Master of Arts

Abstract

thesisIn 1908, a Special Base Ball Commission determined that baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday in 1839. The Commission, established to resolve a long-standing debate regarding the origins of baseball, relied on evidence provided by James Sullivan, a secretary working at Spalding Sporting Goods, owned by former player Albert Spalding. Sullivan solicited information from former players and fans, edited the information, and presented it to the Commission. One person's allegation stood out above the rest; Abner Graves claimed that Abner Doubleday "invented" baseball sometime around 1839 in Cooperstown, New York. It was not true; baseball did not have an "inventor" and if it did, it was not Doubleday, who was at West Point during the time in question. Ever since the Commisson's decision, historians have attempted to remove any connection between baseball and Abner Doubleday. The Commission's process and decision, itself an episode in the history of baseball, has largely been treated by historians narrowly: mostly debunking the decision over and over. Even one hundred years later, many Americans believe the Doubleday Myth. In 1999, the documents Sullivan collected, previously believed to be burned in a fire, were donated to the Baseball Hall of Fame. This made available the entire process of the decision for analysis. Historians have used this information to gain additional information on the early history of the game, and to further analyze the circumstances surrounding the creation myth. This paper attempts to analyze the motives of the decision. The documents show how much patriotism was involved and how seriously the men involved in the debate took the issue. This persistent debate was settled at a time when America was flexing its muscles on the world stage and spreading its gospel. Baseball, which was part of that gospel, had already sent its own missionaries to the world twice. Spalding, baseball's greatest missionary, was involved both times. This paper will utilize the Commission documents and extensive scrapbooks in the Albert Spalding Collection to show that to the men involved in the debate, their patriotism and masculinity were at stake, and winning the debate became as important as any game