
Who is “The Father of Baseball”? The answer is very controversial!
In 1895 upon the death of Harry Wright, Henry Chadwick commented that Wright was virtually the founder of professional base ball.
In 1904, Theodore Roosevelt presented the title of “Father of Baseball” to British born Henry Chadwick who is the only sportswriter enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 1905 the Mills Commission was formed by Albert Spalding. It consisted of many major base ball executives including:
Abraham Mills, National League President
Morgan Buckeley, National League’s First President
Arthur Gorman, ex-president of Washington Base Ball Club
Nicholas Young, Fifth President of the National League
A.J. Reach, former Philadelphia Athletics player
George Wright, former player 1869 Cincinnati Red Jackets
James Sullivan, President of the Amateur Athletic Union.
These men issued their final report on December 30, 1907 and declared that their final decision was Abner Doubleday “invented” baseball.
Alexander J. Cartwright was inducted into the Base Ball Hall of Fame in 1938 and enshrined in 1939. His Base Ball Hall of Fame plaque reads that he is “The Father of Modern Baseball.”
Harry Wright comes back into the picture when Christopher Devine’s 2002 book is published with the title Harry Wright The Father of Professional Baseball.
Ron Keurajian who is accepted by most as the leading autograph expert on Baseball Hall of Fame autographs. One expert in the field recently stated that if you put all the so called self-proclaimed autograph authenticating experts who are on the staff of authenticating companies they wouldn’t add up to a pimple on Keurajian’s derriere.
Keurajian is working on the finishing touches of his massive book on Baseball Hall of Famers. He recently wrote a letter to Bud Selig who is the ninth Commissioner of Baseball and he has held that position since 1998. Keurajian asked Selig who he thought was the “Father of Baseball.” Selig’s response stated he believed that Abner Doubleday is “the Father of Baseball.”
Enter into the picture someone by the name of Keith Olberman. Many we have spoken to were unaware of who Keith Olbermann is. A quick check on Google states that he is an American News Anchor, sportwriter and political commentator. One article states he was fired by MSNBC another states he has been suspended by NBC.
On Olbermann’s blog he now becomes an autograph authenticator. He states: “There is a chance that’s not actually a letter from him (Selig)……so who knows, maybe this is a faked Selig letter.”
Signature Arts, Inc. and James Bruce was asked to comment on Olbermann’s statement and we had our genuine well documented autograph experts examine the Keurajian, Bud Selig letter. Every one has stated, without a doubt, the letter from Bud Selig is genuine and has been hand signed by the Commissioner.