In his first game playing base ball, (not a typo, because that was the spelling then) he scored 9 runs and his team won, 51-42 in an intrasquad game. That was all that was available in the 1840's.

Do you know the name Daniel Lucius "Doc" Adams? If you don't, John Thorn, the foremost authority on base ball history does.

"He's the true father of base ball and you've never even heard of him."

John Thorn said that of Doc Adams. 

Daniel Lucius Adams was born on November 1, 1814. His father was a physician, and he followed in his footsteps. He graduated from Yale University and Harvard Medical school. Thus the nickname of "Doc." He was a physician as was his father. 

Once base ball began forming, he took a role as a player, stating, "I began to play base ball just for exercise with a number of other medical men."  

His first game he scored 9 runs and his team won 51-42 as previously stated.

Doc played into his 40's. But his participation became different as he and the game he loved began to evolve and required his unique perspective. 

His role rapidly expanded as Doc served as President of the Knickerbockers, the team he played for. He represented players for 6 terms in this capacity. That leadership role became key in creating league and game rules.

Doc also was an umpire in his latter years which provided further perspective. 

He also paid for and supervised the production of balls and bats. Doc specifically chose wood for bats and watched them being produced. He did the same with balls, making sure they were all up to specifications and paying for most of them. 

As the game of base ball was being determined at the time, Doc became instrumental in the decision-making process with his unique perspective, as player, management, supervisor of equipment manufacturing, and umpire.

He is credited with the creation of the short stop position, the 90 foot base paths, the elimination of the "bounce path" (fly balls could not be caught on a "bounce") and who knows what else that isn't formally documented. 

What IS documented in a formal piece that Doc hand wrote, sold that brought at auction for a record at the time of $3.2 million. It was his "rules of base ball" in his hand written words. Those "words" previously sold for $12,000. 

The contributions are real. So does Doc deserve Hall of Fame induction? 

Doc was nominated and voted on by the Pre-Integration Hall of Fame committee in 2016. There are only 16 votes. He required 12 and received 10 nods.

On his role in making base ball the success it is, "Doc Adams may be counted as first among the fathers of base ball." Quote by SABR Bio project/2002. 

If John Thorn and SABR recognize the contributions that Daniel Lucius "Doc" Adams made to the game, they're real. Doc Adams was, as true historians of the game have clearly recognized, was a real forefather of the game we all love. 

The Pre-Integration vote has unfortunately been delayed by a year until next year due to Covid19. He should have been on the ballot this winter. Please keep Daniel Lucius "Doc" Adams where he rightly belongs. In the minds of the Hall of Fame voters. Sign the petition to support him for election to the Hall of Fame. Thank you. Give this man the place he so deserves in Cooperstown! 

 https://docadamsbaseball.org/the-petition/