Henry Chadwick was an English-born American sportswriter, baseball statistician and historian, often called the "Father of Baseball" for his early reporting on and contributions to the development of the game. He edited the first baseball guide that was sold to the public.
Background
Chadwick was born in Exeter, England on October 5, 1824. His grandfather, Andrew Chadwick, had been a close friend of theologian John Wesley. His father, James Chadwick, was a supporter of the French Revolution who also tutored John Dalton in music and botany. James Chadwick had served as editor of a publication known as the Western Times. Edwin Chadwick's mother had made James Chadwick a widower shortly after Edwin's birth.
Career
Henry went to the United States at the age of thirteen and six years later began his lifelong career in journalism. He worked on many New York newspapers, including the Times, Herald, Sun, Clipper, and the Brooklyn Eagle. He also contributed baseball articles to a number of sporting magazines and edited early baseball guides and other reference books. In 1881 Chadwick became editor of Spalding's Baseball Guide, a position he held until his death. He was the compiler of the first rule book in 1858, and from then until 1870 he was chairman of the rules committee of the National Baseball Association, first nationwide baseball organization. Chadwick died April 20, 1908, in Brooklyn. He was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, N. Y. , in September 1938.
Achievements
Personality
Quotes from others about the person
Biographer Andrew Schiff writes that Henry Chadwick "was not brought up to value possessions or with an understanding of commerce and trade; rather he received an education that was drenched in moral philosophy and science. "
Connections
In 1848, Chadwick married to Jane Botts from Richmond, Virginia.