Why is the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York?
The qualitative and quantitative decision making process related to the inception, creation and continued success of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Gabriel Eberhardt & Sasha Loftin
AD715
Boston University
Abstract
This essay will briefly discuss the origins of the great American pastime of baseball, followed by an in depth study of the chronological events and decision making process which led to the creation of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the reason behind its location in Cooperstown, New York.
It was passion that led A.G. Spalding and Stephen Clark to the truth about baseball’s true origins and the creation of place where pieces of baseball history can be seen. That place is. It is the birthplace of baseball and the only logical place to honor the greats of this all American pastime. It was passion and not necessarily traditional decision making models that made it possible.
As with most great stories that are imbedded in American history, what has become known as the “great American pastime” slowly developed in due course, spanning the lengths of the ocean, and resulting from the collaboration of many individuals affording various contributions through the course of time. Not only is the sport of baseball one of the most deep rooted activities and symbols of what is truly American, is also affords a most interesting and serendipitous origination that is a unique fortuitous moment of timing, location, and personalities. While this essay provides an overview of the analytical processes that led to the creation, continued popularity and ongoing success of the Baseball Hall of Fame, any thorough investigation would be incomplete without first presenting a brief account detailing the incredible story of the creation of the modern game of baseball itself as it is highly intrinsic in the examination into the establishment of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
CRICKET, ROUNDERS AND BASEBALL
In 1836 at the age of 12, Henry Chadwick moved to Brooklyn from England where he had spent his childhood playing Cricket. He began covering cricket for many local newspapers such as New York’s Brooklyn Long Island Star (published from 1809 to 1863). Chadwick reported himself that he first came across the game of baseball in 1856 in New York. In 1857 he joined the staff of the weekly entertainment newspaper The New York Clipper (published from 1853) to 1924) and focused his attention as a journalist and sports writer on baseball. Soon after he was also hired on to provide coverage for other New York papers including the highly popular weekly Sunday paper, New York Sunday Mercury (published from 1839–1896). Utilizing his love of statistics and writing, he helped sculpt the public perception of the game. He also served on various baseball rules committees, and his keen observation of the game and its components helped influence the game of baseball itself as he implemented many regulatory functions based on his years of experience playing cricket. Chadwick also created the basis for the records of team's and player's achievements in the form of baseball statistics. Additionally, Chadwick was the editor for The Beadle Baseball Player, the first baseball guide sold publicly, as well as the editor for both Albert Spalding and Alfred Reach’s annual baseball guides. As an editor, sports writer and advocate, Chadwick proved proved to be one of the biggest early promoters of the game of baseball as well as the first writer to be dedicated to the new discipline of sports journalism. (nndb).
During this same time period, Albert Spalding was playing competitive baseball with the Rockford Pioneers, a youth team, which he joined in 1865. Following the formation of baseball's first professional organization, the National Association of Professional Baseball Players (which became known as the National