I'm a fan of the early history of baseball, and in my reading, I discovered that Mr. Pidgeon was an early star. I was pleased to see his memorial on F-A-G. John Thorn, who is a prolific writer of baseball history and in fact was recently appointed official historian of Major league Baseball, has written of Frank Pidgeon the the following linked article and in his recent book, "Baseball in the Garden of Eden". Here is the article link:
http://www.mrbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=61
Here is the part that pertains to his baseball fame:
" In 1855 Pidgeon, along with fellow shipbuilders, founded the Eckford Base Ball Club of Brooklyn, one of the legendary early clubs and a national champion. Despite his advanced years (he had passed his thirtieth birthday), he was a great all-around player who captained the nine and played several positions. In the three all-star games of 1858, pitting the best of Brooklyn against the best of Manhattan, he was selected each time and, when he pitched, won the lone game Brooklyn was able to capture. He was a competent second baseman, shortstop, and left fielder, but he won his fame as a pitcher not of the speedy or wild variety that emerged in the 1860s, but as the paragon of "headwork," changing speeds and arcs while pitching "fairly to the bat," as was the mandate back then.
Frank Pidgeon was a pure amateur who played baseball for the love of the game. When "revolving"—inexplicable player movements from team to team, no doubt spurred by under-the-table inducements—became a problem, he authored the National Association of Base Ball Players bill against professionalism. He even spoke out against some clubs' practice of recruiting young players with no visible means of support and then paying them expense money so that they could travel to play ball. "I suppose that you will admit," Pidgeon wrote to the editor of The Spirit of the Times in 1858, "that a man who does not pay his obligations, and has in his power to do so, is a knave and not fit to be trusted in a game of ball or anything else; and if he has not the money, his time would better [be] spent in earning the same than playing ball—business first, pleasure afterwards." "
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The article also contains additional biographical information. I thought it would be worthwhile to include reference to his baseball fame in his memorial. The 1850's were the time when the game as we know it was formed.
Thank you.
Bob Rosati (BobR)---
http://www.mrbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=61
Here is the part that pertains to his baseball fame:
" In 1855 Pidgeon, along with fellow shipbuilders, founded the Eckford Base Ball Club of Brooklyn, one of the legendary early clubs and a national champion. Despite his advanced years (he had passed his thirtieth birthday), he was a great all-around player who captained the nine and played several positions. In the three all-star games of 1858, pitting the best of Brooklyn against the best of Manhattan, he was selected each time and, when he pitched, won the lone game Brooklyn was able to capture. He was a competent second baseman, shortstop, and left fielder, but he won his fame as a pitcher not of the speedy or wild variety that emerged in the 1860s, but as the paragon of "headwork," changing speeds and arcs while pitching "fairly to the bat," as was the mandate back then.
Frank Pidgeon was a pure amateur who played baseball for the love of the game. When "revolving"—inexplicable player movements from team to team, no doubt spurred by under-the-table inducements—became a problem, he authored the National Association of Base Ball Players bill against professionalism. He even spoke out against some clubs' practice of recruiting young players with no visible means of support and then paying them expense money so that they could travel to play ball. "I suppose that you will admit," Pidgeon wrote to the editor of The Spirit of the Times in 1858, "that a man who does not pay his obligations, and has in his power to do so, is a knave and not fit to be trusted in a game of ball or anything else; and if he has not the money, his time would better [be] spent in earning the same than playing ball—business first, pleasure afterwards." "
*****************************************************
The article also contains additional biographical information. I thought it would be worthwhile to include reference to his baseball fame in his memorial. The 1850's were the time when the game as we know it was formed.
Thank you.
Bob Rosati (BobR)---
I'm a fan of the early history of baseball, and in my reading, I discovered that Mr. Pidgeon was an early star. I was pleased to see his memorial on F-A-G. John Thorn, who is a prolific writer of baseball history and in fact was recently appointed official historian of Major league Baseball, has written of Frank Pidgeon the the following linked article and in his recent book, "Baseball in the Garden of Eden". Here is the article link:
http://www.mrbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=61
Here is the part that pertains to his baseball fame:
" In 1855 Pidgeon, along with fellow shipbuilders, founded the Eckford Base Ball Club of Brooklyn, one of the legendary early clubs and a national champion. Despite his advanced years (he had passed his thirtieth birthday), he was a great all-around player who captained the nine and played several positions. In the three all-star games of 1858, pitting the best of Brooklyn against the best of Manhattan, he was selected each time and, when he pitched, won the lone game Brooklyn was able to capture. He was a competent second baseman, shortstop, and left fielder, but he won his fame as a pitcher not of the speedy or wild variety that emerged in the 1860s, but as the paragon of "headwork," changing speeds and arcs while pitching "fairly to the bat," as was the mandate back then.
Frank Pidgeon was a pure amateur who played baseball for the love of the game. When "revolving"—inexplicable player movements from team to team, no doubt spurred by under-the-table inducements—became a problem, he authored the National Association of Base Ball Players bill against professionalism. He even spoke out against some clubs' practice of recruiting young players with no visible means of support and then paying them expense money so that they could travel to play ball. "I suppose that you will admit," Pidgeon wrote to the editor of The Spirit of the Times in 1858, "that a man who does not pay his obligations, and has in his power to do so, is a knave and not fit to be trusted in a game of ball or anything else; and if he has not the money, his time would better [be] spent in earning the same than playing ball—business first, pleasure afterwards." "
*****************************************************
The article also contains additional biographical information. I thought it would be worthwhile to include reference to his baseball fame in his memorial. The 1850's were the time when the game as we know it was formed.
Thank you.
Bob Rosati (BobR)---
http://www.mrbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=61
Here is the part that pertains to his baseball fame:
" In 1855 Pidgeon, along with fellow shipbuilders, founded the Eckford Base Ball Club of Brooklyn, one of the legendary early clubs and a national champion. Despite his advanced years (he had passed his thirtieth birthday), he was a great all-around player who captained the nine and played several positions. In the three all-star games of 1858, pitting the best of Brooklyn against the best of Manhattan, he was selected each time and, when he pitched, won the lone game Brooklyn was able to capture. He was a competent second baseman, shortstop, and left fielder, but he won his fame as a pitcher not of the speedy or wild variety that emerged in the 1860s, but as the paragon of "headwork," changing speeds and arcs while pitching "fairly to the bat," as was the mandate back then.
Frank Pidgeon was a pure amateur who played baseball for the love of the game. When "revolving"—inexplicable player movements from team to team, no doubt spurred by under-the-table inducements—became a problem, he authored the National Association of Base Ball Players bill against professionalism. He even spoke out against some clubs' practice of recruiting young players with no visible means of support and then paying them expense money so that they could travel to play ball. "I suppose that you will admit," Pidgeon wrote to the editor of The Spirit of the Times in 1858, "that a man who does not pay his obligations, and has in his power to do so, is a knave and not fit to be trusted in a game of ball or anything else; and if he has not the money, his time would better [be] spent in earning the same than playing ball—business first, pleasure afterwards." "
*****************************************************
The article also contains additional biographical information. I thought it would be worthwhile to include reference to his baseball fame in his memorial. The 1850's were the time when the game as we know it was formed.
Thank you.
Bob Rosati (BobR)---
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