Alexander Cartwright: The True Founder of Modern Baseball

One of baseball’s most prevalent myths is that of the founding of the game. The myth reads that Abner Doubleday played the first game in Cooperstown, New York, now home to the Baseball Hall of Fame. However, baseball’s true founder is Alexander Cartwright. Alexander Cartwright has been called, “the father of modern baseball”, for his role in the creation of the “Great American Pastime”, baseball. Alexander Cartwright created the rules for modern day baseball. He also participated in the first modern game of baseball and spread it across America. He led an interesting life, living in places from New York City to Hawaii. Alexander Cartwright created the rules of baseball, participated in the first recorded game of baseball, and led an interesting life.

Alexander Cartwright is credited for being the man who created modern day baseball. Although some of the rules he made have become obsolete, many are still used. His rules included; there are four bases laid out in a diamond, the bases are 90 feet apart, balls hit outside of first or 3rd base are foul, there are three outs per inning, teams play an equal number of innings, the batter must swing and miss three times to strike out Other rules include; foul balls were not considered strikes on the third swinging strike, the batter may run to first base if the catcher does not catch the ball before it hits the ground, runners may be put out by being tagged or forced out, a runner cannot be put out by “soaking” (hitting them with a thrown ball), and throwing at a runner is prohibited. Because of these monumental rules Alexander Cartwright is regarded as the “father of modern baseball”.

Alexander Cartwright participated in the first game of baseball and spread the game across the country. In 1846, as a member of the New York Knickerbockers, Cartwright and his club played the New York Nine in the first recorded game of baseball. The game was played at Elysian Fields and the Nine routed the Knickerbockers 23-1. Cartwright, the Knickerbockers best player, umpired the first game. Without his talents the Knickerbockers had no chance. Cartwright went off to California in 1849 because of the Gold Rush. It took him 49 days to reach St. Louis because of all the exhibition games he participated in. By playing games across the country on his way to California he was able to spread baseball across the country.

Cartwright soon became bored of the gold rush. He left five weeks later on a ship back to New York. However, he soon became ill on the ship and he was put off in Hawaii. Cartwright fell in love with the islands and brought his family there to stay. In Hawaii he was Honolulu’s fire chief, Head of the Commerce Board, and executor of the King and Queen of Hawaii’s estates. He also established leagues in Hawaii. Cartwright loved Hawaii and lived there until he died in 1903.

Due to his varied acccomplishments, Cartwright can be hailed as the founder of modern baseball. Through his creation of modern day rules, baseball evolved from traditional games such as rounders into what we now call baseball. By spreading the game across the country on his coast to coast trip in search of gold, Cartwright generated the love and passion for baseball, which has made it America’s pastime. Finally, because of these accomplishments and Cartwright’s pure love for the game, he should be deservedly remembered as the true founder of modern baseball.