| Albert Goodwill Spalding | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Spalding el empresario a los 60 años, 1910 | |||
| Lanzador | |||
| Nacimiento: 2 de septiembre de 1849 Byron, Illinois | |||
| Fallecimiento: 9 de septiembre de 1915 (66 años) San Diego , California | |||
| |||
| Debut en la MLB | |||
| 5 de mayo de 1871, para las Medias Rojas de Boston. | |||
| Última aparición en la MLB | |||
| 31 de agosto de 1878 para las Medias Blancas de Chicago | |||
| Estadísticas de MLB | |||
| Récord de pérdidas y ganancias | 252–65 | ||
| Promedio de rendimiento acumulado | 2.14 | ||
| Ponches | 248 | ||
| Promedio de bateo | .313 | ||
| Golpes | 613 | ||
| Carreras impulsadas | 338 | ||
| Equipos | |||
| |||
| Destacados y premios de la carrera | |||
| |||
| Miembro de la Nacional | |||
| Salón de la Fama del Béisbol | |||
| Inducción | 1939 | ||
| Método de elección | Comité de Veteranos | ||
Albert Goodwill Spalding (2 de septiembre de 1849 - 9 de septiembre de 1915) fue un lanzador , gerente y ejecutivo estadounidense en los primeros años del béisbol profesional , y cofundador de la compañía de artículos deportivos AG Spalding . Nació y creció en Byron, Illinois, pero se graduó de Rockford Central High School en Rockford, Illinois . Jugó béisbol de las grandes ligas entre 1871 y 1878. Spalding marcó una tendencia cuando comenzó a usar un guante de béisbol .
Después de su retiro como jugador, Spalding permaneció activo con las Medias Blancas de Chicago como presidente y copropietario. En la década de 1880, llevó a los jugadores a la primera gira mundial de béisbol. Con William Hulbert , Spalding organizó la Liga Nacional . Más tarde llamó a la comisión que investigaba los orígenes del béisbol y le dio crédito a Abner Doubleday por la creación del juego. También escribió el primer conjunto de reglas oficiales del béisbol.
Fue incluido en el Salón de la Fama del Béisbol en 1939. [1]
Carrera de béisbol [ editar ]
Jugador [ editar ]
Después de haber jugado béisbol durante su juventud, Spalding jugó por primera vez de manera competitiva con los Rockford Pioneers, un equipo juvenil, al que se unió en 1865. Después de lanzar a su equipo a una victoria por 26-2 sobre un equipo amateur masculino local (los Mercantiles), se le acercó a la edad de 15 años por los Rockford Forest Citys , para quienes jugó durante cinco años. Tras la formación de la primera organización profesional del béisbol, la Asociación Nacional de Jugadores Profesionales de Pelota Base (que se conoció como la Asociación Nacional, la Asociación o NA) en 1871, Spalding se unió a las Medias Rojas de Boston (club precursor de los Bravos de Atlanta modernos ). y tuvo mucho éxito; victorioso206 juegos (y perdiendo solo 53) como lanzador y bateando .323 como bateador.
A William Hulbert , principal propietario de las Medias Blancas de Chicago , no le gustó la organización flexible de la Asociación Nacional y el elemento de juego que influyó en ella, por lo que decidió crear una nueva organización, a la que denominó Liga Nacional de Clubes de Béisbol. Para ayudarlo en esta empresa, Hulbert solicitó la ayuda de Spalding. Jugando con el deseo del lanzador de regresar a sus raíces del Medio Oeste y desafiando la integridad de Spalding, Hulbert convenció a Spalding de firmar un contrato para jugar con los White Stockings (ahora conocidos como los Cachorros de Chicago ) en 1876. Spalding entonces convenció a sus compañeros Deacon White , Ross Barnes y Cal McVey , así comoLos jugadores de los Philadelphia Athletics Cap Anson y Bob Addy , para firmar con Chicago. Todo esto se hizo en completo secreto durante la temporada de juego porque los jugadores eran todos agentes libres en esos días y no querían que su club actual y especialmente los fanáticos supieran que se iban a jugar en otro lugar el próximo año. La noticia de los fichajes de los jugadores de Boston y Filadelfia se filtró a la prensa antes de que terminara la temporada y todos ellos enfrentaron abusos verbales y amenazas físicas por parte de la afición de esas ciudades.
