Tag Archives: Hall of Fame. Support For Doc

A Pitch For Doc Adams At Fleischmanns

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The weather was spectacular for the capstone of the “A Pitch For Doc Adams” series held at the historic M.A.C. Grounds at Fleischmanns Park in Fleischmanns, NY. The Vintage Base Ball community rallied behind long-overlooked baseball pioneer, Doc Adams, and his Hall of Fame case by hosting mid-19th century style base ball games to raise awareness of the many contributions of Daniel Lucius Adams, MD (aka “Doc”) to our National Pastime during its nascent period. The Mountain Athletic Club hosted the Polecats Vintage Base Ball Club featuring The Hamden Nine supported by ballists from Brickmakers Saugerties Vintage Base Ball Club … Continue reading →

The M.A.C. Makes “A Pitch For Doc Adams”

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REMINDER: If you’re in the area, The Mountain Athletic Base Ball Club will be making “A Pitch For Doc Adams” on this Saturday, October 19, 2024 while hosting the Delhi Polecats at historic Fleischmanns Athletic Grounds on Wagner Ave, Fleischmanns, NY. The event will showcase nearly 40 years of baseball evolution in a progressive format starting in the year 1858 and finishing in 1895, The first pitch will be at noon. Without Doc, baseball as we know it, would look very different and for this man’s honor, we will play a progressive game starting in 1858 (the era of Doc) … Continue reading →

The M.A.C. Will Be Making “A Pitch For Doc Adams”

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The Mountain Athletic Base Ball Club will make “A Pitch For Doc Adams” next Saturday, October 19, 2024 while hosting the Delhi Polecats at historic Fleischmanns Athletic Grounds on Wagner Ave, Fleischmanns, NY. The event will showcase nearly 40 years of baseball evolution in a progressive format starting in the year 1858 and finishing in 1895, The first pitch will be at noon. “Making a pitch for Doc Adams here in Delaware County makes a lot of sense,” said Collin Miller, Captain of the Mountain Athletic Club. “We had baseball here well before before 1825, so the game Doc grew … Continue reading →

A Pitch For Doc Adams (SABR 19th Century Newsletter)

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“Nineteenth Century Notes” is a quarterly newsletter of the 19th Century Research Committee of the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR). In the Fall 2024 issue published last week, Collin Miller and Roger Ratzenberger made “A Pitch For Doc Adams”. The capstone “A Pitch For Doc Adams” event that will be hosted by the Mountain Athletic Club on Saturday, October 19, at the historic M.A.C. Grounds at Fleischmanns Park, Fleischmanns, NY. SABR’s Nineteenth Century Committee, established in 1983, fosters research on all facets of baseball before 1901. Completed committee projects include full team and player statistics for the 1871-1875 National … Continue reading →

John Zinn Reflects On Doc Adams

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When I give baseball history presentations, I usually begin by saying that “As we all know, Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York.”  The statement is usually greeted with laughs and smiles reflecting the increasing awareness that Doubleday had nothing to do with baseball’s beginnings. But this relatively frequent reaction should not lead us to become complacent. Any such thoughts got a rude awakening when I recently learned of a sign in Mendham, New Jersey proclaiming that Doubleday, who once lived there, was baseball’s “founder.”  It’s wrong, wrong, wrong!  Not only is there no evidence, Doubleday invented baseball, to … Continue reading →

Historians, Authors, And Writers Weigh In On Doc Adams

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“Anyone looking for the origins and development of the “New York Game,” what we know as baseball, invariably runs into “Doc” Adams at nearly every turn. The Doubleday and Cartwright founding myths have long been exploded. Yet, the man who was, to use a popular phrase, “in the room where it happened” and actually was the catalyst remains un-honored by the HOF. Now is the time to correct that error.” Robert D. Sampson, Historian “Doc” Adams was selected by a SABR wide election in 2014, as an Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend, implying that he is deserving, but not yet … Continue reading →

A Pitch For Doc Adams Is Thrown In Cooperstown

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The latest “Pitch for Doc Adams” event was held on Thursday, Aug. 15 at 4 p.m. at historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown with two clubs from the Delaware County Vintage Base Ball Association – the Mountain Athletic Club of Fleischmanns and the Polecat Base Ball Club featuring the Hamden Nine from Hamden showcasing nearly 40 years of baseball evolution in a progressive format starting in the year 1857 and finishing in 1895, It was a great event, on a beautiful day, in the town where baseball lives. Fans were treated to a fun day of great play while learning about … Continue reading →

Doc Adams ’24

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The Vintage Base Ball community is not being shy about their thoughts about what they hope will be announced at this year’s MLB Winter Meetings regarding baseball pioneer, Doc Adams. They’re wearing their heart on their sleeve (sort of) in an effort to demonstrate their support for the long-overlooked base ball legend that MLB Official Historian, John Thorn, referred to as “baseball’s most important figure not in the Hall of Fame.” Tom “Big Bat” Fesolowich, Mutual Base Ball Club president and founder, and founder of the National Association of Historic Base Ball Clubs came up with a novel and timely … Continue reading →

John Zinn Reflects On Doc Adams

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When I give baseball history presentations, I usually begin by saying that “As we all know, Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York.”  The statement is usually greeted with laughs and smiles reflecting the increasing awareness that Doubleday had nothing to do with baseball’s beginnings. But this relatively frequent reaction should not lead us to become complacent. Any such thoughts got a rude awakening when I recently learned of a sign in Mendham, New Jersey proclaiming that Doubleday, who once lived there, was baseball’s “founder.”  It’s wrong, wrong, wrong!  Not only is there no evidence, Doubleday invented baseball, to … Continue reading →

Bruce Allardice: “Doc Adams Should Be In The Hall Of Fame”

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MLB’s Historian John Thorn has called him “The True Father of Baseball.” He was largely responsible for the innovations that created the “New York game” of baseball, such as a 9-player game, setting the basepath length at 90 feet, and inventing the position of shortstop. These innovations set the New York game apart from the various bat-and-ball games that were common at the time. He was chairman of the first convention of baseball players, in May 1857. At the convention the following year, he chaired the vital Committee on Rules and Regulations. He prepared and presented a first draft of … Continue reading →