In 2015, Daniel Lucius ‘Doc’ Adams appeared on a National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time on the 2016 Early Baseball Era Committee Ballot, 116 years after his death. Although he has excellent credentials for enshrinement, he was not elected in this first attempt. How many votes did he receive?
Doc Adams received 10 of 16 votes from the Pre-Integration Era Committee for 62.5%. It was 2 votes shy of the 75% required for election.
Subsequent to the vote, Adams’ hand-written “Laws of Base Ball” were rediscovered and subsequently sold at auction for $3.26 million.
It was hoped that this evidence would convince all 16 committee members that Doc Adams deserves a plaque in the hallowed hall, or, at least 12 of them. However, Doc Adams did not have that opportunity in 2021, having been overlooked once again and not being named on the 2022 Early Baseball Era Ballot.
Hopefully that will change as Doc Adams is next eligible to appear on the 2025 Classic Baseball Era Committee in December of 2024.