National Pastime” in 2016. In it, he provided his “latest” takes on the game. In Chapter Nine, Talking Baseball, he reminisced about his enjoyment Of Hot Stove baseball. One of the events he highlighted was a SABR Day meeting of the Smoky Joe Wood Chapter that he attended. What I found most interesting is his recollection of meeting Marjorie Adams and take on Doc Adams. At meeting’s … Continue reading →