Tag Archives: Convention

Rules Adopted!

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The 1857 Convention of Base Ball Players met for the second and final time on February 25 at Smith’s Hotel, the headquarters of the Knickerbocker Club, with the following clubs represented: Knickerbocker, Gotham, Eagle, Empire, Putnam, Baltic, Excelsior, Atlantic, Harmony, Harlem, Eckford, Bedford, Narrau, and Continental. The clubs elected Daniel Adams of the Knickerbockers as president of the convention and then appointed a rules committee, made up of one member of each represented club. This was perhaps the most important meeting in the history of baseball. It was a meeting of the baseball clubs of New York City, and unlike … Continue reading →

1857 Convention Of Base Ball Players

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The 1857 Convention of Base Ball Players met for the first time on January 22 at Smith’s Hotel, the headquarters of the Knickerbocker Club, with the following clubs represented: Knickerbocker, Gotham, Eagle, Empire, Putnam, Baltic, Excelsior, Atlantic, Harmony, Harlem, Eckford, Bedford, Narrau, and Continental. The clubs elected Daniel Adams of the Knickerbockers as president of the convention and then appointed a rules committee, made up of one member of each represented club. This was perhaps the most important meeting in the history of baseball. It was a meeting of the baseball clubs of New York City, and unlike the previous … 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 →

Base Ball 1845-1871 By Seymour R. Church

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Written and published by San Francisco historian Seymour R. Church in 1902, “Base Ball 1845-1871” details the history and origins of baseball, from the formation of the New York Knickerbockers in 1845 through the establishment of the first professional league in 1871. It features numerous portraits of notable figures, including George Wright, shortstop for the Chicago Red Stockings, the country’s first professional team. Though intended as the first part in a larger series, later volumes were never published.  Church dscusses Doc Adams’ role with the Knickerbockers and the 1857 base ball convention that resulted in the birth of The National … Continue reading →

Famous First Facts About Sports

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“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 … Continue reading →

1860 Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player

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In the premier issue of Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player, Hall of Famer Henry Chadwick, expresses gratitude to his friend, Dr. Adams. Doc was also listed as delegate to the 1860 National Convention representing the Knickerbockers with his teammate, William Grenelle. As is illustrated by Doc’s name appearing in italics, he still continued to support the ‘catch on the fly’ rule. The rule change was proposed to the NABBP annually by Adams but did not pass. It wasn’t finally instituted in 1864. Doc Adams was elected the presiding officer of the first convention in 1857. The second convention was the birth … Continue reading →

1860 NABBP Convention

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The Rules Committee, chaired by Dr. Daniel Adams of the Knickerbockers, had met in February to make recommendations to the convention on rule changes, and Adams reported that the committee was unanimously in favor of the fly game. A debate then ensued, with Judge Van Cott supporting the bound version and Dakin and Frank Pidgeon of the Eckfords arguing in favor of the fly game. Thirty-seven delegates voted for the fly game while 55 voted against it. For another year, at least as far as the official rules were concerned, the bound game would be the game of National Association … Continue reading →

2nd Base Ball Convention Convened

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On March 10, 1858 the 2nd Base Ball convention was held in New York. The chairman named the following committees: On Rules: D.L. Adams, C. Place, Jr., T.G. Voorhis, G. Van Cott, T.F. Jackson, W.A. Sears, Francis Pidgeon, W. Cauldwell, A.B. Taylor. “Baseball’s 19th Century Winter Meetings, 1857-1900, SABR, Robert Tholkes (2018) Logically, the meeting before the 1858 season would concentrate on fine-tuning the 1857 changes after a season’s experience with them. Proposals not accepted in 1857 would resurface, among them the “fly rule,” called strikes and the use of flat bats. Also, contentiousness over which was the “champion club” … Continue reading →