Fue "el primer lanzador de la década de 1870", liderando la liga en victorias en cada una de sus seis temporadas completas como profesional. [1] Durante cada uno de esos años fue el único lanzador de su equipo. [2] En 1876, Spalding ganó 47 juegos como el principal lanzador de las Medias Blancas y los llevó a ganar el primer banderín de la Liga Nacional por un amplio margen. [1]
En 1877, Spalding comenzó a usar un guante para proteger su mano receptora. La gente había usado guantes anteriormente, pero no eran populares, y el propio Spalding se mostró escéptico de usar uno al principio. Sin embargo, una vez que comenzó a ponerse guantes, influyó en otros jugadores para que lo hicieran. [3]
Spalding se retiró del béisbol en 1878 a la edad de 27 años, aunque continuó como presidente y copropietario de las Medias Blancas y tuvo una gran influencia en la Liga Nacional. El porcentaje de victorias de .796 en la carrera de Spalding (de una época en la que los equipos jugaban una o dos veces por semana) es el más alto de un lanzador de béisbol, superando con creces el segundo mejor .690.
Organizador y ejecutivo [ editar ]
In the months after signing for Chicago, Hulbert and Spalding organized the National League by enlisting the two major teams in the East and the four other top teams in what was then considered to be the West, also known as the jungle. Joining Chicago initially were the leading teams from Cincinnati, Louisville, and St. Louis. The owners of these western clubs accompanied Hulbert and Spalding to New York where they secretly met with owners from New York City, Philadelphia, Hartford, and Boston. Each signed the league's constitution, and the National League was officially born. "Spalding was thus involved in the transformation of baseball from a game of gentlemen athletes into a business and a professional sport."[4] Although the National Association held on for a few more seasons, it was no longer recognized as the premier organization for professional baseball. Gradually, it faded out of existence and was replaced by myriad minor leagues and associations around the country.
In the late 1850s, Spalding advocated against the inclusion of black and women baseball players while speaking out against baseball's professionalization. He feared it would bring about "the introduction of rowdies, drunkards, and dead-beats." [5]
In 1886, with Spalding as president of the franchise, the Chicago White Stockings (today's Chicago Cubs), began holding spring training in Hot Springs, Arkansas,[6][7] which subsequently has been called the "birthplace" of spring training baseball. The location and the training concept was the brainchild of Spalding and his player/manager Cap Anson, who saw that the city and the natural springs created positives for their players. They first played in an area called the Hot Springs Baseball Grounds. Many other teams followed the concept and began training in Hot Springs and other locations.[7]
In 1905, after Henry Chadwick wrote an article saying that baseball grew from the British sports of cricket and rounders, Spalding called for a commission to find out the real source of baseball. The commission called for citizens who knew anything about the founding of baseball to send in letters. After three years of searching, on December 30, 1907, Spalding received a letter that (erroneously) declared baseball to be the invention of Abner Doubleday. The commission was biased, as Spalding would not appoint anyone to the commission if they believed the sport was somewhat related to rounders or cricket. Just before the commission issued its findings, in a letter to sportswriter Tim Murnane, Spalding noted, "Our good old American game of baseball must have an American Dad." The project, later called the Mills Commission, concluded that "Base Ball had its origins in the United States" and "the first scheme for playing baseball, according to the best evidence available to date, was devised by Abner Doubleday at Cooperstown, N.Y., in 1839."
Receiving the archives of Henry Chadwick in 1908, Spalding combined these records with his own memories (and biases) to write America's National Game (published 1911) which, despite its flaws, was probably the first scholarly account of the history of baseball.[2]
In 1912, Spalding wrote "Neither our wives, our sisters, our daughters, our sweethearts, may play Base Ball on the field... they may play Basket Ball, and achieve laurels; they may play Golf, and receive trophies, but Base Ball is too strenuous for womankind, except as she may take part in grandstands, with applause for the brilliant play, with waiving kerchief to the hero of the three-bagger." [5]
Businessman[edit]
In 1874 while Spalding was playing and organizing the league, Spalding and his brother Walter began a sporting goods store in Chicago, which grew rapidly (14 stores by 1901) and expanded into a manufacturer and distributor of all kinds of sporting equipment. The company became "synonymous with sporting goods"[4] and is still a going concern.
Rulemaker[edit]
Spalding published the first official rules guide for baseball. In it he stated that only Spalding balls could be used (previously, the quality of the balls used had been subpar). Spalding also founded the "Baseball Guide", which at the time was the most widely read baseball publication.
Spalding Athletic Library[edit]
Spalding (company), from 1892.[8]to 1941.[9]sold books under the name Spalding Athletic Library on many different sports.
