Tag Archives: #DocAdamsHOF

Doc Adams at Shortstop

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Doc Adams on the shortstop position from the seminal February 29, 1896 Sporting News interview. “I used to play shortstop, and I believe I was the first to occupy that place, as it had formerly been left uncovered. At different times I have, however, played in every position except that of pitcher. We had a splendid catcher in the person of Charles S. Debost, who would be a credit to the position even to-day, I am sure. He was a good batter also, and a famous player in his day. Thw Spoering Newa (February 29, 1896) John Thorn tweeted the … Continue reading →

Doc Adams And The Knickerbockers

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Here are some excerpts of Doc Adam’s executive history with the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club from the point of view of the annual meetings. These extracts are from “Book of American Pastimes, Containing a History of the Principal Base Ball, Cricket, Rowing and Yachting Clubs of the United States“, Charles A. Peverelly, 1866

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Doc’s Yale Auto-biography

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The following is from the “Biographical and Historical Record of the Class of 1835 in Yale College, for the Fifty Years from the Admission of the Class to College” published in 1881 by Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor, Printers, 371 State Street, New Haven, CT.

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Doc Adams Passed Away 125 Years Ago

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January 3, 1899, Doc Adams passed away at the age of 85 at his home in New Haven, Connecticut. In his years playing base ball (1845-1862) in New York City with the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club), he created and developed the shortstop position (1849/50), made all the balls and supervised the manufacture of all the bats. In 1857, in his ‘Laws of Base Ball’, he set the bases at 90 feet, and proposed nine innings/nine players per side and more. You can find more of Doc’s obituaries here. The New York Clipper according to its masthead, was “The Oldest American … Continue reading →

Doc Adams Video Homage

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Celebrating Doc Adams’ birthday today, and now being a year away from the announcement of the 2025 Classic Baseball Era Hall of Fame Ballot, it seems like a good time to post an homage to the good doctor. This video briefly highlights his contributions to the National Pastime, details his love of the game, and demonstrates the way he is embraced and honored by today’s fans and ballists. More information can always be found at Doc Adams Base Ball.

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Preparations For Knickerbocker Experience And Doc Adams Memorial

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This past weekend, Doc Adams was celebrated at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration with the Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival. As usual, it was a great time for ballists and cranks alike. In addition to the usual great play demonstrated on the field, there were a couple of surprises. Former Met great and 1969 World Series Champion, Art Shamsky, was on hand to throw out a ceremonial pitch and mingle with the fans. Also on hand were Zoe and Mike Fimbel from Doc Adams’ birthplace of Mont Vernon, NH to enjoy the festivities. The annual Doc Adams Birthplace … Continue reading →

Doc Adams Portrait Hangs At The Fairfield County Bank

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Daniel Lucius Adams, M.D. was the 1st President of the Ridgefield Savings Bank which opened in 1871 in the Bailey & Gage store at the Old Hundred (which is now the Aldrich Museum). In 2004, the Ridgefield Savings Bank and Fairfield County Savings Bank, merged as the Fairfield County Savings Bank. It had been reported that Adams’ portrait now hangs in the Ridgefield Saving Bank Main Branch’s lobby. On a recent visit to Ridgefield, I decided to drop in and take a look. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate the portrait and I must have looked lost or suspicious, as … Continue reading →

The 2023 Annual Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival

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The 2023 Annual Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival was held on August 5-6 at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. In 2015, this longest running annual vintage base ball festival of its kind was renamed in honor of Daniel Lucius ‘Doc’ Adams. This year’s festival once again lived up its reputation as a must see for baseball fans, history buffs, and anyone looking for a day of outdoor fun. The top 10 weather was enjoyed by ballists and cranks alike. For more photos from the event, visit our 2023 Doc Adams Old Time Base Ball Festival page. The Knickerbocker Experience … Continue reading →

Jay Jaffe Weighs In On Era Committee Restructuring

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Jay Jaffe of FanGraphs wrote an article on the recent restructuring of the Era Committees by the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Jaffe’s article, “The Hall of Fame Shakes Up its Era Committee System Yet Again” discussses the history of the Committee rules over time, the most recent changes, and an analysis of those changes and their implications. In a post since the changes were announced, we expressed concern that Doc Adams’ road to the Hall of Fame became more challenging. It seemed pretty obvious, and not just to us. Josh Rawich confirmed our thoughts on making the ballot as … Continue reading →