Tour[edit]
In 1888–1889, Spalding took a group of major league players around the world to promote baseball and Spalding sporting goods. This was the first-ever world baseball tour.[1] Playing across the western U.S., the tour made stops in Hawaii (although no game was played), New Zealand, Australia, Ceylon, Egypt, Italy, France, and England. The tour returned to grand receptions in New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The tour included future Hall of Famers Cap Anson and John Montgomery Ward. While the players were on the tour, the National League instituted new rules regarding player pay that led to a revolt of players, led by Ward, who started the Players' League the following season (1890). The league lasted one year, partially due to the anti-competitive tactics of Spalding to limit its success. The tour and formation of the Player's League is depicted in the 2015 movie Deadball.[10]
1900 Olympics[edit]
In 1900 Spalding was appointed by President McKinley as the USA's Commissioner at that year's Summer Olympic Games.[2]
Other activities[edit]
Spalding had been a prominent member of the Theosophical Society under William Quan Judge. In 1900, Spalding moved to San Diego with his newly acquired second wife, Elizabeth[4] and became a prominent member and supporter of the Theosophical community Lomaland, which was being developed on Point Loma by Katherine Tingley. He built an estate in the Sunset Cliffs area of Point Loma where he lived with Elizabeth for the rest of his life. The Spaldings raised race horses and collected Chinese fine furniture and art.
The Spaldings had an extensive library which included many volumes on Theosophy, art, and literature. In 1907–1909 he was the driving force behind the development of a paved road, known as the "Point Loma boulevard," from downtown San Diego to Point Loma and Ocean Beach; the road also provided good access to Lomaland. It later provided the basis for California State Route 209.[11] He proposed the project, supervised it on behalf of the city, and paid a portion of the cost out of his own pocket. He joined with George Marston and other civic-minded businessmen to purchase the site of the original Presidio of San Diego, which they developed as a historic park and eventually donated to the city of San Diego.[12] He ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate in 1910 as a Republican, but lost to eventual winner John D. Works by a vote of 92–21 in the California legislature.[12] He helped to organize the 1915 Panama–California Exposition, serving as second vice-president.[13]
Death[edit]
He died of a stroke[14] on September 9, 1915, in San Diego, one week after his 66th birthday. His ashes were scattered at his request.[15][16]
Legacy[edit]
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1939, as one of the first inductees from the 19th century at that summer's opening ceremonies. His plaque in the Hall of Fame reads "Albert Goodwill Spalding. Organizational genius of baseball's pioneer days. Star pitcher of Forest City Club in late 1860s, 4-year champion Bostons 1871–75 and manager-pitcher of champion Chicagos in National League's first year. Chicago president for 10 years. Organizer of baseball's first round-the-world tour in 1888."[1]
His nephew, also named Albert Spalding, was a renowned violinist.
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Albert Spalding. |
See also[edit]
- List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
- List of Major League Baseball player-managers
- Major League Baseball titles leaders
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e "Spalding, Al". National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ a b c "Albert G. Spalding". Who Made America?. PBS. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ Frommer, Harvey (2016). Old Time Baseball: America's Pastime in the Gilded Age. Guilford, Connecticut: Rowman and Littlefield. pp. 79–80. ISBN 9781630760076.
- ^ a b c Starr, Raymond (Winter 1986). "Book review: A. G. Spalding and the Rise of Baseball". Journal of San Diego History. 32 (1).
- ^ a b Playing America's Game, by Adrian Burgos Jr.
- ^ "arlington hotel, oaklawn, gangster museum, hot springs baseball trail, historical landmarks - Hot Springs, Arkansas". www.hotsprings.org.
- ^ a b "Major League Spring Training in Hot Springs". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
- ^ Library of Congress. [1] Retrieved Oct. 23, 2020
- ^ Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, NY, May 22, 1942. [2] Retrieved Oct. 23, 2020
- ^ "Deadball". Internet Movie Database. 15 March 2015.
- ^ Staff (April 23, 1909). "Street Work Pay is Puzzle". The San Diego Union and Daily Bee. p. 8.
- ^ a b Epstein, Michael J. (Summer–Fall 2004). "George White Marston: Baseball Player" (PDF). Journal of San Diego History. 50 (3–4): 93.
- ^ "Panama-California Exposition, San Diego, 1915–1916". San Diego History Center. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ "Al Spalding - Society for American Baseball Research". sabr.org.
- ^ "Al Spalding's career statistics". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
- ^ "Al Spalding's career statistics". baseball-reference.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
Further reading[edit]
- Lamster, Mark (2006). Spalding's World Tour. New York: Public Affairs. ISBN 1-58648-311-0.
- Levine, Peter (1985). A.G. Spalding and the Rise of Baseball. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-503552-6.
- Bales, Jack (2019). Before They Were the Cubs: The Early Years of Chicago’s First Professional Baseball Team. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
External links[edit]
- A. G. Spalding at the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
- Works by or about A. G. Spalding at Internet Archive
- Official webpage of Spalding's company
- A. G. Spalding at Find a Grave
| Preceded by William Hulbert | Owner of the Chicago Cubs 1882 — 1902 | Succeeded by Jim Hart |
